Gitanas Nausėda on Wednesday criticised the slogan “Lithuania for Lithuanians” as a relic of the past associated with troubling historical ideas, after authorities opened a pretrial investigation into an incident during Independence Day commemorations in the capital.
The investigation was launched after Konstantinas Andrijauskas, an associate professor at Vilnius University Institute of International Relations and Political Science, removed a banner bearing the slogan during March 11 celebrations in Vilnius. The owner of the banner called the police and Andrijauskas is now under investigation.
Speaking to LRT TV programme Dienos Tema (Topic of the Day), Nausėda said the phrase evokes “very bad things” reminiscent of ideologies seen in 1930s Germany.
“To me, such slogans sound like a kind of relic of the past. They are alien to me,” the president said. “First of all, because they carry associations with very negative things that existed in Germany in the 1930s.”
Asked whether such banners and chants are appropriate in Vilnius, Nausėda urged citizens to express patriotism in more inclusive ways.
“It is possible to love the country and strive for the very best for it in entirely different ways, without trying to elevate one nation above others, but by respecting all nations and the people of all nations who live alongside us,” he said.
“Only by following this path will we make Lithuania strong. In all other cases, I fear we will only harm Lithuania,” he added.
According to police, the investigation concerns a suspected disturbance of public order. Authorities said Andrijauskas removed a banner described as extremist from a viaduct on Čiurlionio Street on March 11.
In a social media post, Andrijauskas confirmed that he took down the banner near his home that afternoon. However, he denied allegations that he used profanity, tore the banner apart, or acted violently toward its owner.
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