Dargužaitė stepping down as head of Lithuanian government’s office (Updated)

Updates throughout.

“This is a difficult decision, but I decided after long consideration to pursue a career in another area and informed the prime minister about my decision. I am glad he understood my choice. I am very grateful to the prime minister for the opportunity and confidence I had in making important changes in the public sector,” Dargužaitė said in a statement.

“I am leaving with confidence that the initiated changes will be continued, the reforms will be implemented and the goals that are important for society and the state will be achieved,” she said.

Skvernelis underlined that despite the chancellor’s resignation, the government stays on its course to optimizing and consolidating the public sector, making it more efficient and discarding surplus functions

He thanked Dargužaitė for “the important work she has done” and said that “the public sector’s door remains open” to her.

According to the statement, “through Dargužaitė’s efforts, the government this year managed to lay down solid foundations for the state’s services centre that will start providing services to over 160 state-owned enterprises as early as next year, which will enable the state to save at least 40 million euros annually.”

“Since the start of this year, the number of redundant positions in the state sector has declined by almost a thousand. Following an overhaul of the government’s office by Dargužaitė, the implementation of a results-oriented work culture in the entire public sector has started,” it reads.

Dargužaitė could not be immediately reached by BNS for comment.

Dargužaitė was tasked with streamlining the government’s office and the public sector. The chancellor herself has said on more than one occasion that there is huge resistance to reforms, but critics have said that the reforms were not well prepared.