Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania party quits ruling coalition

“The LLRA finds the dictate unacceptable. It was attempted to dictate the situation, so that we would not receive seats in the government, in the Ministry of Energy – the minister’s and deputy minister’s seats. Negotiations about a different format could have continued. Perhaps a 3 plus 1, or similar. However, we clearly stated the party’s opinion that the agreement of the Coalition was valid prior to this meeting, if it is no longer in effect, then we are leaving the Coalition and withdrawing all our representatives,” said Tomaševski.

The LLRA invited the Coalition partners at 6 PM to a Ukrainian restaurant for dinner, to “end the working relations in a civilised manner”.

The LLRA explained their motives saying that “in politics there should be more honesty and decency”. Tomaševski said that “the only reasons behind the conflict are groups of interest in the Ministry of Energy”.

In his turn, the prime minister called such statements populist.

The leader of the Order and Justice Party Rolandas Paksas assured that his party was staying in the Coalition.

The ruling majority have decided that the Government’s programme has to be implemented successfully, thus, the most beneficial way out of the situation is if the three parties continue working.

Opposition: LLRA’s stunt in government brought nothing positive

First deputy chairman of the Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats (TS-LKD) political group in the Seimas, Jurgis Razma, hopes that there will be fewer issues causing tensions in parliament after the Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania (LLRA) has withdrawn from the Coalition.

According to Razma, the one and a half years of LLRA’s participation in the Coalition brought nothing positive to Lithuania, the government or the Coalition itself.

Razma says it is inexplicable why the LLRA was invited to join the Coalition in the first place, when the ruling parties had enough votes to be in the majority even without it.

The politician finds it hard to believe that in the future the LLRA would be invited to join any coalitions.

“I hope certain conclusions will be drawn from this, I do not imagine that any other normal party would invite the LLRA, which is under complete command of Valdemar Tomaševski, to join the Coalition,” said Razma.