Why does President Grybauskaite love the General Prosecutor so much?

Passionate discussions continue regarding General Prosecutor Darius Valys’ report of activities, which the Parliament of Lithuania has not approved. However, the main players in the country’s political arena (the President, Prime Minister and opposition leader) seem to think that the General Prosecutor is appropriate for this post even with his mistakes.

The opposition Conservatives are seemingly becoming a presidential party, as this political conjuncture is being quickly exploited by the driving forces behind the Conservatives. It is not surprising that with strong backing Dalia Grybauskaite is remaining true to herself as she unashamedly demonstrates disregard towards elementary rules of the democratic process.

Interestingly, the President is calling the Parliament’s vote on the General Prosecutor’s activity “politicization”. However, the passion and stubbornness with which President Grybauskaite stands up for a General Prosecutor, even though he has compromised himself, raises the question of whether the President herself, by seeming to take the criticism of the General Prosecutor personally and interfering with the activity of prosecutors in this way, has not gone beyond the constitutional principle of separation of power.

If the country’s former Finance Minister Ingrida Simonyte once said that her chest was too small to cover the budget hole, the country’s leader is covering the General Prosecutor using her own body. Is this motherly instinct, fear to recognize her own mistakes, or the knowledge that it would not be possible to find a more corruptible prosecutor than Darius Valys among all of the prosecutors?

According to political commentator Tomas Valuckas, Mr. Valys can be sure of his post; he only needs to humbly nod his head in front of the General Prosecutor.