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Lithuanian president approves new gov't

Xinhua, November 30, 2016 Adjust font size:

Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite signed a decree on Tuesday approving the country's 17th government.

Grybauskaite signed the decree as soon as she had met with the last candidate to the cabinet and announced that the formation of the government had been completed. She'd interviewed every candidate proposed by appointed Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis. The president said her main requirements for the candidates were transparency, knowledge in their respective field, and an impeccable reputation.

"The members of the new cabinet give us hope that we can move to a higher quality of state administration than before," Grybauskaite told a press conference.

Her impressions of the new cabinet differed significantly compared to when she approved the previous government four years ago. At that time, Grybauskaite approved the Social Democrats-led government, which was two ministers short, but criticized some of the ministers as meeting "only minimum requirements for performing their direct duties and properly representing Lithuania abroad."

The approved ministers reflect the major reshuffle in the country's government and the idea of a professionals' cabinet of the Peasant and Greens Union (LVZS), the winners of the country's parliamentary elections. The majority of the ministers are technocrats and are not members of the ruling parties. Eleven out of 14 ministers and the prime minister are delegated to the cabinet by LVZS. The Social Democratic party, which lost the parliamentary elections and became the minor partners at the coalition, has delegated three ministers.

Following Grybauskaite's approval, the cabinet and its program are subject to approval by the Seimas, the Lithuanian parliament.

The president noted the success of the government's work would depend on cooperation with the Seimas.

She said the country expected the new generation of politicians to demonstrate a political culture based on correct political dialogue and the interests of all Lithuanian people.

"That would be a success for the entire country," Grybauskaite said in her speech.

The new cabinet is expected to take office early December. Endit