Prime Minister-designate Inga Ruginienė on Monday submitted three new Cabinet candidates, including Energy Minister Žygimantas Vaičiūnas to continue in his post, as Lithuania’s incoming government seeks to break a political deadlock.
Ruginienė also proposed Kastytis Žuromskas to lead the Environment Ministry and Ignotas Adomavičius for the culture portfolio, her spokesman Ignas Dobrovolskas confirmed to BNS.
“The prime minister has met with all the nominees and made her decision after assessing their competencies and visions for the future,” Dobrovolskas said.
Žuromskas, 34, currently serves as deputy environment minister and previously worked in real estate and business development, including at RE/MAX and the crowdfunding platform Profitus. He left the Nemunas Dawn party about a month ago, after running unsuccessfully in last year’s parliamentary elections.
Adomavičius, 42, is an adviser to Deputy Speaker Raimondas Šukys and has a background in commerce and food production. He was a member of the opposition Liberal Movement from 2010 until earlier this year and, according to his parliamentary candidate biography, sings in a church choir.
Vaičiūnas has been acting energy minister since the resignation of former Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas’ government in early August. President Gitanas Nausėda has previously praised his work and expressed hope he would continue in the post.
Ministerial swap
The three candidates were put forward following a deal between the Social Democrats and Nemunas Dawn to swap ministries and resolve a Cabinet formation impasse. Under the agreement, the Social Democrats took over the Energy Ministry while Nemunas Dawn assumed the Culture Ministry.
Nausėda had already endorsed Social Democrat lawmaker Vaida Aleknavičienė for the culture minister post, meaning her nomination will now be withdrawn.
The president last week rejected Nemunas Dawn’s initial nominees – Povilas Poderskis for environment and Mindaugas Jablonskis for energy – citing doubts that they would prioritise the public interest.
Coalition government
The new ruling coalition, formed in August after Paluckas’ resignation and the collapse of the previous majority, brings together the Social Democrats, Nemunas Dawn, and the Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union along with the Christian Families Alliance. The bloc controls 82 seats in the 141-member Seimas.
So far, Nausėda has approved 12 of Ruginienė’s 14 Cabinet members. He is currently visiting the United States, meaning he would likely meet the remaining candidates remotely.
Social Democratic leader Mindaugas Sinkevičius said Monday he expects the full Cabinet to be sworn in this week, provided parliament approves its program. Lawmakers must endorse the government’s platform before ministers can take the oath.
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