2024-08-05 20:16:33
“We talked about the future – even a hundred days, but what we can do in that hundred days. I think we have found solutions, we have found ways to have a closer relationship with rural communities, rural people, with farmers, in general with all those who work in the countryside, produce from rural production”, K told reporters on Monday evening, after meeting with the head of the country Starkevičius.
“I can’t say that (I heard – ELTA) approval, but we had a very good discussion,” he said when asked if he had received a clear answer from the president that his candidacy would be approved.
According to the candidate, the tasks projected by the head of the country for the new minister of agriculture coincide with what K. Starkevičius himself would intend to do after being appointed to the position.
“The tasks I came prepared for (to speak – ELTA) coincided with the president and his team’s attitudes,” he assured.
“We see that there are certain things where no money, no investment is really needed, we need such a human, economical meeting and conversation,” he assured.
Among the main tasks, K. Starkevičius repeated, is the reduction of bureaucracy, preparation for next year’s budget deliberations.
He promises to change part of the leadership of the ministry
The ministerial candidate also hinted that he intends to change part of the leadership of the Ministry of Agriculture (MAA). According to him, the number of vice-ministers would decrease – currently there are four of them.
“In the ministry itself (…) there are excellent specialists who may not have been properly utilized now. All of them will be properly used”, assured K. Starkevičius, but he did not name the specific names of the employees to be changed.
“I have my opinion, because we will have to work as a team (…). We only have a hundred days,” he repeated.
ELTA reminds that Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė presented the composition of the renewed Government to the President last Friday. The head of the government is changing two members of the cabinet – Minister of Agriculture Kęstutis Navickas and Minister of Health Arūnas Dulkis. The chairman of the current Seimas Economic Committee, conservative K. Starkevičius and the deputy health minister A. Pečkauskas were respectively nominated for these posts. There are no changes in other ministries – the names of the same ministers are submitted for approval.
The Presidency has already made it clear that the future of Agriculture Minister K. Navickos in the Government is most doubtful. In recent weeks, the Minister of Health A. Dulkis has also been criticized. However, the president himself did not name specific names publicly.
For her part, I. Šimonytė said that she had no objections to the ministers being replaced, but that she made the decisions in order to achieve “constructive work of the Government”.
The Cabinet of Ministers is formed and reconfirmed after the Government has returned the powers to the newly elected sworn-in President.
As provided by law, ministers are appointed and dismissed by the head of the country on the recommendation of the prime minister.
2024-08-05 20:16:33