Lithuanian Parliament adopts resolution on Historical Revisionism Perpetuated by the Russian Federation

On April 7 Lithuanian Parliament the Seimas unanimously passed by 97 votes a Resolution on Historical Revisionism Perpetuated by the Russian Federation (Draft No XIIIP-4563)

The resolution aims at:

·         Condemning campaign distorting history

·         Respecting the memory of participants of World War II who fought against Nazism and other totalitarian regimes

·         Reaffirming solidarity with Poland: Lithuania’s strategic ally

In the Resolution on Historical Revisionism Perpetuated by the Russian Federation, the Seimas condemned historical revisionism and disinformation employed by Russia in an effort to deny the important role of the Soviet Union in initiating the Second World War, to put the blame on the victims of aggression, and to justify the signature of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact and its secret protocols in 1939, whose role in condemning Central and Eastern Europe to dozens of years of occupation and oppression is confirmed by historical sources.

‘In the wake of the upcoming anniversary, in May, of the Second World War, our neighbour has largely intensified the propaganda campaign. Within a mere few weeks in March alone, over 100 messages distorting the historical truth about World War Two saw global dissemination, while the capabilities of the propaganda machine of the authors are incomparably larger compared to our capabilities and those of our allies,’ said Linas Antanas Linkevičius, Minister of Foreign Affairs, when presenting the Draft Resolution.

According to the Minister, Lithuania respects the memory of the participants of the Second World War in the fight against Nazism. At the same time, the Resolution notes that the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, signed by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union in 1939, was in fact one of the real triggers of the outbreak of the Second World War in the first place.

‘Putting an end to the Second World War neither liberated Lithuania nor other Central and Eastern European countries. Quite the contrary, it led to the second period of Soviet occupation which lasted for five decades and was accompanied by mass deportations, as we are well aware. The Resolution concurrently serves to demonstrate our solidarity with Poland as our strategic ally and partner as well as with other allies that the Russian Federation seeks to incriminate with contribution to the outbreak of the Second World War in an effort to justify the ostensible need for the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact and its secret protocols,’ said the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Photo: by the Office of the Seimas (with permission)

Sources: press release by Saulė Eglė Trembo, Chief Specialist, Press Office, Information and Communication Department, The Sejmas, twitter of  Linas Antanas Linkevičius, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Central and Eastern Europe Center: Communications-Unlimited.nl