Lithuanian speaker says coalition with “Nemuno Aušra” remains open to better alternatives

The coalition between Lithuania’s ruling Social Democrats and the conservative “Nemuno Aušra” party could change if better options emerge, Seimas Speaker Juozas Olekas said in an interview with public broadcaster LRT on Tuesday.

Olekas acknowledged ongoing discussions with faction leaders to find common ground on key issues, emphasising that voters ultimately decide the political landscape. “I think the voters draw all the lines,” he said. “They elect people to the Seimas whom they trust. Then we must find a way to coexist.”

His comments follow criticism from within his own party after “Nemuno Aušra” lawmakers voted against establishing a military training ground in Kapčiamestis—a move Social Democrat leaders condemned as a breach of coalition agreements. Former party leader Vytenis Andriukaitis called it a failure to uphold coalition commitments.

Olekas downplayed the dispute, noting that while some coalition partners opposed the bill, others supported it. He expressed hope for broader backing in future votes, adding that “if we had better alternatives, we would use them.”

The speaker also addressed recent drone incidents in the Baltics, following reports of Ukrainian drones straying into Estonian, Latvian, and Finnish airspace. After meetings with Ukrainian officials in Kyiv, Olekas said Lithuania must strengthen its detection systems to mitigate risks, though he acknowledged such incidents may be unavoidable as Ukraine defends itself against Russian aggression.