Government program submitted without following constitutional procedures, says Kūris

Vilnius University law professor Egidijus Kūris has stated that the government program of Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius was submitted without adhering to the procedures outlined in the Constitution, raising questions about the legitimacy of the cabinet’s authority, 15min reports.

Kūris, a former president of the Constitutional Court, noted that the designated prime minister submitted the government program project to the Seimas before the cabinet’s composition was confirmed by the president.

“This procedure is very clearly defined in the Constitution. Article 92 states that the prime minister, no later than 15 days after their appointment, must present the Seimas with the government they have formed and approved by the president, and submit its program for consideration,” Kūris told 15min.

He described the start of this government as a “false start.”

The government program project was registered in the Seimas on July 3, while President Gitanas Nausėda signed the decree approving the composition of the 21st government on July 6.

ELTA notes that the change in government follows the Social Democrats’ reshuffling of the ruling coalition after the Homeland Union–Lithuanian Christian Democrats (“Nemuno aušra”) withdrew from the partnership. The current ruling coalition consists of the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party, the Democrats “For Lithuania,” and the Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union (LVŽKŠS) factions in the Seimas. The previous government led by Ingrida Šimonytė resigned after Sinkevičius announced his decision to lead a new cabinet.