„This conflict situation has been programmed for all four years. Saulius Skvernelis will always pursue his policy during these four years, and the Social Democrats will try to do the same. And Žemaitaitis, as we have already seen, will not do anything because nobody is interested in him anymore because everybody got what they wanted. Some people have a Prime Minister, others have a Speaker of the Seimas, but Žemaitaitis has nothing,“ Karbauskis told Žinių Radijas.
„We have a situation where the third largest (coalition – ELTA) party in the Seimas, with fourteen seats, is now dictating the game's rules,“ the politician emphasised.
Karbauskis also stresses that Prime Minister Paluckas cannot control the tense situation in the coalition.
„He has absolutely no tools, no leverage“, said the LVŽS Chairman.
However, the politician is convinced that the coalition will not break up because, according to him, all three parties in the ruling majority want to stay in it.
„If we talk about Nemuno Aušra, I think that also the glue of power is sufficient. Because if the ruling coalition were to leave, Nemuno Aušra itself would crumble,“ he emphasised.
He added that joining the ruling coalition would not make sense
Karbauskis argues that even if the coalition fell apart after the departure of Nemuno Aušra, the Peasants would not be inclined to form a new ruling majority with the Social Democrats and the Democrats Vardan Lietuvos (In the Name of Lithuania).
„The talk that the Lithuanian Peasants' and Green Union would go into a coalition is also empty because, in reality, it is challenging to imagine working with the Democrats, who have made it clear that they would not work with us,“ said Karbauskis.
„I just keep trying to explain that this has nothing to do with my relationship with Saulius Skvernelis. It has to do with the fact that the LVŽS is not an organisation that can be used to solve its issues, which Saulius Skvernelis is doing with Nemuno Aušra, he stressed.
ELTA recalls that tensions in the ruling majority erupted after the Chairman of Nemuno Aušra stated that he would question his fate in the coalition if his candidacy for the post of vice-president of the Seimas was not submitted soon.
However, coalition partners had previously said that the leader of Nemuno Aušra could only be nominated for the position of Deputy Speaker of the Seimas once his legal problems were resolved. However, Žemaitaitis believes that once his legal immunity has been lifted, there are no more obstacles to his running for the position of Deputy Speaker of the Seimas.
The Coalition Council discussed the situation. The politicians promised to continue discussing it and to find possible solutions.
Žemaitaitis also stated to LRT TV that the position of Speaker of the Seimas delegated to the party In the Name of Lithuania could go to the political force he represents. According to the Nemuno Aušra politician, such a move would be considered if the current leader of the Parliament, the Democrat Skvernelis, refused to put forward his candidacy for the position of Deputy Speaker of the Seimas.
