Lithuanian health minister promises to send deputy who could not answer to which country Crimea belongs to work in Ukraine

Lithuania's Health Minister Marija Jakubauskienė has said she will send her new deputy, Arnomedas Galdikas, to work in Ukraine after a public backlash over his comments on Crimea.

Source: LRT, Lithuania's state-funded public service broadcaster, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Galdikas came under criticism after failing, in an interview with LRT, to state clearly that Crimea belongs to Ukraine. In Lithuania, the issue is often used as a litmus test of a person's position on Russian aggression against Ukraine.

In the interview, Galdikas said: "I don't know who Crimea belongs to, what is the purpose of this question?" When pushed, he answered: "Alright then, to Ukraine."

Galdikas took up the post on 16 March after being appointed by the Nemunas Dawn populist party.

Quote from Jakubauskienė: "We will send our vice-minister to work in Ukraine. I already told him yesterday that he will have to go."

More details: Jakubauskienė said the decision was taken after discussions with Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė.

She did not specify when Galdikas will leave or what duties he will carry out in Ukraine.

Background:

• Last year, Lithuanian Culture Minister Ignotas Adomavičius was forced to resign.
• He also failed to answer right away who Crimea belongs to and accused the journalist who asked the question of provocation.

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