He sees the risk that the Polish scenario may also be repeated in Lithuania: the red borders are rubbing

Political scientist Ignas Kalpokas, associate professor of Vytautas Didios University (VDU), pointed a finger at the current processes and stated that the warm-up for the election campaign is beginning.

“Perhaps if you look at the issues that are being discussed today, the actions of the parties that are already taking place: withdrawals from agreements on education, defense… These are already unmistakable signs of a warming election campaign. We clearly see that any issues are brought into confrontation between the ruling party and the opposition,” said political scientist I. Kalpokas.

The interviewee I. Kalpokas shared the insight that the Lithuanian political system is already struggling to pass the test of political culture even now, before the election campaign has started.

“We are unable to agree on basic things. On the one hand, there is the self-expression of R. Žemaitaitis himself, but it also has a wider aspect – how the impeachment takes place. Sometimes, just because an impeachment is organized by the ruling majority, the entire opposition mobilizes and takes an anti-Semitic defense position.

It was the same with the older story of the impeachment of Petros Gražulis, the opposition mobilized because they needed to sting the ruling party. Even in such situations, we no longer pass that exam at all,” said VMU docent, political scientist I. Kalpokas.

According to the political scientist, when the electoral tension starts to rise and emotions heat up, even fundamental and strategic interests may be touched and questioned.

“They will be sacrificed in the name of specific electoral strategies. <...> Even in this place, I wouldn’t say that it will happen, but it is already being done”, – Delphi said I. Kalpokas.