2024-04-16 14:36:58
According to Andrias Mazuronis, the candidate nominated by the Labor Party, if the president participates in EWC meetings, he may not have sufficient knowledge on some issues that are the prerogative of the Government.
“I would be a supporter of the fact that the president should go where national security, defense, foreign policy or justice matters. (…) This situation seems a bit strange to me”, said A. Mazuronis in the debate.
Freedom Party candidate Dainius Žalimas also supported his opponent. According to him, the powers of the head of state defined in the Constitution provide for his decisions in the fields of foreign policy and defense.
“According to the Constitution, the president is responsible for the main decisions in the field of foreign policy and defense. That formula is such that the prime minister should be represented in the vast majority of councils, because it is obvious that neither energy nor agriculture is within the competence of the president”, said D. Žalimas.
At that time, Giedrimas Jeglinskas, the candidate of the “Vardan Lietuvos” Democratic Union, believes that an agreement could be reached even now. He emphasizes that the president must create a good culture of communication.
“If there are non-talking days between the president and the prime minister, it is very difficult to find a compromise and send someone to the EVT. The president must create a culture of communication and communication and be able to do it”, taught G. Jeglinskas.
On the other hand, independent candidates Eduardas Vaitkus and Ignas Vēgėlė took the same position that the head of the country, not the prime minister, should go to the EVT.
“The president should carry out this policy, which he has done so far. This would be a very clear continuity”, said I. Vēgėlė.
ELTA reminds that the discussions on representation in EVT have been ongoing since the beginning of this term of the Seimas. Dissatisfied with the current arrangement, conservatives called for an opportunity for the head of the government to represent Lithuania in this European format, depending on the topics discussed by the EU leaders. However, the president called these initiatives intolerable and unacceptable.
This issue was proposed to be resolved by adopting a law regulating representation in the EWC. However, the rulers later withdrew from this initiative.
Presidential elections in Lithuania will be held on May 12.
2024-04-16 14:36:58