Abromavičius, Šimonytė, Ušackas and Pavilionis among conservatives’ candidates for ministers

According to the list published by the conservative party after its council meeting on 10 September, Andrius Kubilius, ex-PM and the party’s former party, former finance minister Ingrida Šimonytė and Vilnius City Council member Mykolas Majauskas, who heads the conservative group in the council, would be delegated for finance minister.

Among candidates for defense minister would be former defense minister MP Rasa Juknevičienė, former chairman of the parliament’s National Security and Defense Committee Arvydas Anušauskas, political scientist Laurynas Kasčiūnas and diplomat Žygimantas Pavilionis.

The party’s candidates for foreign minister include former diplomacy chiefs Audronius Ažubalis and Vygaudas Ušackas, who currently serves as the European Union‘s envoy to Russia, as well as Pavilionis and Arnoldas Pranckevičius, adviser to European Parliament President Martin Schulz.

The conservatives envisage economist Adomas Audickas and MP Dainius Kreivys as suitable candidates for energy ministers, while former Ukrainian Economy Minister Aivaras Abromavičius, Kreivys, Paulius Kunčinas and Tadas Langaitis are listed as potential candidates for economy ministers. Candidates for transport and communications ministers include MP Jurgis Razma and Abromavicius.

The party said candidates for interior minister include MPs Anusauskas, Agne Bilotaitė, former Kaunas mayor Andrius Kupčinskas and scientist Jurgita Šiugždinienė.

The conservatives is Lithuania’s largest opposition party, with a political group of 30 members in the parliament. According to data provided by the Justice Ministry, the party has about 15,000 members.

Latest opinion polls show that about 10 percent of respondents are likely to cast their ballots for the conservatives in elections.