„The options are very complicated. We know the situation in the Seimas; we have probably gone through all the groups we could form a coalition with, some of which we have already tried. There are not many options. But we have to work, we have worked in minority circumstances before,“ Olekas told Žinių Radijas on Wednesday.
„But today, I would not want to announce that the coalition is falling apart. We have a program, and if it is implemented and supported, the coalition will be able to work. If there are any conflicts, then we will have to look at other options,“ he said.
According to him, when the coalition was formed after Gintautas Paluckas took office as prime minister and later resigned, the party branches were consulted on the coalition's composition. Olekas claims that almost a year has passed since then, so it would be valuable to summarise and review the work's results.
In addition, the speaker of Parliament added that differences of opinion are emerging within the coalition, for example, regarding the planned construction of a military training ground in Kapčiamiestis.
„There are now some sharp differences of opinion regarding the new training ground in Kapčiamiestis. We have heard inaccurate and inappropriate statements from one of our coalition partners. This needs to be looked at, discussed, and decided upon in the coalition council itself. But the party also needs to discuss what our position is and what we need to defend,“ said Olekas.
As reported, Social Democrat Ruslanas Baranovas told the Delfi news portal that it was time for the ruling party to reconsider its coalition with the Nemuno Aušra party.
For his part, Žemaitaitis suggests that dissatisfied coalition partners consider forming a majority with opposition factions if they so wish.
ELTA recalls that the new ruling coalition was formed in the summer after journalistic investigations into then-Prime Minister Paluckas and his business ties led the politician to resign from his post at the end of July.
The new cabinet, led by Social Democrat Inga Ruginienė, was formed by the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (LSDP), Nemuno Aušra, and the Lithuanian Peasant, Green, and Christian Families Union faction in the Seimas.