Seimas appoints committees

The new parliament earlier this week changed its statute to set up the new Committee on Culture and to abolish the Committee on Information Society Development, with its functions to be transferred to the Committee on Economics. The overall number of committees remains unchanged from the previous legislature at fifteen.

The parliament’s committees are to elect their heads in the coming days.

The Lithuanian Peasant and Green Union (LPGU) and its ruling coalition partner, the Social Democrats, have approved candidates to head most of the committees.

– The opposition Homeland Union–Lithuanian Christian Democrats proposes Ingrida Šimonytė, a former finance minister, as head of the Committee on Audit.

– The Peasants and Greens propose Ramūnas Karbauskis, the party’s chairman, as their candidate for the post of head of the Committee on Culture;

– Kęstutis Mažeika, a veterinarian, for the Committee on Environmental Protection;

– Viktoras Rinkevičius, an agricultural engineer, for the Committee on Budget and Finance;

– Virginijus Sinkevičius, who holds a master’s degree in political sciences, for the Committee on Economics;

– Andriejus Stancikas, a former chairman of the Chamber of Agriculture, for the Committee on Rural Affairs;

– Vytautas Bakas, a lawyer, for the Committee on National Security and Defence;

– Agne Sirinskienė, a lawyer, for the Committee on Health Affairs;

– Eugenijus Jovaiša, a historian, for the Committee on Education and Science;

– Povilas Urbšys, a lawyer, for the Committee on State Governance and Local Authorities; and

– Valerijus Simulikas, a teacher, for the Committee on Human Rights.

– The Social Democrats want Algirdas Sysas to keep his post of head of the Committee on Social Affairs and Labour,

– Gediminas Kirkilas to stay on as head of the Committee on European Affairs,

– Julius Sabatauskas to continue to lead the Committee on Legal Affairs.

– Juozas Bernatonis, the caretaker justice minister, for the Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Under the Statute of the Seimas, the post of heads or deputy heads of the Committee on Budget and Finance and the Committee on Audit should be given to opposition lawmakers. The post of chairman of the Ethics and Procedures Commission can also be held only by a member of the parliamentary minority.