Malakauskas approved as security chief

  • 2007-06-06
  • By Arturas Racas

SAFE AS HOUSES: Malakauskas heads the Special Investigation Service and has 12 years experience in the Ministry of Defense.

VILNIUS - Lithuania's beleaguered State Security Department finally got a new leader on June 5 when the country's lawmakers approved 51-year-old Povilas Malakauskas as the department's new director general. Sixty-seven parliamentarians out of the 112 present at the vote supported Malakauskas, 40 abstained and none voted against him.

Malakauskas, who is currently director of the parliament's Special Investigation Service, will replace Arvydas Pocius, who handed in his resignation in December 2006 after a special parliamentary commission concluded he was not fit to head the state security department or organize its activities.
President Valdas Adamkus first offered to appoint Malakauskas in March, but Parliament then failed to dismiss Pocius from his position, and Adamkus recalled his decree on Malakauskas' nomination.
In the beginning of May Parliament again voted on Pocius' removal, this time deciding that he must step down. Adamkus again offered Malakauskas as his candidate and warned Parliament that its members would have to find a new candidate themselves if they did not support Malakauskas' candidacy.

Immediately after Parliament gave Malakauskas their approval, the president hailed the decision.
"The president is satisfied that Parliament heard his call to focus on the most important issues and to solve the problem of changing the State Security Department's leadership," Rita Grumadaite, president's spokeswoman, said.
However, Malakauskas will have to wait until June 12 to start his new job. Before voting on his candidacy Parliament also amended the law on the State Security Department, limiting the term of its director to five years. Malakauskas must wait until the new regulation becomes official before taking the post. The term of state security chief had no limits prior to now.
"Thank you for your confidence. When there is confidence, there will be the results," Malakauskas said after the vote.
"I do not think that the State Security Department is the only institution where problems exist, but we should work systematically, hand in hand with the parliament and then all problems can be solved," he added.

A graduate of Vilnius University's Faculty of Physics, Malakauskas worked in the Lithuanian Defense Ministry from 1992 - 2004. He studied in Norway's National Defense College, trained in Sweden's defense ministry and had additional training in the United States.
In 1996 Malakauskas began working as Deputy Defense Minister. His primary responsibilities were NATO relations and defense policy.
He was appointed head of the Special Investigation Service at the end of 2004.