Lithuanian Minister of Culture Ignatas Adomavičius, who had taken office only a week ago, has announced his resignation. The decision followed a scandal surrounding his interview in which the politician failed to provide a clear answer on whether Crimea belongs to Ukraine, reports Baltimore Chronicle with reference to LRT.
In a conversation with the news portal Lrytas, Adomavičius dismissed the question about Crimea as “provocative” and refused to comment, stating that such issues were unrelated to the Ministry of Culture. His response provoked sharp criticism, and Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Ruginienė suggested that he step down voluntarily.
At a press conference in the Seimas, Lithuania’s parliament, the minister confirmed his decision to resign. However, he denied that he had been directly pressured to leave and avoided answering whether the controversial interview had been the reason for his departure. He explained his move as an attempt “to protect both his family and the stability of the government,” adding that he would soon submit his official resignation to the prime minister.
Even before his appointment on September 25, Adomavičius’s candidacy had drawn criticism. As a member of the far-right party “Dawn of Neman,” he faced opposition from the cultural community, which questioned his lack of experience in the cultural sector. His only connection to the field was graduating from the Čiurlionis National School of Art.
The minister had also attracted attention with several controversial actions. He ordered the removal of the Ukrainian flag from the Ministry of Culture building and opposed increasing Lithuania’s defense budget.
Before entering the government, Adomavičius briefly served as an adviser to the deputy speaker of the Seimas and earlier worked as commercial director of his family-owned pasta company, Bravopasta.
Earlier we wrote that Putin threatens response to Europe’s militarization and blames the West for Ukraine conflict.
