Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė said Friday that Culture Minister Ignotas Adomavičius is expected to announce his resignation soon, following controversy over his comments on Ukraine and Crimea.
“I saw [the statements], and I am very sorry about them. I believe the culture minister himself will announce his decision very soon,” Ruginienė told reporters.
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She added that if Adomavičius steps down voluntarily, a coalition council meeting would no longer be necessary. “To my knowledge, the culture minister needs to make the decision to leave his post,” she said.
Ruginienė also warned that if he does not resign, she is prepared to take formal action to dismiss him. “I also have a decision,” she said.
The statement follows an interview published Friday by the news portal Lrytas, in which Adomavičius refused to answer questions directly about Lithuania’s support for Ukraine and the status of Crimea, calling the questions “provocative”.
“What happened this morning is completely unacceptable to me personally and to the entire coalition,” the prime minister said.
Ruginienė said she had not spoken to Adomavičius personally on Friday and did not identify who would temporarily take over his duties in the cabinet. She also said there is no discussion yet of him taking another post within the ministry.
“Now is the first step. Then comes my search, as prime minister, for a new minister,” she added.
Coalition meeting
A coalition council meeting has been urgently called for Friday to discuss Adomavičius’ ability to continue in office.
“After meeting, the LSDP board noted the doubts in society and the cultural community regarding Culture Minister Ignotas Adomavičius’ work and communication. We had high expectations for the minister, so it is natural that questions about his performance are now emerging,” Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (LSDP) chairman Mindaugas Sinkevičius wrote on Facebook.
“To responsibly assess the situation and find the most appropriate solutions, we are calling an urgent coalition council meeting. The Social Democrats, government, and coalition remain united and will make every effort for Ukraine’s victory and Lithuania’s security,” he added.
On Sunday, the country’s cultural community is planning a nationwide strike in protest of the decision to hand the Culture Ministry to the Nemunas Dawn party.
Protests were held last week in major Lithuanian cities over the ministry’s transfer, with some organisers refusing the patronage of the president, prime minister, or culture minister at their events.
Cultural leaders have expressed concern that Nemunas Dawn’s leadership of the Culture Ministry threatens efforts to combat disinformation, safeguard freedom of speech, and uphold democratic values.
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