Lithuanian spy chief renews push to criminalize subversive activity

The head of Lithuania’s State Security Department (VSD), Remigijus Bridikis, has renewed calls to criminalise subversive activity, urging politicians to revisit a proposal first introduced nearly a decade ago by the country's intelligence services.

Speaking to local radio, Bridikis emphasised the urgency of addressing growing threats from hostile states, Caliber.Az reports, citing Lithuanian media.

“At the very least, we need to review the legal framework. These emerging threats, growing tensions and the objectives of hostile states aren't going away – they're becoming more complex.”

Bridikis stressed that subversive activities, which could include the dissemination of disinformation, acts of sabotage, or assisting foreign powers in actions against Lithuania, pose serious risks to national security. “The main point we made back then was that we need to look for ways to criminalise subversive activity,” he said.

The proposal to criminalise such conduct was first publicly raised by then-VSD director Darius Jauniškis in 2016, but it has not yet been adopted into Lithuanian law.

Bridikis’ remarks come amid heightened concern over increased sabotage activity linked to Russia, which has been observed not only in Lithuania but also by other Western security agencies in recent years.

Although Bridikis declined to directly address the recent actions of Eduardas Vaitkus, a former Lithuanian presidential candidate who recently traveled to Belarus, he noted that Russia and Belarus “have exploited and will exploit individuals who speak out against Lithuania and the democratic values it upholds.”

During his visit to Belarus, Vaitkus made inflammatory statements, alleging that Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda had been elected illegally and claiming that Lithuania was “on a path toward destroying the Lithuanian nation and statehood.” These statements were widely disseminated by Belarusian state media, including the official news agency Belta and several news websites.

According to those reports, Vaitkus met with the head of the pro-government Belaya Rus party and held a press conference in Belarus.

In response to the trip, Lithuanian authorities have launched a pre-trial investigation on suspicion of aiding a foreign state in actions against Lithuania.

By Tamilla Hasanova