„In this situation, I would say yes“, said Mitrofanovas when asked whether Sinkevičius could prevail against the Head of Government.
Moreover, according to the influential Social Democrat, in the future, if necessary, Sinkevičius could even replace Paluckas as Prime Minister, which he would have had if not for the lawsuits.
On Wednesday, Mitrofanovas had already spoken on the phone with Sinkevičius himself, congratulating him, but he did not hesitate to ask about his future plans. He hopes that he will return to active politics and be as ambitious as before.
He thinks Sinkevičius could win
According to Mitrofanovas, now is a particularly good time for Sinkevičius to become the leader of the LSDP. The parties are already slowly starting to prepare for the local elections, the results of which will largely determine the shape of the future parliamentary elections.
„All parties, when strategising even for the next parliamentary elections, must clearly understand that the success of the next parliamentary elections will depend to a large extent on how we will perform in the local elections. Mindaugas becoming party chairman and strategising for the Seimas would be a strong signal in this case. Now is a perfect time for him to run,“ the mayor told Lrytas.
The long-time Social Democrat pointed out that Sinkevičius also needs to take the lead because, in the future, he may have to replace Paluckas as Prime Minister. The last few Heads of Government have managed to stay in office for a full term, but history tells a different story.
„Let's not forget that it does not mean he would not replace the same Prime Minister in the future in some crisis. It has often been the case that Prime Ministers have not necessarily been members of the Seimas or have not lasted the whole term,“ Mitrofanovas explained.
He added that his becoming the party's chairman, free from other duties, would strengthen the party. He could be a strong enough link between the group in the Seimas, the Government, and the President. Mindaugas' presence would give a strong enough boost to rehabilitate the fallen ratings on the Government, coalition building, and other issues.
Among other things, the Akmenė District Mayor recalled that not all Prime Ministers have necessarily been party chairs in the past, which is why Paluckas is not yet a clear choice.
The two recent examples of Ingrida Šimonytė and Saulius Skvernelis alone show that not only a non-party chairperson but also a non-party member, in general, can become Prime Minister. Moreover, there has never been a case in which a non-party chairman has become Prime Minister and a Prime Minister has become party chairman.
„In this situation, I would say yes,“ said Mitrofanovas when asked whether Sinkevičius would be able to defeat Paluckas. He made no secret of his support for the former Mayor of Jonava's candidacy.
During the interview, the long-standing Social Democrat did not miss the opportunity to repeatedly sting Paluckas, clearly showing he is not his biggest fan.
„When Paluckas became chairman, the Social Democrats were in the majority with the Peasants. It was during his leadership that he broke that coalition. I don't know the aim, but we gained nothing from it. Perhaps we must admit that it was not the right decision“, said Mitrofanovas.
He also said that he misses more open discussions and consultations within the party because not all of the provisions he hears from the leaders are acceptable to him.
Offer to become a minister?
The mayor did not rule out that Sinkevičius could be offered the leadership of the Ministry of Regions, which is expected to be operational next year. However, he would advise his comrade not to fall into such a trap, as he would rather keep his distance from the current coalition.
„I would not agree If I was him. If it weren't for what happened during this process, he would probably be both Prime Minister and party chairman today. Being chairman of the party now and somewhat independent is a great strength for him. We see and know that there is also support from the Presidency. I do not doubt that there will be strong support within the party itself“, Mitrofanovas assured.
He had managed to talk to Sinkevičius a few hours earlier but did not discuss his political future.
„I expressed my support. We were in constant contact. It is very sad when people, especially politicians, turn away in such cases. I found it very strange that even the party leaders kept their distance. Unfortunately, politics is cruel,“ the mayor sighed.
Mitrofanovas was worried that Sinkevičius, disillusioned with politics, would not even think of leaving it, at least for a while.
Rehabilitation of local Government, he says
Mitrofanovas was not surprised by the Supreme Court's decision – justice had triumphed, but it had cost Sinkevičius a lot. The mayor called the decision a rehabilitation of the entire local Government.
„The process itself could be included in the Lithuanian Guinness Book of Records in terms of time. No councillor or mayor has ever reached the end of a first-instance trial. In the case of Mindaugas, today, we already have a Supreme Court decision. The speed is cosmic,“ said the Mayor of Akmenė District.
The Social Democrat was also annoyed that an acquitted former mayor could not return to his post – such strict rules do not apply to anyone except local Government representatives.
On Wednesday, the Supreme Court dismissed the case of the former Mayor of Jonava, Sinkevičius, who was convicted of „cheques“. The Court of Cassation stated that the politician's actions could not lead to criminal liability and that he returned the embezzled funds.
The Supreme Court held that the courts in the criminal case in question had misapplied the criminal law, unjustifiably found Mr Sinkevičius guilty and convicted him of abuse of power of attorney, forgery of a document or possession of a forged document, and embezzlement of property.
Consequently, the judgments of the courts of first instance and appeal are annulled, and the criminal proceedings against Mr Sinkevičius are dismissed. This Supreme Court decision is final and cannot be appealed.