It is clear that the Conservatives have no interest in discussing this issue. They have the right not to talk about it. The matter of the European Commissioner is not mentioned in the coalition agreement, so the Conservatives have the right to make their decision without consulting us. But we have the right to make our own decision.
He assured us that it is still too early to say whether the Liberals will support any particular candidate.
We cannot say for sure whether we will vote in favor or against. We will see who the candidates are, and then we will make our decision. We have no obligations to the coalition partners, neither according to the coalition agreement nor, even more so, according to current political activity.
However, E. Gentvilas warned that the prime minister’s delay in submitting a representative for the EC candidacy may result in Lithuania having to settle for the portfolio of European commissioner that remains available.
“Everything can happen, and the conservatives, when they say that we are not late, can really be the last ones. If until then it was possible to find a person who would choose a portfolio, now it may happen that there will only be a portfolio, according to which it will be necessary to find a person,” emphasized E. Gentvilas.
“The Government should have submitted a candidate last week and we could have considered it this Tuesday in the Seimas. Now, one day, we will have to make a choice specifically about the issue of the European Commissioner,” the politician also pointed out.
V. Mitala does not rule out the possibility of calling a meeting of the coalition council
Vytautas Mitalas, an elder of the Freedom faction in the Seimas, also emphasizes that this delay by the conservatives in presenting a candidate is unforgivable.
It is obvious that Lithuania will have to find a solution, and that delay in the decision is unforgivable – the international media is paying attention to this. It seems to me that in any case it would be logical not to marinate, not to hide the decision and to adopt it before the beginning of the autumn session, where the electoral issues will already completely dominate the agenda”, said V. Mitala to Elta.
Therefore, the “libertarian” does not rule out the possibility of initiating the meeting of the coalition council himself.
“Obviously, you will need to plan and somehow try to navigate this process with specific proposals,” emphasized V. Mitala.
“Because there is no dialogue, it will have to be created, it will have to be initiated,” he added.
According to the politician, if I. Šimonytė submits her name to the president without consulting the coalition partners, then the vote in the Seimas on the candidacy may end in any way.
“If that candidacy is not coordinated, if it raises passions, then the result of the Seimas will also be in vain,” V. Mitala said.
ELTA reminds that I. Šimonytė indicated that the President of the EC, Ursula von der Leyen, expects to receive the representatives nominated by the countries by August 19. Therefore, she said, the issue of the surname submitted to the European Commissioners should be resolved within this time.
As discussions continue for some time about who could become the new Lithuanian delegated member of the EC, it is unofficially said that the Minister of Foreign Affairs G. Landsbergis is applying for the post in Brussels. A large number of members of the Conservative Party openly express their support for this potential candidacy.
However, the minister himself did not publicly express such an intention and speaks reluctantly about the EC.
President G. Nausėda, whose approval is necessary for the delegation of Lithuania’s representative to the EC, has repeatedly made it clear that he would not be inclined to support G. Landsbergis’ candidacy. He has stated that he sees better candidates than G. Landsbergis. In addition, according to the head of the country, Vilnius should pursue portfolios that are related to the economic field. The advisor to the president, Frederikas Janson, has hinted that both the prime minister herself and the finance minister Gintarė Skaistė could apply for such an EC portfolio.
There is no lack of skepticism in the Seimas, either, when assessing G. Landsbergi’s chances of becoming a European Commissioner. Not only the opposition, but also the representatives of the ruling majority have publicly stated that they do not support this candidacy.
The nomination of the Eurocommissioner is submitted by the Government after the position has been agreed with the President and the Seimas.