„In this case, we believe that this (the nomination of the Foreign Minister – ELTA) should and could be proposed by the President. The Minister of Foreign Affairs will have to work the hardest with the problem created by the very fact of forming the coalition. He needs to distance himself, at least in the eyes of his foreign partners, from a government formed based on a coalition and is closer to the Head of State, the President. I think this is a way that could minimise the damage,“ Jansonas said in a Delfi interview.
„We have considered several candidates. There are several options. The President will choose and present his vision to the Prime Minister. We will see if it will be approved“, the adviser said.
Jansonas did not say whether the President intends to nominate his chief adviser, Asta Skaisgirytė, to the Prime Minister-designate Gintautas Paluckas.
„The President has made two things clear. The President's spokesman said that she is the best candidate and that the best people should work for him“.
This is not the first week that Skaisgirytė's candidacy for Foreign Minister has been discussed. However, Skaisgirytė, who advises the President on foreign policy issues, does not disclose whether she intends to replace Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis.
„These rumours are post-election rumours; let's not rush things,“ Skaisgirytė told LRT's Savaitė programme on Sunday last week.
President Nausėda has said that Skaisgirytė would be the best candidate for Foreign Minister position.
„She certainly can because she is the best (candidate – ELTA). You know, sometimes it is said that diplomatically, one should say „one of the best,“ but I say „the best“ – undiplomatically. Since she is the best, it is a natural desire of the President to see such a person in his team,“ Nausėda told LRT TV when asked whether his adviser Skaisgirytė could be a candidate for the post of Foreign Minister when a new Government is formed.
Juozas Olekas of the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (LSDP), which won the elections, has also said that Skaisgirytė's candidacy for the post of Foreign Minister could be considered when forming a new Government.
According to the coalition agreement, the portfolio of the Foreign Minister belongs to the Social Democrats, who won the Seimas elections.
