„There are no active phases of negotiations yet. Minimal talks are taking place. I can confirm that,“ Sinkevičius told reporters in the Seimas on Tuesday.
„The minimal conversations are that I met with the interim chairman of the party, Virginijus Sinkevičius, we had coffee, talked about life, the chairmanship, the party, his situation, my situation – not personal situations, but the situations of our partners,“ he said.
When asked whether this meant that Saulius Skvernelis was an obstacle to talks between the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (LSDP) and the Democrats regarding the possibility of working together in a coalition again, the politician said that he had no preconceptions.
„No. I would not interpret the preconceptions that Skvernelis was an obstacle to talks in this way,“ emphasised Sinkevičius.
On Monday, interim Democratic Party chairman Sinkevičius suggested that Skvernelis should leave the Seimas Democratic Party faction. In turn, Sinkevičius denied that he had advised the interim Democratic Party chairman to make such a statement about the former party leader.
„No, we didn't talk about it. (...) I'm not going into his garden, I wouldn't want him to go into mine,“ the LSDP chairman commented.
When asked whether he would raise the issue of alternatives to the coalition at the LSDP council on Thursday, Sinkevičius said he would present his vision of the current political landscape and the theoretical and practical alternatives available.
„And we will discuss it. Maybe there won't be a decision right away. Maybe it will take time to digest, think about, and rethink it. I don't know. There is no such clear directorial script that we consider, make a decision, we cannot make it, we can postpone the issue, we can do everything,“ he said.
According to him, there is no dominant position regarding the coalition, that is, whether to stay with Nemunas Aušra or take an alternative path and form a government with the Democrats again.
„There is no dominant position that sudden changes are needed. Almost half and half. (...) We will take that temperature on Thursday. Everything will come in its own time, and we will do everything,“ the politician emphasised.
He also stated that the vote on the Kapčiamiestis training ground project is not the only factor determining talks on possible alternatives to the current coalition.
„This is important, but it is not the only key factor. I think that we also need to evaluate the path we have taken. I will talk about how the dynamics of the ratings are changing, how the attitude is changing, what state we feel from the departments,“ said Sinkevičius.
ELTA reminds that Prosecutor General Nida Grunskienė signed and sent an appeal to the Seimas on Thursday to lift the legal immunity of MP Skvernelis. The Prosecutor General's request to the Seimas may mean that the well-known politician will be charged, questioned, and possibly placed under preventive detention.
The petition to the Seimas states that Skvernelis accepted a large bribe of 51,000 euros through his former advisor, Agnė Silickienė, allegedly to secure his political favour. It is also alleged that Skvernelis was given the nickname „Krab“.
The letter also states that the money was transferred to Silickienė was by the now-dismissed director of the State Plant Protection Service (VAT), Yurij Kornijenko, who, along with several other individuals, appears in a large-scale corruption case.
Skvernelis soon announced that he was suspending his membership in the party. He does not intend to give up his mandate as a member of the Seimas. However, the leader of the Democratic faction, Lukas Savickas, confirmed that Skvernelis was withdrawing from the faction and planned to continue working in the Mixed Group of Seimas Members.