The government’s program was supported by 85 members of the Seimas, 14 voted against, and 28 abstained.
There are over 780 items and obligations in the government program
A week ago, while presenting a large-scale document to the parliamentarians, in which – over 780 points – G. paluckas assured that it was a “program of a large state”.
G. Palucko’s Government plans to increase the progressivity of the personal income tax, undertakes to increase the amount of tax-free income every year and bring it as close as possible to the minimum monthly salary. The authorities also plan to abolish automatic inclusion in the second tier of pensions.
The future Cabinet of Ministers promises to promote the birth rate, allocate greater financial support to families, introduce free elementary school meals, and expand the regional housing program for young families.
Taking into account the ongoing Russian military invasion in Ukraine and to ensure reliable planning for the defense of the state, the Government promises to ensure sustainable financing of national defense, reaching at least 3.5 percent. from gross domestic product.
Criticism of the opposition to the Government’s program: notes that substantially more additional funds will need to be found for commitments
Mindaugas Lingė,an elder of the conservative faction of the Seimas,did not hesitate to criticize the program of the new government. According to him,it lacks concreteness the most.
“The government program has one good, one bad and one average quality. The good thing is the continuity of work in many areas, which was started and done by both Ingrida Šimonytė and the previous government. The bad thing is, from our point of view, it cannot be implemented due to a rather frivolous attitude towards unlimited budget expenses, new tax benefits and very limited opportunities for additional income”, M. Lingė said during the meeting.
“Average feature – with PR, everything seems to be going well.” When paying for this program, it will always be possible to brag about how something was done, the processes were carried out, (…), though, if you do not define it with specific goals, it will be difficult to measure success”, he continued.
According to the politician, concreteness was also requested in the meetings of the conservative faction with the appointed ministers.
“Our faction had a meeting with the seven appointed ministers. No one had the prospect to meet with the two ministers – neither factions nor committees. This probably does not fully correspond to the procedure for the formation of the Government provided for in the Constitution, the government Law and the Statute of the Seimas”, explained M. Lingė.
The chairman of the liberal Movement, Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen, also expressed such apprehension.
“I had to read the government program more than once. We had the opportunity to discuss it with several appointed ministers invited to the faction. It is indeed true that we did not have the opportunity to ask questions to the ministers of such critically important areas as the surroundings and justice,as the candidates for these positions were revealed only yesterday”,emphasized the former speaker of the Seimas.
In addition,V. Čmilytė-Nielsen called the new Cabinet of Ministers of G. Palucka a “Government of surprises”.For this reason, according to the politician, the aspirations included in her program should not be emphasized.
“basically, we can support the Government’s described aspirations to increase the good things and reduce and fix what is still not good in Lithuania. However, when considering the program and voting for it and the new Government, the feeling that we should not overemphasize the words and sentences written in the Government’s program does not leave us. Why? Because experience shows that this coalition is capable and likes to surprise. It can be said that this is a government of surprises”, said the
For her part, Aušrinė Norkienė, the elder of the faction of the Union of Lithuanian Peasants, Greens and Christian Families, testified that – at first glance, the program of the new Government looked hopeful, a lot of continuity, ideas close to the “peasants” could be seen. However, she noticed that some of the promises made during the elections have disappeared. In addition, she continued, there are questions about how some extremely generous commitments will be implemented.
“Will those bold promises made during the elections be implemented, and exactly with what funds?” The program and the speeches of future ministers give the impression that more income is expected not only from economic growth, but also from more progressive taxes and the shadow economy. This is where the uncertainty begins – for whom and how much will the taxes be increased?” – asked A. Norkienė.
“Let’s hope that the Government will also correct a number of mistakes of the outgoing, current Government – it will stop the progressive privatization of health services, the closing of schools and health facilities in the regions,” added the representative of the “peasants”.
At that time, Viktoras Fiodorovs, the elder of the Mixed Seimas group, assured that he would support the Government’s program, even though he admitted that there were differences of opinion among his colleagues.
“Plans for attracting investments, reducing administrative burden, increasing wages, child welfare policy, regional development and improving access to services are really worthy of attention. However, some of the proposals still involve important increases in public spending. And this is difficult to implement without additional or new taxes”, said V. Fiodorov from the podium of the plenary meeting hall.
The rulers spared no praise for the new Cabinet of Ministers: R. Žemaitaitis praised the former coalition
Remigijus Motuzas, the leader of the Social Democratic faction in the Seimas emphasized that the program of the new Government is a commitment to the people and the future of Lithuania.
“Social justice, equality, solidarity and progress are the values on which the 19th Government Program is based. This program allows you to see issues that have been forgotten, have become neglected.Appointed Prime Minister G. Paluckas has called the program ”the program of a large state”,because the program responds to the aspirations enshrined in the constitution of our country,the most important of which is service to the common welfare of the nation”,said the social democrat,drawing attention to the criticism of the opposition due to the alleged lack of concreteness.
“Yes, she is aspiring. But due to lack of time, it is indeed impossible to list all the works and solutions and how they will be implemented. Though, these proposals are necessary for the residents of Lithuania”, he added.
For his part, Tomas Tomilinas, a representative of the Democratic union ”Vardan lietuvos” who participated in the writing of the program, emphasized that the main features of the Government’s program are reality and detail.
“The program contains all the necessary center-left answers to the most critically important political questions, which have repeatedly prompted the public and politicians to create national agreements (…). Voters had an expectation, they gave a mandate and the program answers the most important conflicting issues”, he noted.
“Nothing strengthens the confidence of the people of Lithuania more than the fulfillment of election promises and a very healthy balance between the continuity of work, which was emphasized by the opposition, and real change
At that time, the chairman of ”Nemunas aushras” devoted most of his speech not to the Government’s program, but to critics of the former ruling majority. He drew attention to the criticism of the opposition, recalling the various scandals of the outgoing Cabinet of ministers.
“Maybe they forgot that whoever voted for the Liberal Movement got everything in a box with 106,000, a criminal case. And the whole party was convicted. Whoever voted for the Liberal Movement got a member of the Seimas who calls all Lithuanian residents vagabonds. Who voted for the Liberal Movement, you got Simon Gentvilas, who cleared all the forests and today we have clearings”, said R. Žemaitaitis during the meeting.
“Whoever voted for the conservatives, you got a GRU spy in Lithuania.Who can deny that those carriers of the nation, disseminators and especially defenders of independence are working today with the GRU, the Kremlin and giving all the details to the Russians? Who could deny it?” he asked.
The elder of the “Aušriečių” faction admitted that it will not be easy for the new ruling majority to work. However, he asked the opposition to give the coalition a chance to work for 100 days without harsh criticism from its opponents.
“The new ruling majority is not ideal,it is indeed not wonderful. And if we think that the new ruling majority will make it happen in one day with a magic wand that everything will be fine in Lithuania? Personally, I really don’t think it will. It will be very difficult to implement that,” said R. Žemaitaitis.
“Opposition – sit quietly on the benches for at least 100 days and see what happens. And then criticize,” he asked.
In turn, responding to the positions expressed by the members of the Seimas, the appointed Prime Minister G. Paluckas assured that he agrees that the program of the Government he is forming can be called populist, as, according to him, it is indeed intended for the majority.
“Talking a little about the government’s program and the epithets applied to it – some colleagues called it populist. If we follow the definition of those classical concepts, what is elitist and populist, this program is certainly populist, because it applies to the majority, to society. And not elitist, which, according to its definition, would apply to a few or a minority”, G. Paluclas said during the Seimas session.
“That’s why I really don’t regret or take offense at this terminology,” he emphasized.
“Regarding the criticisms that the program is a bit vague and yet, while partially agreeing with it, I want to say that it is done deliberately so that the program plan for the implementation of the measures can be answered through discussion and certain expressed needs of the public,” he said. G. Paluckas.
“Certain terms and definitions are deliberately absent in the Government’s program so that it can be detailed through the plan of measures,” he emphasized.
On Wednesday, President Gitanas Nausėda confirmed the last two ministers to the new Government – Povilas Poderskis, the former director of the Vilnius City Management, was appointed as the Minister of the Environment, and lawyer Rimantas Mock was appointed to lead the Ministry of Justice. According to the coalition agreement, these ministries are delegated to “Nemunas aušra” – previously submitted candidates did not receive the favor of G. Nausėda.
The head of the country appointed the other 12 ministers last week.Social Democrat Šarūnas Birutis became Minister of Culture, Minister of Foreign Affairs – Kęstutis budrys, who until now held the position of the president’s chief adviser on national security issues,
The first meeting of the new Government is planned for Friday.
Nd disregarded the interests of rural communities,” he stated, underscoring the importance of accountability in governance.
The discussions surrounding the new government’s program are reflective of broader anxieties about fiscal obligation, transparency, and the balance between continuity and reform in Lithuanian politics. Key points raised by various political figures highlight a skepticism towards the government’s ability to implement its aspiring plans without clear funding strategies or concrete targets.
M.Lingė’s critiques,particularly regarding the seeming frivolity of promised expenditures and the lack of defined metrics for success,resonate with concerns about sustainable governance. Similarly, Aušrinė Norkienė’s emphasis on the disappearance of key electoral promises suggests an underlying tension about the reliability of political commitments amidst changing leadership dynamics.
on the other hand, proponents of the new government program, such as Remigijus Motuzas and Tomas Tomilinas, stress the potential for social justice and the addressing of long-ignored issues.They advocate for the ambitious goals of the government while acknowledging the challenges posed by their implementation. the calling for a balance between continuity and change underscores the nuanced debate surrounding governance in Lithuania—a nation grappling with its fiscal outlook and social obligations in a rapidly changing political landscape.
This ongoing dialog encapsulates a critical moment in Lithuanian politics,as differing factions assess the new government’s intentions and readiness to navigate the complex landscape of public service,economic stability,and social equity. As the criticisms and praises unfold, the effectiveness of the new Cabinet of Ministers will ultimately hinge on its ability to unify these divergent perspectives and deliver on its promises to the people of Lithuania.