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Lithuanian MP resigns from historical memory commission after Holocaust comments
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Valdas Rakutis / E. Blaževič/LRT
Lithuanian MP Valdas Rakutis from the ruling Homeland Union is stepping down as head of the parliamentary committee on historical memory following his controversial comments on Holocaust.
In an op-ed published on Wednesday, the International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Rakutis claimed that there was no shortage of Holocaust perpetrators among the Jews themselves . His comments drew rebukes from the country’s leaders, ambassadors, public figures, as well as fellow party members.
On Friday, Rakutis said he decided to quit the parliamentary Commission for the Cause of Freedom and the National Historical Memory because he had been asked to by the leadership of the Homeland Union–Lithuanian Christian Democrats (TS-LKD) and its parliamentary group.
Israeli ambassador slams MP s Holocaust remarks as insensitive and disturbing
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Yossef Levy, Israel s ambassador to Lithuania, has described conservative MP Valdas Rakutis remarks on the Holocaust as insensitive and disturbing .
The diplomat s comment came in response to an article published by Rakutis on International Holocaust Remembrance Day in which the chairman of the parliament s Commission for the Cause of Freedom and the National Historical Memory mentioned Jews alleged collaboration with the Nazi and Soviet regimes. We say in Hebrew: if one man throws a stone into a well, 100 strong guys can t dig it up. I don t know Mr. Rakutis. Maybe he had good intensions. But this article, written especially to the Memorial Day, was unfortunately so insensitive and disturbing, and damaged the image of Lithuania, Levy told BNS on Wednesday.
Lithuanian MP says Jews took part in Holocaust, draws widespread condemnation
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MP Valdas Rakutis / BNS
Lithuanian MP Valdas Rakutis from the ruling conservative Homeland Union party has drawn rebukes from ambassadors as well as fellow party members for his op-ed published on Wednesday, where he claimed that there was no shortage of Holocaust perpetrators among the Jews themselves .
The country’s foriegn minister and head of the party, Gabrielius Landsbergis, expressed outrage over Rakutis’ claims. I [.] am very angry at the lack of adequacy and understanding, the minister said in a comment sent to BNS. The parliamentarian s opinion has nothing to do either with my position or with the principles that the party I represent or the government I work in adhere to.