Gavrilov should make it clearer he's on 'right side of history' - Lithuanian president

  • 2025-01-13
  • BNS/TBT Staff

VILNIUS - Finance Vice Minister Valentin Gavrilov, who celebrates May 9th, should make it clearer that he is on "the right side of history", Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda says.

"It is one thing to talk about a citizen Gavrilov and his views, but it is another thing to talk about a political trust official Gavrilov. Of course, as a citizen, he can celebrate whatever holidays he wants, but as an official, he should not raise questions neither to the leaders of the state, nor to the people of Lithuania, which side of the barricades he is on," Nauseda told journalists at the Seimas on Monday.

"I very much want to believe that he is on the right side of history, but he should make it clearer so that nobody has the slightest doubt. But so far this has not been done to the full, so the questions remain open," he said.

His remarks followed media reports about Gavrilov's Facebook posts when he shared pictures from a May 9th commemoration at Antakalnis cemetery in Vilnius, and also said the blockade of the Astravyets nuclear power plant should be stopped and spoke against increasing funding for the army.

For his part, Gavrilov says he has already changed his mind on some issues, but said that May 9 was very important to his family and he would continue to commemorate it.

Last Friday, the presidential office called Gavrilov's position on May 9 incomprehensible and unjustifiable.

Both the prime minister and the finance ministers say they have no doubts about Gavrilov's competence and loyalty to Lithuania and say he can continue working in his position.

Gavrilov was appointed a deputy finance minister earlier this week and is in charge of financial policy, EU affairs and international relations.

The end of WWII is commemorated in Europe on May 8. Meanwhile, Russia and some other Soviet-ruled countries mark the day of victory over Nazi Germany during WWII on May 9. In Lithuania, bigger commemorations on this day take place in Vilnius and Klaipeda as they have bigger Russian-speaking communities.