Culture Minister Ignotas Adomavičius on Monday dismissed calls for his resignation after protests from the cultural community, saying he plans to meet with unions and other stakeholders to build trust.
“I just started working, it’s my first days, so I don’t see any reason for that,” Adomavičius told reporters when asked if he was considering stepping down.
The minister, who has no professional background in the cultural sector, said he believes he can unite the community and effectively manage the ministry. “I can hear the cultural community and I can administer the ministry, which leads the country’s cultural policy,” he said.
Adomavičius acknowledged discontent but noted that not the entire community opposes him. “I understand the protesters. Not everyone has equal access to major media or public platforms. One wave creates another, and sometimes you get carried away yourself,” he said.
He said his schedule this week is filled with meetings, starting with cultural trade unions, and stressed that preparing the 2026 budget is his top priority. “We need to fight for the budget allocated to the Culture Ministry,” he said.
The minister pledged to involve all community members in shaping the ministry’s action plan, calling on cultural workers to participate in drafting policies under the government’s program.
Adomavičius also confirmed he will not attend the October 5 opening of Lithuania’s cultural year in Italy, an event expected to include the presidents of both countries. “The budget negotiations are ongoing, so we’ll let the president represent us there,” he said.
President Gitanas Nausėda had previously highlighted cultural exports – including seasons of Lithuanian culture in France, Italy and Germany – as a key priority. Former Culture Minister Šarūnas Birutis, who left office in late August, criticised funding for these events.
Adomavičius, a businessman who most recently served as an adviser to the deputy parliament speaker, was nominated by the Nemunas Dawn party after it exchanged the Energy Ministry portfolio for Culture in the ruling coalition.
His appointment last week sparked protests, with cultural professionals labelling him unfit due to his lack of experience and knowledge of the sector. They plan to continue demonstrations with a warning strike.
The minister has apologised for some of his recent public remarks and said he is committed to finding common ground with the cultural community.
Nausėda, who initially vowed not to approve Nemunas Dawn members as nominees for ministerial posts, later changed his position amid a government crisis and urged cultural workers to give Adomavičius a chance.
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