Tensions mount surrounding Golovatov decision

VILNIUS -- Tensions continue to mount between Austria and Lithuania as the countries continue their spat over last week's release of a former Soviet officer wanted in Lithuania for war crimes.

Austrian Federal Chancellor Werner Faymann has said that he will not apologize -- as did the mayor of Salzburg (Vilnius' sister city) Heinz Schaden -- saying the court made an independent decision on the case.

"We have nothing to hide," Faymann told Austrian radio.

As previously reported, Mikhail Golovatov is wanted for his role in the storming of the state television studios on January 13th, 1991, in which 14 people died and more than a thousand were wounded. He was arrested earlier this month in Austria, but released less than 24 hours later on the grounds that Lithuania's European arrest warrent was "too vague".

Faymann is facing increased pressure at home as human rights activists and opposition leaders criticize Golovatov's release, saying that the country caved in to pressure from Russia.

Golovatov, meanwhile, has spoken up about the incident in an interview with Russian news agency RIA Novosti.

"The [Russian] ambassador stayed with us until five in the morning. His actions helped keep the situation in check," Golovatov said.

"Next day, at about 10 a.m., we were joined by an Austrian lawyer provided by the Russian embassy. He looked at my arrest warrant and said that it was drawn up incorrectly," he said.

The Baltics have expressed anger at the decision through a joint to EU authorities from the three foreign ministers.