„I have presented the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania with a full government, including all three remaining ministers,“ the country's leader told LRT television.
„I did so with a heavy heart. In fact, even today, we discussed whether there could be another candidate who could perhaps be compared to this one (Adomavičius – ELTA). The respected prime minister said that she does not have such a candidate at this moment,“ said Nausėda.
Adomavičius, a representative of Nemuno Aušra, was appointed minister despite objections from the cultural community and a planned protest against his candidacy for the post of Minister of Culture.
Susiję straipsniai
However, the president emphasises that the candidate has the potential to improve and not repeat past mistakes.
„The candidate has certain management skills, but I certainly understand the cultural community, which primarily sees his inexperience in the field of culture. This inexperience leads to mistakes and communication errors that should not be made. Still, I hope that the person can improve, that he has the potential to improve and will perhaps not make those mistakes in the future,“ emphasised Nausėda.
„I have repeatedly asked and continue to ask the prime minister to pay increased attention to this particular ministry (...). I will have to pay personal attention to the Ministry of Culture and the activities of the Minister of Culture, and I very much hope that the cultural community will understand that we are in the situation we are in. I really do not want to continue this process indefinitely, because it will cause even more friction, and the political situation will not become any easier,“ the president assured.
As previously announced, in a decree signed in early September, Nausėda appointed Vaida Aleknavičienė, a Social Democrat and chair of the Seimas Committee on Education and Science, as Minister of Culture. However, during last week's negotiations on the ministries, it was decided to transfer the Ministry of Culture to Nemuno Aušra. This political force was delegated to me, Adomavičius, as Minister of Culture.
In turn, the Social Democrats took over the Ministry of Energy, which had been allocated to Nemuno Aušra during the coalition negotiations. They delegated Vaičiūnas, who had been acting as interim minister until then, to head it.
In early September, a presidential decree appointed Kristupas Vaitiekūnas, who had previously served as deputy minister, as head of the Ministry of Finance, Seimas member Jūratė Zailskienė as Minister of Social Security and Labour, and Deputy Minister Juras Taminskas as Minister of Transport and Communications.
A few weeks ago, the candidates for ministers who had served in Gintautas Paluckas' government were also confirmed: Dovilė Šakalienė will continue to head the Ministry of National Defence (KAM), Marija Jakubauskienė will head the Ministry of Health (SAM), Raminta Popovienė will continue to head the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport (ŠMSM), Kęstutis Budrys will head the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (URM), and Vladislavas Kondratovičius will head the Ministry of the Interior (VRM).
The head of state appointed Rita Tamašunienė, a member of parliament nominated by the Lithuanian Polish Election Action-Christian Families Union (LLRA-KŠS), as Minister of Justice. Edvinas Grikšas, the Peasant Party's candidate for Minister of Economy and Innovation, was also confirmed.
Andrius Palionis, the deputy minister delegated by Nemuno Aušra, was also approved as Minister of Agriculture.
The Government will be authorised to act once the Seimas approves its program by a majority vote of the members present at the session. The vote is scheduled for Thursday.