Agnė Širinskienė (born 9 November 1975) is a Lithuanian politician. She was elected to the Seimas with the Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union in 2016. One of the leading members of the party, she was described as "Ramūnas Karbauskis's hitwoman".[1] She left the party in 2021 and joined Dawn of Nemunas in 2024.
Agnė Širinskienė | |
|---|---|
 Širinskienė in 2023 | |
| Member of the Seimas | |
| Assumed office 14 November 2016 | |
| Constituency | Multi-member |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 9 November 1975 Vilnius, Lithuania |
| Political party | Dawn of Nemunas (2024–present) |
| Other political affiliations | Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union (2016-2021) |
| Spouse | Arvydas Širinskas |
| Education | Vytautas Magnus University (BA; MA) Mykolas Romeris University (PhD) |
Background
editŠirinskienė was born in Vilnius in 1975 and graduated from school in Dūkštas in 1993. She graduated from Vytautas Magnus University with a master's degree in pastoral theology in 2000. In 2005, she obtained a doctor's degree of humanitarian sciences from Mykolas Romeris University.[2] In 2016, it was revealed that her doctoral thesis claims that "the spread of AIDS is a reminder that man's presence in the world is not solely determined by forces under his control. In this case, God, who punishes for moral evil and the distortion of the purpose of sexuality with sexually transmitted disease". Širinskienė claimed that the quote was taken out of context and she argued against it in her thesis.[3]
From 2004 until 2016, she was associate professor at the Institute of Public Law of Mykolas Romeris University.[2] Before 2016, she was also a non-statutory expert for the Seimas Committee on Health.[4]
Political career
editŠirinskienė ran as the Peasant-Green candidate in the Polish-majority Šalčininkai constituency in the 2016 Lithuanian parliamentary election and was soundly defeated by Polish Electoral Action candidate Leonard Talmont.[5] However, she entered the Seimas on the party's electoral list.[2]
Širinskienė became the chairwoman of the Seimas Committee on Health. Soon after the election, she was criticized by the medical community for her attempt to restrict assisted reproductive technology.[6]
After the party's vice-chairwoman Greta Kildišienė resigned over suspected embezzlement from her workplace on 24 January 2017, Širinskienė became one of party chairman Ramūnas Karbauskis's key allies in parliament. Described as a "duo", they were stated as being responsible for most of the strategic decisions in the party's parliamentary group. Justas Džiugelis described her as "Karbauskis's hitwoman", and Povilas Urbšys described as "the chief of the Seimas, more powerful than the Speaker, Viktoras Pranckietis".[1]
Širinskienė led several investigatory commissions throughout the Twelfth Seimas of Lithuania, including an investigation into Gabrielius Landsbergis and his wife's business, potential corruption and influence over state organs.[7] In January 2019, Širinskienė, Artūras Skardžius and Rima Baškienė displayed a shooting range target in the Seimas chamber which they named "Gabrielius".[8]
Širinskienė was reelected in 2020. In December 2021, she left the party, which was described as surprising by the media due to her close cooperation with Karbauskis. Širinskienė cited insults, reproaches and bullying by her colleagues, complaints over her presence in the media, including an order to avoid entering the parliamentary chamber through the main entrance to avoid being seen by journalists, and lacking support as reasons for her departure, while remaining deputies in the party claimed that she left due to her own difficult character.[9] However, she did not join the Union of Democrats "For Lithuania", founded by former members of the party around the same time. Though she was invited by the party's chairman Saulius Skvernelis, many of the party's members were opposed to her joining.[10] In June 2024, Širinskienė joined the Dawn of Nemunas, led by Remigijus Žemaitaitis.[11]
Personal life
editŠirinskienė is a Roman Catholic.[12]
References
edit- ^ a b Šilinskaitė-Puškorė, Eglė (7 October 2018). "Reikli dėstytoja Agnė Širinskienė Seime tapo valstiečių lyderio smogike". Lietuvos rytas (in Lithuanian).
„R.Karbauskio smogikė", – taip A.Širinskienę apibūdino buvęs valstiečių frakcijos narys Justas Džiugelis.
- ^ a b c "Agnė Širinskienė". Central Election Commission (in Lithuanian). 2016.
- ^ "Į skandalą įsivėlusi Agnė Širinskienė: "Siekiau parodyti, kad ligos nėra Dievo bausmė"". Lietuvos rytas (in Lithuanian). 24 November 2016.
- ^ "Nusprendė tobulinti sveikatos programą". EMedicina (in Lithuanian). 11 June 2014.
10) Doc. dr. Agnė ŠIRINSKIENĖ –Seimo Sveikatos reikalų komiteto neetatinė ekspertė, Mykolo Romerio universiteto Teisės fakulteto Bioteisės katedros docentė;
- ^ "Šalčininkų-Vilniaus (Nr.56) apygarda". Central Election Commission (in Lithuanian). 2016.
- ^ Saukienė, Inga (2 December 2016). ""Už" ir "prieš": A.Širinskienės atsakymai į medikų priekaištus dėl pagalbinio apvaisinimo". 15min.lt (in Lithuanian).
- ^ Brunalas, Benas (5 May 2020). "Prieštaringai vertinamas Širinskienės tyrimas dėl Landsbergių verslo skinasi kelią Seime". Delfi (in Lithuanian).
- ^ Ignatavičius, Tadas (15 January 2019). "Neseniai žvengė, o dabar jau mekena". Lietuvos rytas (in Lithuanian).
- ^ ""Valstiečius" palikusi Širinskienė – atvirai: kaip dangstė partijos lyderius, žeminančius nurodymus ir nemalonų siurprizą prie kabineto durų". Delfi (in Lithuanian). 14 December 2021.
- ^ Lyberytė, Augustė; Brunalas, Benas (18 April 2024). "Demokratai sprendžia klausimą dėl Širinskienės: verda ginčai – priimti į frakciją ar ne". Delfi (in Lithuanian).
- ^ Lyberytė, Augustė; Brunalas, Benas (19 June 2024). "Širinskienė nusprendė stoti į Žemaitaičio partiją "Nemuno aušra"". LRT (in Lithuanian).
- ^ Lanauskienė, Sigita (1 December 2016). "Seimo narė Agnė Širinskienė praskleidė asmeninio gyvenimo šydą". Lietuvos rytas (in Lithuanian).