„I think that the fate of Nemuno Aušra in the coalition has been decided; they will be removed – for a long time (the coalition will not be able to – ELTA) to endure this kind of rhetoric and this kind of things, which are damaging to Lithuania, damaging to its image,“ Karbauskis told Žinių Radijas.
„It is obvious that Žemaitaitis has been an eternal oppositionist and has remained so. Listening to his statements, his speeches at meetings with the public, etc., he behaves like a complete opposition,“ the politician noted.
However, Karbauskis assures that the LVŽS under his leadership would not consider joining a coalition with the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (LSDP) and the Democratic Union Vardan Lietuvos (In the Name of Lithuania).
„Going into that coalition in the name of what? (...) As a shadow government, now headed by Aurelijus Veryga, we will certainly do no less than we would have done if we were in power,“ said the LVŽS chairman.
He also points out that the leader of the Democrats, Saulius Skvernelis, would not want to work together with the Peasants.
„It has been made very clear that the group would not work with the Lithuanian Peasant and Greens Union, so there is no discussion in this situation. We would not be able to work with that group,“ he said.
New tensions in the ruling coalition have emerged after the latest statements by Žemaitaitis on Ukraine. After the Speaker of Seimas Saulius Skvernelis urged politicians who questioned the decisions of the State Defence Council (SDC) to go to Ukraine, the leader of Nemuno Aušra, Žemaitaitis, replied that he did not see the point in doing so.
„It is an excellent suggestion by the Speaker of the Seimas to visit Ukraine. I can visit Ukraine, but I don't have to go there. Except for the cases of bribe-taking, corruption, sale of arms, sale of the state,“ Žemaitaitis told Elta on Wednesday.
Such statements have been criticised by Justinas Argustas, adviser to Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas, and the Presidency.
For her part, Social Democrat Deputy Speaker of the Seimas Rasa Budbergytė said that the Coalition Council would also discuss these statements by Žemaitaitis on Monday.
ELTA recalls that the new centre-left ruling majority has committed itself in the coalition agreement to „fully support Ukraine“ in its victory and pledged to help rebuild the war-torn country.
The same commitment is enshrined in the Government's Programme, which states that „the only way to restore a stable and just peace in Europe is for Ukraine to win the war started by Russia as soon as possible, by fully liberating all occupied territories, restoring the country's territorial integrity, and providing sustainable security guarantees.“
