Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda has signed a decree to approve the makeup of the future cabinet of Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė.
The 14-member cabinet consists of nine ministers delegated by the conservative Homeland Union (TS-LKD), three by the liberal Freedom Party and two by the Liberal Movement.
“This cabinet is taking office in a really difficult period for Lithuania and its top priority will probably be to overcome the pandemic crisis we are facing now and to take very decisive and swift decisions that would yield immediate results,” President Nausėda told reporters on Monday afternoon.
PM Ingrida Šimonytė's cabinet:
Finance Mister Gintarė Skaistė
Defence Minister Arvydas Anušauskas
Interior Minister Agnė Bilotaitė
Health Minister Arūnas Dulkys
Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis
Social Security and Labour Minister Monika Navickienė
Education, Science and Sport Minister Jurgita Šiugždinienė
Energy Minister Dainius Kreivys
Agriculture Minister Kęstutis Navickas
Economy and Innovation Minister Aušrinė Armonaitė
Justice Minister Evelina Dobrovolska
Transport Minister Marius Skuodis
Environment Minister Simonas Gentvilas
Culture Minister Simonas Kairys
Nausėda described the new government's programme as “ambitious”.
“It is really ambitious and in line with the welfare state goals I am setting,” he said. “I am looking forward to close cooperation in the future.”
Nausėda said that all ministries will be important, but his focus will be on education, culture, economic well-being and social justice.
He said all the ministers met his requirements in terms of experience, qualifications, and “decency and reputation”.
The president welcomed the commitment in the government's programme to “substantially” improve the education system “through solutions that are clear and understandable to the society and by seeking a national consensus”.
“I do expect close cooperation with the heads of specific ministries. I believe we will maintain this contact throughout the term of office, because our initial contacts and our first meetings with the candidates were very constructive and business-like,” he said.
The new government will take office after the parliament endorses its programme and the ministers are sworn in.
Šimonytė said she expected that the process would not take long.
“Time is a decisive factor now, given the Covid-19 situation and the need to approve next year's state and other budgets so that we can start next year smoothly,” she said. “The government will have little time to make these decisions.”
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