Vilniaus district mayor would join government only in crisis if no alternatives exist
Vilniaus district mayor Robertas Duchnevičius has stated he would only consider joining the cabinet in a state crisis if no other candidates were available to fill a ministerial post, LRT reports.
Speaking to the Baltic News Service (BNS) on Tuesday, the Social Democrat said he had previously discussed potential government roles during leadership talks, but stressed his focus remains on local responsibilities. “First and foremost, it would have to be a crisis situation,” Duchnevičius said. “If I saw a very difficult situation—not on a party level, but on a state level—where there is a need and no people capable of taking on the responsibilities, I would never avoid that responsibility.”
The mayor confirmed he had discussed the possibility of replacing Interior Minister Vladislav Kondratovič with Social Democrat leader Mindaugas Sinkevičius before the party’s decision to remove the “Nemuno aušra” faction from the ruling coalition. “The Interior Ministry is an area where I perhaps have broader professional competence and understand the field better, which is why it was discussed,” he said. “But there is a working minister, and I don’t see why he shouldn’t continue.”
Duchnevičius emphasised the importance of both government stability and completing his ongoing projects in Vilniaus district, where he said “no less important work” remains before his term ends. “There’s still plenty of time left in this term—almost a year—and there are tasks that need to be finished,” he noted. “I’m someone who always looks at the mandate of trust given by voters, so I have work to complete.”
If Duchnevičius were to join the cabinet, the district council—where the Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania–Christian Families Alliance holds a majority—would likely appoint an acting mayor. He acknowledged the “morally complex decision” this would present, given the potential instability in local governance.
Asked about his political future, Duchnevičius said he had not yet decided whether to seek a second term as mayor, adding that the Social Democrats would finalise their candidate by autumn. “We have several names, and by fall it will probably be clear,” he said. “I haven’t made an internal decision yet, and there are many influencing factors.”
The discussions follow last weekend’s Social Democrat decision to expel “Nemuno aušra” from the ruling coalition and begin negotiations with the Democratic Party to form a new majority, which would likely trigger a cabinet reshuffle. The potential coalition of Social Democrats, Democrats, and the Farmers and Greens Union would hold 75 seats in the 141-member parliament.