Kirkilas speaks about the conciliatory position offered to Pranckietis in Seimas

Lithuanian Social Democratic Labour Party (LSDDP) chairman Gediminas Kirkilas stated on Žinių Radijas‘ show Pozicija that if the Seimas groups do not finally come to terms, there may be no coalition, in the end, lrytas.lt reported.

It appears that the office of Seimas speaker has been promised namely to G. Kirkilas based on the new coalition’s framework.

The current Seimas Speaker Viktoras Pranckietis is currently not intent on resigning, but according to G. Kirkilas’ information, the incumbent speaker was offered a seat on the Seimas board, thus he does not comprehend such emotionality.

The lrytas.lt news portal reminds that following the presidential elections, the prefect of the largest Seimas group, Lithuanian Farmer and Greens Union (LVŽS) chairman Ramūnas Karbauskis decided to reinforce the ruling coalition and launch negotiations with former partners, the LSDDP, Order and Justice and Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania.

However, it will only be revealed on Friday whether the Electoral Action of Poles will be willing to negotiate. If this does not happen, G. Kirkilas has a plan B.

Kirkilas’ has a plan B

“You must always have a plan B. If we do not come to terms regarding a coalition, it may not emerge in the end. But currently, the situation is such that all the groups have terminated the coalition agreement. The current coalition factually does not have a majority,” G. Kirkilas said on the Žinių Radijas show.

He stated that if the Poles are unwilling to join the majority, it could work nevertheless, but this would not be a good outcome.

“Such an outcome is possible, you could say it is a plan B. My personal experience shows that if the coalition partners are not equally tied together, then the coalition will have numerous problems,” the LSDDP chairman said.

He stated that in order to ensure adequate work in the ruling coalition, everyone [every party] must be granted minister offices.

“My experience shows that a coalition is stable when it is tied together in responsibility for the cabinet. If they do not participate in the cabinet, they feel different, they could have various peculiar proposals,” he said.

G. Kirkilas stated that he is not changing his position – all the posts are currently only “temporary.”

“For all ministers, we are not talking about them. No official has an exemption,” the LSDDP chairman said.

He stated that he expects a “European” position from V. Pranckietis.

Acting ‘European’

“I hope that V. Pranckietis will act European, like Vydas Gedvilas,” G. Kirkilas said, reminding how the “Farmer” negotiators do not wish to change the memorandum text and are not fighting for the seat of Seimas speaker.

According to BNS, the Social Democrat Labour leader pointed to last term’s Seimas as an example, where Labour parliamentary Speaker V. Gedvilas resigned from office at the demand of the party board. He was chosen as a Seimas vice speaker and Loreta Graužinienė was elected speaker.

“I believe that we should negotiate now as well and not exchange letters and emotion,” the LSDDP chairman said, reminding of V. Gedvilas’ situation.

To G. Kirkilas’ knowledge, V. Pranckietis has also been offered a seat on the Seimas board.

“The “Farmers” will have at least two Seimas vice speaker positions,” he stated, speaking about the coalition negotiations and parliamentarian quotas.