Savickas: coalition proposal limited to two ministries would be hard to accept

Negotiations for a new governing coalition are underway, and Lukas Savickas, the elder of the Democratic fraction “For Lithuania,” has stated that it would be difficult for the political force to accept a proposal limited to just two ministries, LRT reports.

“I think that today, if the proposal were limited to two ministries and a very limited or not comprehensive government reshuffle, I think it would be very difficult to find approval,” Savickas told journalists after a possible coalition partner meeting ahead of Thursday’s negotiations.

Earlier, Social Democrat Rasa Budbergytė said that the Democrats could expect two ministerial posts. With “Nemuno aušra” withdrawing from the coalition, the positions of the heads of the Environment and Agriculture Ministries, delegated by them, are becoming available. However, Budbergytė believes this does not necessarily mean that the Democrats will take over these exact portfolios.

According to Savickas, the current realistic subjects for discussion are the Ministries of Energy, Environment, Agriculture, and Foreign Affairs. He stated that the party would consider a proposal for its interim leader Virginijus Sinkevičius to take the position of head of Lithuanian diplomacy.

“If there were a proposal for Virginijus to be the fourth minister in foreign affairs, I think that could be a really viable option to consider,” he said.

The Social Democrats decided to change the composition of the ruling majority last weekend, replacing “Nemuno aušra” with the Democrats. Discussions about reviewing the coalition were prompted earlier by “Nemuno aušra” representatives voting against the establishment of the Kapčiamiestis polygon, leader Remigijus Žemaitaitis’ criticism of ministers and coalition decisions, and resonant statements. In addition, he was convicted by a first-instance court for antisemitism.

The coalition currently has 80 representatives in parliament. A coalition of Social Democrats, Democrats, and “Valstiečiai” would have 75 votes. After the 2024 Seimas elections, the ruling coalition was formed by the Social Democrats with “Nemuno aušra” and the Democrats, but last autumn, the majority was reshuffled, inviting the Lithuanian Farmers, Greens, and Christian Families Union parliamentary fraction to join instead of the Democrats.