Labour Party doesn’t consider merger with SocDems

“The Labour Party has never considered merger with the Social Democrats, even more – the council of chairmen has recommended that the Labour Party’s MPs Valentinas Bukauskas and Petras Cimbaras, who have won mandates and later joined the Social Democratic Party group, to withdraw as soon as possible. If they do not follow our advise, the issue will go to the party’s council,” Gapšys said in a press release circulated by the party.

The press release came in response to statements by the party’s member Vydas Gedvilas to the media about rallying of right-wing political forces and the possibility to merge with the Social Democratic Party. The Labour Party dismissed Gedvilas’ position in the Lietuvos Rytas daily as “a single person’s thoughts and opinion, which the Labor Party has nothing to do with.”

“We are currently intensively readying for the party’s congress scheduled to take place in Kedainiai on Dec. 11 where we will elect our new chairman and start a new phase of the party’s life. We believe that the new chairman will reinforce and unite the party to be able to successfully lead it forward,” said Gapsys. According to the press release, the council of chairmen has backed two candidates – Rolandas Janickas and Artūras Paulauskas – for leadership.

Gedvilas, former Seimas vice -speaker who did not win a Seimas mandate in the latest elections, told Lietuvos Rytas that the Labor Party can only survive the defeat in the elections by merging with the Social Democrats.