Sinkevičius approved as prime minister: “The more sincere say ‘I sympathise’ rather than ‘congratulations'”

Lithuania’s parliament on Tuesday approved Mindaugas Sinkevičius as the country’s next prime minister, with 80 lawmakers voting in favour, two against, and 28 abstaining, LRT.lt reports.

Following the vote, Sinkevičius told journalists he was not yet considering moving into the official prime ministerial residence in Turniškės. “I am still the mayor, if anyone has doubts. There’s no need to move anywhere prematurely. For now, I still see my life in Jonava. We’ll see how things develop in the future,” he said.

The opposition did not spare criticism after meeting with Sinkevičius in the parliament hall. The incoming prime minister described such criticism as natural. “I would be surprised if the opposition said: ‘What a great candidate, we support him, he is the most suitable and experienced.’ That would probably be a political utopia. It’s natural that they try to identify nuances, flaws, and weaknesses. They are pointed out. And time, I think, will show whether those making such claims were right, or whether my work and that of my team proves the opposite,” Sinkevičius said.

He noted that the number of votes received in parliament demonstrated a strong mandate. Sinkevičius left the parliament hall accompanied by security, acknowledging that he would need to adapt to a reduced level of privacy. “Sometimes in life, situations arise where you think you’re prepared for something morally and psychologically, but when it happens, you still might not be ready. I will have to adapt as well. There’s simply no other scenario. Humans are creatures of habit—they adapt to everything, to restrictions, to comfort and discomfort,” he said.

Sinkevičius also met with Interior Minister Vladislavas Kondratovičius, who expressed a desire to continue in his role. The incoming prime minister discussed the situation at the ministry, data breaches, and various local government issues. Sinkevičius said he left the meeting with a positive and favourable impression, adding: “I don’t think I have ever publicly criticised, even if life and various problems arise.”

However, he did not disclose which ministers the Social Democrats would replace or which would remain in their positions.