Lithuania's prime minister says he will not have Energy Minister Žygimantas Vaičiūnas move to head the Ministry of Economy, an idea suggested by the president.
Vaičiūnas has been the acting economy minister since last December. President Gitanas Nausėda said last week he could take up the position permanently.
Read more: Lithuanian president suggests minister reshuffle
According to Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis, however, Vaičiūnas himself does not want to switch to another ministry.
“The minister is doing well in the energy field and is performing the duties of acting economy minister very well, too. He will certainly not be replaced,” the prime minister told reporters on Tuesday.
Vaičiūnas could not be reached by BNS for comment.
Skvernelis said he might nominate another candidate for economy minister, a position that has been vacant since Virginijus Sinkevičius became a European commissioner last December.
Read more: One year of President Nausėda: political weakness or new kind of leadership?
President Nausėda said last week that he would like to see Vaičiūnas as economy minister, while someone else could step in as the new minister of energy.
In February, Nausėda rejected the prime minister's adviser Lukas Savickas whom Skvernelis proposed as economy minister.
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