Lithuanian parlt panel chair says MP Rozova hid ties to foreign diplomats, moves for probe

VILNIUS - Lithuanian MP Irina Rozova was denied access to classified information because she concealed her contacts with foreign diplomats, the chairman of the Seimas' Committee on National Security and Defense (NSGK) said on Wednesday, adding that the parliament will be asked to set up an ad-hoc commission to look in to the matter.

When asked by the State Security Department (VSD) to complete "that part (of the questionnaire) about whether one maintains personal contacts with staff of diplomatic missions of non-NATO and non-EU countries, Rozova concealed that, based on the information that was provided to us," Dainius Gaizauskas said after the NSGK meeting on Wednesday.

According to Gaizauskas, his committee will propose that the Seimas establish an ad-hoc inquiry commission regarding the VSD material about MP Rozova. 

"We will ask the Seimas to set up an ad-hoc inquiry commission (to look at) whether Rozova could have breached the oath and grossly violated the Constitution by concealing the circumstance in the questionnaire, due to which she was denied an authorization to handle classified information," he said. 

The commission would also look into why Viktoras Pranckietis, the speaker of the Seimas, and Vytautas Bakas, the then NSGK chairman, "too no steps to prevent potential risks to national security interests".  

Arvydas Anusauskas, a conservative member of NSGK, confirmed to reporters that Rozova failed to report her contacts "with Russian diplomats who had other duties, too".  

When asked if the diplomats Rozova had contacts with have been ordered out of Lithuania, the MP said, "Including them".  

Based on a VSD report, Pranckietis did not grant Rozova access to classified materials a year and a half ago. 

At the request of Anusauskas and his fellow conservative MPs, Laurynas Kasciunas and Gabrielius Landsbergis, the speaker of the Seimas forwarded the intelligence agency's report about Rozova to NSGK members. 

According to the conservatives, Pranckietis received the document on January 18, 2018.

Rozova is a member of the Russian Alliance and of the Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania – Christian Families Alliance's political group in the Seimas.

Last week, NSGK discussed Rozova's participation in an event of the Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy (IAO) that sparked protests in Georgia last June.

VSD Deputy Director Vaidotas Mazeika told journalists after the meeting that Russia was using the IAO for its foreign policy goals and described Lithuanian politicians' participation in the assembly as "a risk factor".