Sinkevičius backs Nausėda’s remote work from Madeira

Democratic Union “For Lithuania” leader Virginijus Sinkevičius said he saw no major problem with President Gitanas Nausėda working remotely from Madeira this week, LRT reported.

“I think the president is also a human being, and I hope he will rest for a week. I believe nothing major will happen. The Seimas is not in session, so the president does not need to sign any urgent decree. There is also no extraordinary European Council meeting,” Sinkevičius told Žinių radijas.

“I wish the president a good rest if possible, and I really do not see a major tragedy here,” he added.

Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius also said on Tuesday that he saw no problem with the president working remotely. According to the prime minister, remote work can be carried out from Lithuania or abroad.

The Presidential Office said Nausėda would stay on the Portuguese island from August 3 to 10, work remotely and be kept informed about the most important events in Lithuania.

The Lithuanian president does not formally have annual leave, as this is not regulated by law.

Sinkevičius questions handling of Vilnius waste crisis

Sinkevičius also criticised the handling of a waste crisis in the Vilnius region, saying that the necessary decisions had not yet been made.

“For now, an attempt is being made to push the whole crisis aside, but decisions have not been taken,” he told Žinių radijas on Wednesday.

He said he wanted Vilnius Mayor Valdas Benkunskas to explain how the city would cover its obligations without increasing residents’ waste-management bills.

“I am afraid the aim is to cover up the waste crisis, which is still continuing. Statements that the crisis will not be passed on to consumers leave me wanting an explanation from the Vilnius mayor about how what happened will be covered and how it will definitely not be passed on to consumers,” Sinkevičius said.

The Vilnius County Waste Management Centre took control of the city’s mixed municipal waste sorting plant from Energesman and reached agreements with other companies on waste sorting. Benkunskas has acknowledged that waste is currently being sorted at a higher cost.

The head of the waste management centre and the mayor have promised that residents’ waste-management bills will not increase. Benkunskas said the city hopes to recover the losses in court from Energesman.

The waste crisis began after a fire at the Vilnius waste sorting plant last year. Its operations have not yet been restored, while the Vilnius cogeneration plant has reduced the amount of waste it burns.

Democratic leader calls Russian-language service decision unclear

Sinkevičius described Vilnius municipality’s decision to stop accepting written requests from residents in Russian as unclear and incomplete.

“On the one hand, the use of the state language, and especially expanding its use in the services sector, is genuinely welcome and complies with our Constitution. But this decision seems to me to be half peeled, half skinned,” he told Žinių radijas.

The municipality announced on Tuesday that it would no longer accept requests and complaints in Russian. However, information in Russian and other non-European Union languages will be provided orally if a particular employee speaks those languages.

Sinkevičius described the decision as “pre-election logic” aimed at diverting attention from the waste crisis in the capital.