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Lithuania's new gov't sworn in at parliament

Xinhua, December 14, 2016 Adjust font size:

Lithuania's 17th government led by Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis has been approved by the country's parliament (Seimas) and took oath on Tuesday.

Eighty-six members of the parliament (MPs) voted in favor of the new government's program which was presented to the Seimas last week. Three MPs were against the new cabinet, while 40 abstained from voting.

The new government was formed by the national election winner Lithuanian Peasant and Greens Union and their junior coalition partner, Social Democratic Party.

The new government's program focuses on family policies, diminishing social exclusion, education and culture, as well as health issues, particularly reducing the accessibility of alcohol. The coalition intends to increase the effectiveness of the public sector and plans to look at opportunities for tax and pension system reforms.

Representatives of the ruling parties in parliament praised the "rational and professional" government program during debates in the Seimas on Tuesday, but MPs from opposition parties pointed to the lack of concrete details on how the government's promises will be achieved, local media reported.

Skvernelis, the new PM, promised to present a concrete action plan within approximately three months.

In an interview with local website vz.lt, Skvernelis expressed his hope that the new government and parliament would cooperate in order to implement the country's political agenda.

"This coalition is good as it consists only of two parties. The political majority is stable enough and ready to work hard," Skvernelis was quoted as saying.

The government will seek "rational, scientific, and practically-reasoned" decisions in order to achieve its goals listed in the program, he added.

Meanwhile, Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite, on Tuesday officially accepted the resignation of the former government which was led by social democrat Algirdas Butkevicius.

The first sitting of the new government will take place on Dec. 14. Endit