„I don't see the need for a heated debate on this. I don't see any ministers needing to be changed or any reasons why they should be changed. In general, with only a few months to go before the parliamentary elections, it seems frivolous to discuss changes of ministers. The matter itself is illogical,“ Kubilius told Elta.
According to the politician elected for a second term as an MEP, the Presidency is playing games regarding changing the Cabinet of Ministers.
„If I were the Prime Minister, I would look at the situation very calmly. If someone, like a small child, wants to play with the change of ministers, it is sometimes wiser not to get into big conflicts, even though the party to the conflict is obvious,“ said Kubilius.
Former Prime Minister Butkevičius also says he sees no need to change ministers. He said that if the Seimas votes again on the nomination of Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė to continue in office, the debate in the public space, which has been going on for some time, will be put to rest.
„Recently, they (the President and the Prime Minister – ELTA) have met more than ever. After the discussions, neither one nor the other tried to comment too much on what was discussed, and there were no statements of certain individual positions,“ Butkevičius told Elta.
„There will be no further strong discussions. Once the Government's powers are restored, I think that in the next week, the President will submit the Prime Minister's nomination to check whether she still has the confidence of the Seimas. Then she (Šimonytė – ELTA) will take the decree with the names of the ministers,“ he said.
The ex-Prime Minister stressed that Nausėda would fulfil his promises by appointing new ministers for education, social security, and labour in June.
„The President will explain his campaign promises to the public by the fact that two ministers have already been replaced,“ he added.
For his part, Saulius Skvernelis, the Chairman of the opposition party Vardan Lietuvos (In the Name of Lithuania) and ex-Prime Minister, said that the two newly appointed ministers are a good start for change. However, as the politician who used to lead the Social Democratic government points out, the Cabinet of Ministers needs to be renewed even more.
„Everyone probably understands that changes are needed. We see that ministers are appointed for a few months, so changing ministers for a few months is possible. Of course, this will be agreed between the Prime Minister and the President,“ Skvernelis told Elta.
„A new minister may not do a lot of good, but he or she will not do a lot of bad either“, he said.
ELTA recalls that President Nausėda, who was officially inaugurated for a second term of office on Friday, repeated during the election campaign that the composition of the Government should change if he is re-elected.
In April, Nausėda said that if Agriculture Minister Kęstutis Navickas could not answer awkward questions, then the Head of State might not confirm him in the government after the Cabinet of Ministers was returned to power.
In response to the ongoing discussions, Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė said she did not see the need to change ministers. However, as she stressed on Thursday, this issue will be discussed after the inauguration of the President and the return of powers.
On Friday, the Prime Minister handed over a written statement to the Head of State returning the Government's powers. The President, in turn, entrusted her with her duties until new Seimas mandates were received and a new Cabinet of Ministers was formed.
