2024-04-16 21:28:12
Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė, the candidate for the presidency of the Lithuanian Christian Democrats (TS-LKD), has not yet launched her election campaign in full force. She promises to do this only from next week, when she will go on “vacation” for three weeks and take a little step back from the duties of the Prime Minister.
Although the prime minister’s competitors have been traveling around Lithuania trying to win over the population to their side for several months, she will have less than three weeks to do so. What can be done in that time?
When asked about this, I. Šimonytė retorts that she does not need to introduce herself to the population, unlike some of her competitors – everyone already knows what her opinion is on almost all possible issues.
“There is probably no need for me to introduce myself to people, who I am, what I think about various issues – from partnership to taxes – because I stand here at the blackboard every week, maybe twice a week, and answer.
On both occasions, probably many things, many of my attitudes are known, perhaps differently from at least some of the candidates who need to introduce themselves, tell more about themselves and somehow be seen more actively”, I answered the question about my “vacation” plans in the Seimas. .Šimonytė.
The Conservative candidate quipped that “Christmas” with the voters would hardly change the situation.
“I think that those people who will choose me will not choose a cat in a bag, but will choose me with all my strengths and weaknesses. I don’t think that any of my Christmas activities during those three weeks could change that situation very much”, emphasized I.Šimonytė.
On Monday, she drew criticism from her rivals for not appearing in the first presidential debate. Neither the current head of the country, Gitanas Nausėda, nor the parliamentarian, Remigijus Žemaitaitis, came to them.
“Starting next week, when I will take a vacation, I intend to participate in the debate in cases where I don’t have some business trips on the same dates,” assured the Prime Minister.
In general, she said that similar events can hardly be called debates, because when all eight candidates are gathered in one place, a constructive discussion is unlikely.
“A level playing field for all candidates means that n candidates gather there and recite a poem while facing the camera. Debates can’t really take place there, because if there are seven or eight people in the debate, everyone starts debating with everyone, so I don’t know who can control such a process and how long it would take,” observed I.Šimonytė.
And she urged not to expect more prominent election campaigns, such as we observe every time in the USA, because there is completely different money “floating” there.
“Campaigns like the USA, where there is huge money, are financed in a completely different way (you know very well that campaigns in Lithuania are financed either by parties or sponsors with a ceiling that is not very high for a big campaign), this is the kind of money that circulates in the USA, we are not even close.
I’d say it won’t. It will be a boring, moderate election campaign”, predicted I.Šimonytė.
The first round of presidential elections will take place on May 12.
2024-04-16 21:28:12