This meeting in Brussels was not the official start of negotiations. It coincided that M. Sinkevičius is visiting the Belgian capital these days on business, while the leaders of the Democrats and peasants are working in the European Parliament. So the chairman of the Social Democrats invited them for an informal conversation. They gathered in the office of V. Sinkevičius. They talked for about two hours.
Waldemar Tomaszewski, leader of the Polish election campaign-Union of Christian Families, was also invited, but one gets the impression that he himself is not a frequent guest at the European Parliament.
Although this meeting was not the official start of negotiations, the politicians do not hide the fact that they discussed the perspectives of forming a coalition, possible changes in the Government’s work program and the division of portfolios. The twists and turns of foreign policy are also touched upon, for example, the approach to the restoration of diplomatic relations with China. Does this mean that M. Sinkevičius asked future coalition partners about the work of Kęstutis Budris?
“It’s not that they asked. There’s no need to ask. We have some comments ourselves. Especially since some issues were included in the coalition agreement, but remained unresolved, there’s no need to ask. I said that those issues need to be resolved. Whether it will be necessary to change the minister or not is a separate discussion here,” – Morning said A. Veryga.
The peasants seek to keep the Ministries of Justice and Economy and Innovation currently owned by them, with their heads Rita Tamašuniene and Edvin Grikš.
The Democrats would get the Ministries of Environment and Agriculture controlled by “Easterners”, to which Tomas Tomilinas and Kęstutis Mažeika would be appointed. Also the Ministry of Energy, whose head is Žygimantas Vaičiūnas, who was left here by the Democrats from the previous coalition. However, the Democrats no longer consider him theirs, they see Lukas Savickas in this post.
It is true that some democrats might even prefer the Ministry of Economy and Innovation, which L. Savickas previously headed. The question is whether it would be possible to exchange with the peasants, because after the data theft scandal of the Register Center, E. Grikš may have obstacles to cross the presidential barrier.
The peasants stand behind their minister. It seems that, at least for the time being, no negative signals are coming from the Presidency itself – it is said that the most important thing for the head of the country, Gitanas Nausėda, was to get rid of “Nemunas Dawn”, and he has no major complaints or wishes regarding the new-old Cabinet of Ministers. Except for keeping K. Budris.
The Social Democrats want to keep their ministries, only to make a few changes. The chairs of Minister of Internal Affairs Vladislavas Kondratovičius, Minister of Finance Kristupas Vaitiekūnas, Minister of Culture Vaida Aleknavičienė, already mentioned Minister of Foreign Affairs K. Budris and Minister of Social Security and Labor Jūratė Zailskienė are wobbly. The latter – with the condition that Inga Ruginienė wants to return to the ministry.
M. Sinkevičius claimed that no specific personalities were discussed at the meeting of the three leaders on Tuesday, only how the three parties could share areas of responsibility was discussed.
The chairman of the Social Democrats half-jokingly, half-seriously called V. Sinkevičiai and A. Verygas to return to work in Lithuania, in the Government, the helm of which, almost no longer in doubt, he intends to take over from Prime Minister I. Ruginienė soon.
According to him, the Government’s program will also change, but it is still too early to say in which specific areas.
“But I think that these will be the areas that unite us – family policy, social issues, help for young families. Apparently, there should be such a socially oriented program. At least I will strive for it. Colleagues have meaningful proposals and it will certainly not be the case that the composition of the coalition has changed, and the program remains, that only the chairs have changed, the faces have changed, but the content will not. The content will also change.
I think that about the content, what we decided, what we put together, maybe it will be clearer at the end of the week or the beginning of next week”, – LRT stated M. Sinkevičius.
A. Veryga: we will maintain our positions, we had complaints against K. Budrii
The leader of the peasants, A. Veryga, described the meeting positively – it was even better than he expected. Most of the issues were agreed upon, even the programmatic points with which the future coalition partners would like to supplement the Government’s work program coincided.
“Good mood. All three of us are busy, so we don’t talk about anything. We really had a very active talk. There are two things that were mainly talked about – how to make the process of forming a new majority, the Government smoother, more efficient, so that it does not extend into the second half of the summer or even more into the fall. (…) The teams are already working on the coalition agreement, reviewing what to add, what to bring. Enough time was allocated for that. Those two hours quickly melted, we could talk more”, – Morning commented A. Veryga.
During the meeting, the views on certain foreign policy issues, such as the restoration of diplomatic relations with China, were also measured. Did everyone’s positions agree, including the Democrats?
“They have certain points of view, but we understand that when Lithuania is the only one that does not have diplomatic relations with China, like other European Union states, it is a bad situation and it needs to be resolved,” the peasant explained.
If foreign policy issues have already been discussed, maybe the current or future head of Lithuanian diplomacy was also discussed?
“It is clear that the issue was not completely untouched, but maybe more in that context – whether some changes are needed in the ministry or not – in order for those foreign policy issues to move forward. We could not agree on any solution, because it is not our consensus. The president also plays a very important role in foreign policy. Apparently, a wider conversation will be needed. But we did not talk. We really have some complaints about what has been resolved,” A. Veryga emphasized.
Did the chairman of the Social Democrats ask whether K. Budrys is suitable for them as a minister?
“It’s not that they asked. There’s no need to ask here. We have some comments ourselves. Especially since some issues were included in the coalition agreement, but remained unresolved, there’s no need to ask. I said that those issues need to be resolved. Whether it will be necessary to change the minister or not – this is already a separate discussion,” the MEP asserted.
The peasants themselves should maintain the ministries that belong to them, A. Veryga testified that he had not heard any negative signals about the current ministers either from M. Sinkevičius or from the Presidency.
Peasants should keep the same quotas in the Seimas. But after all, their group has shrunk compared to last autumn, when the previous negotiations took place – Ignas Vēgėlė and Rimas Jonas Jankūnas left it. Will the peasants who cast just nine votes keep two ministries and their positions in the Seimas?
“For now, everything remains the same,” emphasized A. Veryga.
The leader of the peasants did not respond to V. Sinkevičius’s questions regarding the possible exchange of ministries, giving them Economy and Innovation. They claimed that they were satisfied with their current positions, and would see no point in changing them.
And did you hear a specific answer from M. Sinkevičius, will he go to the prime minister?
“As far as I understand, there is such an attitude regarding the possible change of the prime minister. Such a change can happen. It’s just that the social democrats, I don’t know in what format, have to make that decision. But as I understand it, the attitude towards changing the prime minister is there,” concluded A. Veryga.
V. Sinkevičius was again called to go to the ministers
V. Sinkevičius, the temporary chairman of the Democrats, confirmed that the issue of Lithuania’s relations with China was raised during the meeting.
“My position remains the same, that we cannot in any way humiliate Lithuania a second time. Relations with China should indeed be restored and normalized, and should be the same as with all European Union states. However, not at any price.”
In this case, I think we have to use the European formats, that strength of 27 member states talking to China. However, there is also a representative office of the European Union in Beijing, which works successfully, where all member countries have ambassadors. I think we have to make the most of it. At the same time, the USA must not be forgotten, they must be warned accordingly about the possible steps.
But, as I said – those steps cannot humiliate Lithuania and show that Lithuania is some kind of unreliable partner, when the same decisions are made one term, and different decisions the next”, – Morning said V. Sinkevičius.
In recent days, the leader of the Democrats has been receiving calls from M. Sinkevičius to return to Lithuania himself and become the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Such a call – it is not clear whether more in jest or not – was received on Tuesday as well. They don’t say strict no anymore.
“We joked, just like at the beginning of the meeting, we talked. I think we both understand that there are no talks until the mandates are approved and there is no meeting of the negotiating groups. When there is a meeting of the negotiating groups, the content will be discussed, and then there will be talk about some specific ministries and specific people. Now there is such a level of talks, nothing serious,” the politician assured.
Negotiation groups of democrats and social democrats will meet on Wednesday, and peasants will join them already on Thursday.
