Lithuania’s outgoing Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas, who announced his resignation earlier on Thursday, says he does not feel he has made any fundamental mistakes in the post, but is stepping down in order to not hamper the effective functioning of the government.
“As I see how the scandals being fuelled are hampering the work of the government, I believe that I cannot make our ruling coalition and our cabinet hostage to these scandals. That is why I have decided to make a swift and certain decision,” Paluckas said in a statement issued by his party on Thursday.
However, he said, he does not feel he has made any fundamental mistakes or committed any misconduct as prime minister: “I have carried out my duties as prime minister in good faith and to the best of my ability.”
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Paluckas says he has realised that he needs to prevent the attack on his family as soon as possible.
He apologised for the mistakes “during my previous activities”, although he stressed that his political opponents practically had no complaints against the work of his government, they only had to do with his past.
“For example, socially fairer taxes, I am sure, made more than one interest group want to discredit me personally by taking advantage of my mistakes in the past,” the outgoing prime minister said.
“Despite my decision to step down, I will continue to defend my honour and dignity, and I will await the findings of the ongoing investigations, which, I have no doubt, will sort out facts from innuendos,” he added.
“I do not cling to any chair in life. I am open to all scenarios and solutions,” Paluckas said.
Paluckas has been in office since last December when his government was sworn in after the October general election.
He will be temporarily replaced as the party’s chair by his former first deputy Mindaugas Sinkevičius, the mayor of Jonava District.
It remains unclear who the Social Democrats will nominate as the new prime minister, with the names of the first deputy speaker of the Seimas, Juozas Olekas, and Social Security and Labour Minister Inga Ruginienė mentioned as potential candidates. Sinkevičius, meanwhile, has said on Thursday he will not seek the position.
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