PM willing to give SocMin post to SocDems if they appoint Paluckas

Swapping the top positions at the Economy Ministry currently controlled by the Social Democrats to the Social Security and Labor Ministry was on Tuesday proposed to the leaders of the ruling Farmers and Greens Union and Skvernelis by the elder of the Social Democratic political group, Andrius Palionis. Palionis and some other members of the group have decided to stay in the ruling coalition against the will of the party and Paluckas.

“I would give it serious thought, if the Social Democratic party’s leader aimed to take the post and take responsibility,” Skvernelis told journalists at the government.

He emphasized he was “very serious,” at the same time noting he had nothing against Linas Kukuraitis, the incumbent social security and labor minister who, in his words, “is working in the position and will probably continue.”

“But if our partners wanted this and the party’s leader took on the challenge, we could consider anything,” said the prime minister.

Palionis said at the parliament earlier on Tuesday that the breakaway had multiple candidates “from the Seimas and from outside the Seimas.”

LFGU leader Ramūnas Karbauskis who was present at the meeting with Palionis also expressed support to the LFGU-delegated Kukuraitis, adding that the proposals were to be considered by the prime minister.