Lithuania does not need any radical foreign policy changes, says conservative leader Gabrielius Landsbergis who has been named as a contender for the position of foreign minister.
“I believe Lithuania doesn’t need radical changes today. We need consolidation and clear messages so that the transatlantic community know that Lithuania is and has always been a reliable partner of the United States, irrespectively of what administration is in power in America,” he told BNS on Wednesday.
Landsbergis also underlined that there was a broad consensus on most of Lithuania's foreign policy directions which did not change radically under successive governments.
Supporting the Belarusian opposition will be one of the priorities and most pressing tasks for the new foreign minister, he said.
“It's probably one of the major challenges Lithuania is facing specifically. Lithuania has demonstrated leadership and Minister Linas Linkevičius has raised the bar for the issue of assistance to Belarus very high,” Landsbergis said. “I do believe that we can continue and do more and pull support for the Belarusian opposition, which finds refuge in Lithuania, within and outside the EU. And we could also help ensure that the Lukshenko regime does not stay for too long.”
Read more: Lithuania's would-be PM presents cabinet candidates
Landsbergis also stressed the need to further strengthen ties with Germany, calling it the heart of the European Union.
The leader of the conservative Homeland Union (TS-LKD) believes Lithuania should get more involved in solving EU issues.
“The EU is facing a lot of challenges and, as it happens often, Lithuania sees only those that are related to our region. But if we take a look at a wider picture and what's going on in the Mediterranean Sea and North Africa and we were more involved the decision-making there, perhaps it would be easier for us to convince EU partners to get involved in those problems that are happening in our neighbourhood. I have in mind Belarus, Russia and Astravyets [nuclear power plant in Belarus],” Landsbergis said.
Landsbergis also rejected concerns expressed by outgoing Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis that the conservative-led government would ruin good relations with Poland and Latvia.
“I do notice that the head of the acting government and ministers are trying to switch to working in the opposition and paint everything in dark colours. The Homeland Union has a lot of experience in the area of foreign policy, and there should be no radical changes that Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis and people of Lithuania should be concerned about,” the conservative leader said.
Would-be Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė said she picked Landsbergis for foreign minister due to his abilities and experience.
“Landsbergis is the leader of one of the parties within the family of the European People's Party. I believe it’s a very important factor that could further enrich our foreign policy,” she said.
Landsbergis himself noted that his experience in diplomacy and a short stint in the European Parliament, as well as work with the European People's Party, were his strengths.
“To be able to work with other prime ministers and foreign ministers I sat with in the European Parliament is a huge advantage and a great possibility,” Landsbergis said.
Earlier on Wednesday, Šimonytė met with President Gitanas Nausėda and disclosed whom she would like to see in her cabinet.
Šimonytė is to be nominated as the next prime minister on Thursday.
Newsletter
Every Friday morning.
