Kasčiūnas warns finance minister could become unbearable burden for PM
Sunday 18th October 2026 on 19:45 in
Lithuania
Finance Minister Taurimas Valys could become an unbearable political burden for Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius and the government, opposition conservative leader Laurynas Kasčiūnas said, LRT reported.
Speaking on ELTA’s “ELTA Week” programme, Kasčiūnas said the finance minister could be asked to leave if the burden became too heavy. He said tensions could sharpen after municipal elections as coalition partners reassess their position and possibly issue ultimatums.
Kasčiūnas said Valys’s main problem was a lack of political experience. The finance minister, he argued, should understand that his conduct and mistakes affect how the entire government is viewed. Kasčiūnas said he had not seen sufficient effort from Valys to learn the role and address problems.
Commenting on the draft state budget for next year, which the government approved on Friday, Kasčiūnas said Lithuania was becoming increasingly indebted and lacked a plan to reverse the trend. He warned that borrowing indicators could become critical if economic conditions worsened, leaving the state with fewer resources to respond to a crisis.
He also said rising debt and higher interest rates were increasing the cost of servicing that debt. In his view, the government was focused on getting through the next year or reaching the next elections rather than planning for the longer term.
The draft budget forecasts a general government deficit of 3.8% of gross domestic product, above the Maastricht limit. Excluding the European Union’s 1.5% of GDP exemption for military purchases, the deficit is expected to reach 4.8% next year, while state debt is projected at 48.2% of GDP. In 2028, the deficit is forecast at 4.6%, or 4.7% excluding the military spending exemption, and state debt is expected to exceed half of GDP, reaching 50.7%.
During the budget process, Valys has faced criticism from both opposition parties and coalition partners over communication and competence, according to the report.