| Yesterday, Lithuanian President Rolandas Paksas admitted that “he could have made a big mistake - accepting his former sponsor Yuri Borisov as an adviser.” Entrepreneur Borisov is one of the main characters in the political scandal, because of which the presidential impeachment procedure began on March 8 this year.
Paksas said that he had “long sought a compromise between humanity and duty, hesitated and hesitated for a long time”, but decided that he would not “tolerate any form of pressure either in relation to the state, or me personally, or my family.” Addressing the residents of the country, the president said: “I count on your forgiveness and understanding. I place my fate in your hands.”
The events of the last 24 hours resemble the theater of the absurd. On Wednesday, Mr. Borisov received an invitation to become an adviser to the president on an almost unlimited range of issues. But yesterday, around noon, the president’s press service stated that, having “discussed all the circumstances of the conversation with Borisov,” Paksas not only did not appoint him as an adviser, but even “refuses any ties” with him. Let us recall that the Constitutional Court of Lithuania deprived Borisov of citizenship. That is, the head of state would be advised by a foreigner who is actually recognized as persona non grata and does not speak Lithuanian. Yesterday's newspaper headlines, inspired by the president's first statement, screamed that the president was now "controlled by Russia."
And then Paxas turned away from his sponsor. The Prosecutor General's Office is already preparing a resolution on Borisov's house arrest on the grounds that he violated the promise he signed “not to seek contacts” with the president. He was also given a written undertaking not to leave, and his passport was taken away.
Prime Minister Algirdas Brazauskas said he was shocked by the president's behavior. In his opinion, Paksas signed his own death sentence and the outcome of his impeachment is a foregone conclusion. Yesterday, the Seimas adopted an appeal to the president demanding that he resign without waiting for impeachment. None of the parliamentarians voted against it. Vladimir SKRIPOV, Vilnius
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