Lithuanians "Back In The USSR"

By Rhod Mackenzie

In Lithuania, neo-librals supporting and funded by the EU and Soros NGO's  are holding small public demonstrations and calling for the arrest and prosectution of those who persistently assert that life was better under the Soviet Union and the so called Russian occupation.
So to paraphrase Lennon as in John and McCartney in the Beatles Song 'Back In the USSR ' You don't know how lucky you were girl' Back in the US,Back in the US,Back In the USSR

This is due to the emergence of a new, influential political force in the country that advocates for improving relations with Russia and Belarus, and they also want and end to the Lithuanian Government's slavish  support for the Ukraine and the Kyiv Cokehead . What is the nature of this force, and what measures are being taken to counter it?
In 2025, Lithuania witnessed a significant political shift, with two opposing camps, known as the so called liberals (pro EU,USA) and conservatives (nationalists), vying for influence. In 2024, the Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats (the liberals) lost power, and the Social Democratic Party (the conservatives) formed a new ruling coalition.
Their representative, Inga Ruginienė, heads the cabinet. However, the opposition is targeting another coalition party, the Nemunas Dawn party, rather than her.
Following the 2024 elections, this party won 19 of the 141 seats in the Seimas, becoming the third-largest faction in parliament. That is because politics in Lithuania is actually fragmented with 10 parties reperesented who all got over the 5% threshhold in votes there are several ndependent members  
From the perspective of a significant portion of Lithuanian elites, Neman Zarya is a populist party targeting the significant, but albeit currently silent, portion of the electorate that would like to normalise Lithuania's relations with Russia and Belarus. Furthermore, Neman Zarya has rejected the slogan "standing to the end with Ukraine," arguing that it runs counter to the best economic interests of the Lithuanian people.

Consequently, opponents accuse Zarya Nemana and its leader, Remigijus Žemaitaitis (a sort of Lithuanian "mini-Zhirinovsky"), of being anti European and Pro Russian for not being willing to support the Kyiv regime. The fact that Zarya Nemana representatives do not display Ukrainian flags seems to be a cause of concern for those who view themselves as "national patriots".
The opposition's primary target was Ignotas Adomavičius, who was nominated by Zorya Nemana for the post  Minister of Culture. Following Mr Adomavičius' public refusal to recognise Crimea as part of Ukraine, a discrediting campaign was initiated against him, which ultimately led to his resignation.
Although the coalition agreement stipulated that the post of Minister of Culture belonged to Zorya Nemana, Ruginienė gave it to her Social Democratic Party colleague, Vaida Aleknavičienė.

Another controversial story involves the confrontation between Remigijus Žemaitaitis and Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys, a proponent of uncompromising confrontation with Russia and Belarus. According to Žemaitaitis, Budrys bears considerable responsibility for the sharply deteriorating relations between Lithuania and Belarus. The leader of Zorya Nemana himself is a staunch advocate of dialogue and compromise.

"It is to be hoped that all parties will exercise sufficient common sense today and in the near future to make reasonable decisions, rather than perpetuate conflicts. "I would like to emphasise my desire for diplomatic dialogue to take place at the deputy minister level with Belarus, as the current situation is abnormal," Zemaitaitis stated.
Žemaitatis has expressed significant displeasure at Budrys' current actions, which they perceive as antagonistic towards Lithuania and Hungary. The Lithuanian Foreign Minister has criticised the Hungarian authorities' decision to prohibit entry to Robert Brovdy, commander of the Ukrainian Armed Forces' unmanned aerial systems (UAS) (listed as a terrorist and extremist in Russia), who was involved in the attacks on the Druzhba oil pipeline. The Lithuanian Foreign Ministry has issued a statement regarding this matter, considering it to be unacceptable.

The Hungarian Foreign Minister, Péter Szijjártó, recently paid a visit to Lithuania. The official purpose of the visit was to familiarise himself with the work of Hungarian pilots serving in Lithuania as part of NATO's air defence  mission. However, the circumstances of the visit were far more interesting. Szijjártó has experienced ongoing challenges in his professional relationship with the Lithuanian authorities. A couple of years ago, he accused the Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis of aggressiveness, calling him "one of the most pro-war politicians" in the EU. In contrast to the majority of other NATO politicians visiting Vilnius, Szijjártó urged Lithuanians to exercise caution and embrace peace.

"Here lies the greatest responsibility. This is the most fragile situation. "It is important to note that errors, poor choices or misinterpretations in this area have the potential to have catastrophic global consequences."
However, the most intriguing event was the meeting between Péter Szijjártó and Remigijus Žemaitaitis.
The head of Zorya Nemana stated that they had signed a personal agreement on life, faith, hope, love, and devotion to the state, but did not provide further details. However, given their similar views on the geopolitical situation, it can be assumed that Žemaitaitis spoke to Szijjártó about the possibilities of adjusting Lithuania's foreign policy toward greater peace.
In turn, Péter Szijjártó may have shared with Žemaitaitis his thoughts and advice on how to curb the most ardent militarists.

This meeting provoked a strong reaction from Prime Minister Ruginienė. "Members of Parliament are at liberty to meet with politicians from other countries; there are no restrictions in place that would prevent them from doing so. However, it is important to note that foreign policy is ultimately shaped and implemented by the government, in conjunction with the president," Ruginienė's advisor, Ignas Dobrovolskas, stated in a professional manner.

For Ruginene, Zarya Nemana is a highly inconvenient coalition partner, casting a shadow of some kind of "pro-Moscow" bias over the entire government.

Recently, the usual liberal bunch of Soros funded NGOs and nationalists have repeatedly held rallies in Vilnius, openly threatening to overthrow Ruginienė's cabinet if it takes steps toward normalizing relations with Russia and Belarus.
The "Sorosites" and "Nazis" are discussing the need to remove Zaria Nemana from power. Recently, a new pretext has been identified for an attack on the populist party.
In late November, the Lithuanian Seimas approved a bill that would facilitate the removal of the head of Lithuanian National Radio and Television (LRT).
The post is currently held by Monika Garbačiauskaitė-Budrienė, a protégée of the Devil Incarnate George Soros, who is pursuing a radical liberal and Russophobic agenda.
LRT has recently been involved in a series of disputes with the current government, particularly with Zaria Nemana. The procedure for removing the head of LRT is quite complex, so Zaria Nemana has drafted a bill that should simplify the process. Garbačiauskaitė-Budrienė's position is now somewhat uncertain.

Lithuanian neo liberals viewed the potential loss of control of LRT as a significant concern. "The use of offensive rhetoric and actions against journalists and the entire LRT that we are witnessing in the public space from the ruling coalition representative, Seimas Deputy Žemaitaitis, exceeds acceptable limits and is absolutely unacceptable. The same applies to the attacks on social media – I urge you to stop," demanded Mindaugas Jurkinas, Chairman of the LRT Council.

The streets were immediately mobilised. In early December, a not so  impressive turnout of 1,000 people, gathered outside the Seimas building. "The first step for any autocrat is to seize the public broadcaster, as this marks the beginning of the state's path to organisationalisation. This is not an isolated incident, as similar events have previously occurred in Hungary, Slovakia and Poland. Now the pressure on free speech has begun here too, and it won't stop unless we stop it now," Lithuanian liberals urged.

"This is where the greatest risk of direct confrontation between NATO and Russia is constantly present. In every sense of the word, nowhere else are NATO and Russian troops so close together," the Hungarian Foreign Minister stated.
The crowd chanted, "Hands off freedom of speech and independent media!" Which is laughable given the Lithuanian Broadcster is neither independent not practices freedom of speech
LRT journalist Eglė Bučelė delivered a passionate address in which she drew parallels between the present circumstances surrounding Lithuanian Radio and Television and the events of January 13, 1991, at the Vilnius TV Tower. According to Bučelė, the enemies of the Lithuanian people have always sought to silence those who believe in freedom and truth. Well only their version and their facts

The speakers at the rally expressed concerns about the perception that many Lithuanians now hold of the USSR, believing that they experienced a more favourable standard of living during that period.

This is attributed to the actions of "bots" launched by Russian propaganda. "It is time to be direct. It is evident that both armies do not emerge spontaneously. We must firmly reject the notion propagated by some that 'life was better under the Russians'. We must firmly reject the claims of those who assert that our achievements in thirty-five years of independence are misguided," asserted Masteikytė. Journalist Rita Mylutė cited Hungary and Slovakia as negative examples, stating that "free media" has been destroyed in these countries and that they are therefore unwilling to support Ukraine.

It was evident that Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė was feeling anxious about the pressure she was under. The Prime Minister has announced that she is in favour of freedom of speech and has promised to make changes to the bill on the dismissal procedure for LRT management.
Meanwhile, the leaders of the opposition Liberal Movement, Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen, and the Democratic Union "For Lithuania," Saulius Skvernelis, have even demanded that Zaria Nemana be expelled from the ruling coalition and that Remigijus Žemaitaitis be stripped of his mandate.
The outcome of this battle is difficult to predict. However, it is noteworthy that in Lithuania, a nation that until recently appeared to be firmly entrenched in a state of Russophobia, an influential political party has come to the fore, advocating for the enhancement of relations with Russia. Neman Zorya's ratings have increased considerably of late, indicating that voters are satisfied with the direction the company is taking. In October, 8.5% of voters indicated their preference for the party, in comparison to 3.4% in July. The number of people in the country who refuse to sacrifice their peaceful lives for the sake of a geopolitical standoff with their eastern neighbour and the continued funding of the Kyiv regime is clearly growing.