“Yesterday’s decision of the Prime Minister – I do not think it is a victory. Rather, it is a defeat. I do not think it can be the case that the collective responsibility for the mistakes of the two ministers is assumed Government and the whole Government is resigning – I do not think that is the right solution. There can be no collective irresponsibility when one covers the other and a kind of blind defense group is formed, which is not the case when we talk about the government, ”the head of state commented at the Eastern Partnership summit in Brussels on Wednesday.
According to G. Nausėda, it was not only the ministers who remained.
“Questions remain about why our values and policies differ. Unfortunately, I have to apply the principle of ‘real politika’ in this context as well. Questions remain about the political responsibility of individual ministers.
If it is thought that hurrying up that switch will keep everyone’s uniforms clean and washed, then I don’t think that’s the case. “Take to the streets and ask people, they will probably answer you the same thing,” the president said.
He said he recalled that the rulers, while still in opposition, had set high standards for ministers.
“It simply came to our notice then. The question is, is it because they apply to themselves and not to others, then? ”G. Nausėda considered.
The head of state criticized the fact that cut fragments and correspondence of unnamed people can be seen in the public sphere regarding the transit of fertilizers.
“It is a shame to divert attention from our problems in trying to bring other institutions into history,” the president said.
He emphasized that there was no change of opinion and that the widest and deepest possible sanctions should be imposed on Belarus.
“This is the price of our relationship and our desire to influence this regime. I have also said directly that it may hurt and cost us the same, but otherwise we will not achieve the results we are aiming for, ”said G. Nausėda.
The head of state regretted that no time had been found in four months to solve the problem collectively.
Šimonytė made a decision: the government will continue its work, Landsbergis and Skuodis remain
Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė announced the decision on the fate of the government on Tuesday evening.
A statement circulated by the government states that the government will continue its work in the same composition.
We present the full text of I. Šimonytė’s report.
The first year of the government’s work was difficult. The ruling majority is not very numerous and many decisions have not been challenging since the approval of the Government’s program. The objective reality of the COVID-19 pandemic and the migratory flow organized by the Alexander Lukashenko regime to put pressure on the European Union dictates its challenges and forces it to devote much of its time to tackling them. Nevertheless, the government has largely managed to adopt and start implementing most of the program measures planned for this year. I consider this a great achievement.
When he took office, the government demanded to avoid the shadows that corruption, nepotism, and confusion of interests could cast on the political government, and to rely on the public interest and the values of liberal democracy when making decisions.
However, not everything went as we would like and we have not always been able to provide a quick and unambiguous explanation of the decisions that have been taken and those that will be made. This situation has also arisen recently, when different EU and US decisions regarding the fertilizers produced by Belkalij have raised questions about the possibility of the state-controlled company Lietuvos Geležinkeliai to continue to provide transportation services to this company.
I emphasize that the Government has consistently supported, and in most cases actively pursued, sanctions against the Lukashenko regime and has never sought to remove individual products / entities from the sanctions lists, even if this would have meant the abandonment of any commercial relationship. Therefore, the government’s alleged efforts to maintain the transportation of products not yet included in the EU sanctions lists at any cost are not justified – from the beginning of the term, diversification of transportation routes and minimization of risks arising from transactions with non-supreme entities were among the most important tasks. state-controlled enterprises.
Following the announcement of US sanctions, the direct application of which to Lithuanian entities is not envisaged, but indirect effects are possible, the most important task was to find the least risky way to terminate the controversial commercial relations of AB Lietuvos Geležinkeliai with the fertilizer manufacturer Belkalij. Public authorities provided advice and assistance to AB Lietuvos Geležinkeliai in preparing for the impact of these sanctions, but neither the public authorities nor the company were able to manage their expectations as to how and for how long the transactions would be withdrawn. This is a reputational loss that I acknowledge and regret.
Two members of the government handed me resignations, deciding to take this reputational loss for themselves. I appreciate the readiness of ministers to take responsibility, but I cannot agree with that. Not only because, as it turned out, ministries had to operate in an incomplete environment, but also because the path that poses the least risk to the state before refusing cargo still needs to be marked, and resignations will not help to do so. Therefore, I will not submit requests for the resignation of ministers to the President of the Republic of Lithuania, and tonight I persuaded the ministers to withdraw their requests.
I hope that by 31 January at the latest, all national solutions to the current situation will be presented, ensuring the interests of the state’s national security and minimizing financial risks. At the same time, proposals would be made at EU level to further expand sectoral sanctions against the Belarussian regime and maximize synchronization with US sanctions.
There have been many allegations in public about the disappointment of strategic partners. I have no reason to say so and I do not know on what basis such statements are made. I am not aware of any discussions on this subject in the EU, the US or other partner institutions, and the cooperation is as sincere and intense as it has been in recent years.
I would also take the issue of my personal responsibility very seriously and sincerely. I understand it perfectly. At present, however, there is no real alternative majority in the Seimas that could take the lead and take the initiative and offer Lithuania its own program. The ruling majority factions today unanimously supported the government’s proposed budget for next year and other related decisions. Given the worsening geopolitical situation, as well as the continuing challenges posed by COVID-19 and migration, it would be irresponsible to risk the uncertainty that would result from even an attempt to form a new majority or change the composition of the Government significantly. Therefore, the Government, considering that it has the confidence of the factions of the parties forming the coalition, will continue its work in the same composition, cooperating with other institutions, as provided for in the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania. We will continue to make every effort to implement what we have committed ourselves to in the 18th Government Program.
The Board of Lithuanian Railways, which met late Tuesday evening, announced that the head Mantas Bartuška would retire after the transition period. This was confirmed by the Chairman of the Board Kęstutis Šliužas.
Delphi recalls that two ministers of the Government headed by I. Šimonytė have resigned due to the continued transit of Belarusian fertilizers through Lithuania: the Minister of Foreign Affairs Gabrielius Landsbergis and the Minister of Transport Marius Skuodis.
Prime Minister I. Šimonytė said on Monday evening that the whole crisis could leave Government.
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