Opposition MP Langaitis says he’s leaving Seimas (Updated)

Updates throughout.

“It is still hard to understand why legal amendments, bills and other constructive proposals by myself and my colleagues have met with indifference and often open hostility. Many expected shortly before the Seimas elections that belonging to a specific party would not become a hindrance to adopting the most beneficial decisions for society, but these expectations proved to be absolutely wrong,” the lawmaker said in a statement on Friday.

“I am convinced that since I cannot effectively fulfill my promises to voters as an elected member of the Lithuanian parliament, I will make my personal contribution to the creation of Lithuania as a nation that is increasingly known for its innovations in other ways, such as by helping to develop high technology and financial technology startups. by creating new well-paid jobs that will create the future of Lithuania and the world, by engaging myself in public activities and by continuing my active participation in the Homeland Union’s activities,” he said.

Gabrielius Landsbergis, the leader of the Homeland Union, told BNS that Langaitis apparently had to choose between business and politics.

“I understand that the interests of the former member of the Seimas lie somewhere else and he will not be able to reconcile these interests with public ones. I believe this is related to business projects, which probably started before he entered politics, and he had to choose whether to continue these, and he chose business over politics,” he said.

When asked how he regarded the step by Langaitis, the party’s leader noted that he had been elected in the multi-member constituency and would be replaced in the Seimas by Andrius Kupčinskas, a former mayor of Kaunas.

“He was not elected in a single-member constituency. (If he were), then I would strongly disapprove of such a step. From the point of view of responsibility, however, I would not recommend (doing so), if asked,” he said.

Before he was elected to the Seimas in the fall of 2016, Langaitis worked in the areas of investment banking, venture capital and technological startups.