Minister Andrius Palionis declines invitation to become deputy minister

Lithuanian Minister Andrius Palionis has turned down an offer to serve as deputy minister, according to a report by LRT.

Incoming Agriculture Minister Kęstutis Mažeika extended invitations to Palionis, current Deputy Minister Rolandas Taraškevičius, and former minister Ignas Hofmanas to join his team. Palionis confirmed to BNS that he received the offer but declined it, stating, “Simply put, I have slightly different goals in life at the moment.” He did not disclose further plans.

Hofmanas acknowledged preliminary discussions with Mažeika about the deputy minister position, saying, “Perhaps there was a similar conversation, an invitation.” When asked if he would accept, he responded, “More likely no than yes,” citing the need to focus on his farm. He added that he still intends to speak with Mažeika personally.

Taraškevičius also confirmed receiving the invitation but said he has not yet made a decision. Mažeika told Delfi that he invited former ministers to ensure stability and continuity in agriculture, noting that the sector currently lacks consistency. He highlighted Taraškevičius’s experience as valuable in negotiations with the European Commission on the future multiannual budget and the Common Agricultural Policy.

“We joked that in five minutes, I’ll be the fifth minister in three years, so stability is particularly lacking in agriculture. Here, we want focus, consistency, and perhaps continuity of the work started by the last two ministers,” Mažeika said.

He added that a particularly important moment is approaching—the presidency of the EU Council—which, although lasting only six months, requires preparatory work with results that will impact at least the next seven years. Taraškevičius is a professional in this area, Mažeika noted.