Mindaugas Sinkevičius uncertain about becoming prime minister

Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (LSDP) leader Mindaugas Sinkevičius has stated he does not yet know if he will become prime minister, emphasizing that the path ahead is still long, LRT reports.

“Let’s not say ‘hop’ before we’ve jumped the ditch,” Sinkevičius told BNS in an interview, clarifying that he has only announced his readiness to take on the role. “It’s still a long way off because if you declare it yourself, it sounds self-appointed, which isn’t very pleasant,” he added.

According to BNS, Sinkevičius decided to run for prime minister after the Social Democrats opted to restructure the ruling coalition, inviting the Democratic Union “For Lithuania” and excluding “Nemuno aušra”. The president must nominate the candidate, and the Seimas (parliament) must approve them.

When asked if he might face the same fate as Zigmas Balčytis, who was not appointed prime minister 20 years ago, Sinkevičius responded: “Anything is possible. I think there’s still a considerable time between now and the parliamentary debate.” He noted that the process would take more than five minutes—at least a week—and that week would likely be intense.

Sinkevičius also addressed comparisons to former prime minister Algirdas Mykolas Brazauskas, stating he prefers to be judged on his own actions and results rather than through comparisons. “It’s better to be remembered for your work and achievements than for any comparisons,” he said.

If confirmed, Sinkevičius would need to step down as mayor of Jonava before taking office. He expressed hope that he could still celebrate Joninės (Midsummer) in his current role but acknowledged the timeline depends on multiple factors, including the president, parliament, and opposition.

He suggested that mid-July could be a realistic deadline for approving the government’s program, likely the week following State Day and Mindaugas Day, though the process could take up to 15 days or be resolved in 7–8 days.

When pressed on why he could not recall the exact amount he paid for services from the law firm “Ellex Valiunas” or whether family members assisted, Sinkevičius stated: “I was asked if I paid from my personal account to ‘Ellex Valiunas’. Not ‘Ellex V”