Seimas horse-trading ahead of governing coalition meeting on what to do on presidential vetos

Lithuania’s ruling coalition’s political council will consider how to deal with President Dalia Grybauskaite vetoes of the Labour Code and assisted reproduction laws on Friday with the parties horse-trading ahead of the meeting.

The Social Democratic Party group leader in the Seimas Irena Šiaulienė denied it had discussed with Labour Party representatives a deal to dismiss to the President’s veto on the Labour Code, if the Social Democrats opposed a veto on Assisted Reproduction Act.

Leader of the Opposition Andrius Kubilius denied that there have been negotiations with the Labour Party “on the exchange of opposition to one veto for another”.

He said the Labour Code should be put into effect but with the President’s amendments included.

Order and Justice party leader, MEP Rolandas Paksas said President Grybauskaitė would not have had to veto the Labour Code, if she had met with Prime Minister Butkevičium and discussed the important articles of the Law:

“After all, this law is in development for a number of years. How can the president not call the prime minister and sit down at one table and figure out what is now vetoed?”

Kestutis Daukšys denied talk of negotiations for a veto of the law in exchange for another: “I do not know who spreads such stories. In my head, everything should be on agreement of the political council meeting. “

However, Daukšys did not rule out the possibility that it may be necessary to negotiate with the conservatives on opposing the President’s veto on the Labour Code.

The Social Democrats are not united on the issue of the vetoes. Vice-Chairman of the Seimas, Social Democrat Algirdas Sysas denied that the Social Democratic said: “Part of the group would be inclined to agree to the President’s veto, because of the essential things she vetoed, but our party leader, Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevicius takes the position that the president should veto should be opposed.”