Gitanas Nausėda discusses potential ministers and early results with China

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda said preliminary results related to China could be achieved by the end of the year, adding that signals regarding the future of US troops in Lithuania are positive but require patience, LRT reports.

In an interview on the LRT television programme Dienos tema, Nausėda addressed recent developments, including the appointment of a new finance minister and concerns over land purchases by Mindaugas Sinkevičius, the newly proposed minister of the interior.

When asked about Sinkevičius’s purchase and rapid resale of a plot of land in Jonava at a significantly higher price, Nausėda stated that such transactions are not illegal unless public resources are used for personal gain. “What matters most is that municipal resources are not exploited for personal enrichment,” he said. He added that he saw no indication Sinkevičius had used administrative influence for profit.

Nausėda also commented on his meetings with five new ministerial candidates. He noted that while he cannot be entirely at ease when delegating critical sectors, the discussions were productive. He highlighted Martynas Katelynas, a young MP with limited political experience, as having left a positive impression. “Age is sometimes overemphasised by the same politicians who otherwise propose constitutional changes to allow younger people to participate in politics,” Nausėda said. He added that a 30-year-old is mature enough to take responsibility for their decisions, citing past ministers who were 27.

Regarding the finance minister candidate, Nausėda drew a football analogy, suggesting previous finance ministers had focused primarily on fiscal restraint, comparing them to goalkeepers. He did not confirm whether the new candidate had convinced him.