„We all understand perfectly well that rejecting a candidate because he belongs to a party would most likely be contrary to the spirit of the Constitution. As long as there was agreement among the parties that Nemuno Aušra, as a party, should remain on hold while it had such problems, that was fine, but now everyone is saying that this is wrong. Great. At least propose those party candidates.
People should still be judged on their abilities, experience, and reputation. In this case, we are waiting for those candidates,“ said Jansonas on the program „Iš esmės“ (Essentially).
During the program, after reminding him of the clearly stated and repeatedly repeated words of Nausėda that he would not approve the ministers of the Nemuno Aušra politicians, and asking whether the president's position was changing, Jansonas once again called on Žemaitaitis to provide names – even those of party politicians.
„What does 'changing' mean? Just bring a specific person, and we'll discuss them. Currently, we're essentially discussing nothing. What would happen if there were. There is no person. There is nothing to discuss,“ he replied.
However, during Thursday's meeting between the ruling party and President Nausėda, the leader of Nemuno Aušra, Remigijus Žemaitaitis, named several possible candidates – although they were not publicly announced– Social Democratic leader Mindaugas Sinkevičius commented on them, saying that he „does not know them well.“
Just three days earlier, on Tuesday, when Žemaitaitis said he intended to present the names of politicians belonging to the party to the Prime Minister, Jansonas noted that the president would not change his position on the Nemuno Aušra candidates.
„We keep coming back to the same question: will the president change his position – and why should he? Has the situation changed since the president announced his decision and justified it based on ongoing investigations? The environment has not changed,“ Jansonas told Žinių radijas.
„The formation of the Government is being done as if it were a local market (...). If I add two more strawberries, will that be enough? No, it won't. If a minister is unsuitable, he is unsuitable,“ he emphasised at the time.
And just two days ago, on Wednesday, Jansonas called the leader of the Nemuno Aušra party, Žemaitaitis, a terrorist, to whose pressure Nausėda will not succumb and with whom he will not negotiate.
„Everything depends on when the interests of the state begin to dominate in this coalition mess. The moment it begins to dominate, either one or the other coalition partners will make rational decisions,“ Jansonas told the news portal 15min.
The presidential adviser stated that Žemaitaitis may threaten the appointed Prime Minister, Ruginienė, in the strangest ways, but this will not be a successful start to her work.
„He can threaten the prime minister in the strangest ways, whatever he does or does not do there. The prime minister presents the candidates, and if Mr. Žemaitaitis thinks that a successful start to his work is to mock his coalition partners and the state, then, God, wish him luck,“ he said ironically.
In Jansonas opinion, Žemaitaitis' statements about interpellations and support for Defence Minister Dovilė Šakalienė show that he is trying to take individual ministers and his own coalition partners hostage.
„In this case, the president does not negotiate with terrorists. If the Social Democrats are inclined to negotiate with terrorists, they can try that route, but the president will not give in to terrorism,“ he emphasised.