Lithuanian parlt speaker says he won't resign

  • 2019-07-04
  • BNS/TBT Staff

VILNIUS – Speaker of the Lithuanian Seimas Viktoras Pranckietis has once again repeated he will not resign, despite a looming vote of no-confidence.

"There's no new decision of mine as I've been elected in the parliament and comply with the laws of Lithuania, not the ones of Karbauskis," Pranckietis told journalists at the parliament on Thursday.

Following the Wednesday sitting of the Social Democratic Labor Party of Lithuania's presidium, the party's leader Gediminas Kirkilas and Ramunas Karbauskis, leader of the Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union, said a vote of no-confidence in Pranckietis would be held on Tuesday, if he fails to resign by then.

The politicians also said the coalition agreement, to be signed on Friday, would not be valid, if Pranckietis is not removed.

"It's blackmail," Pranckietis said in response.

Under the agreement of coalition negotiators, the SDLP should get the parliament speaker's position.

Under the Statute of the Seimas, the speaker can be removed by means of a vote of no-confidence during a secret ballot and at least half of all lawmakers, i.e., at least 71 MPs, need to vote in favor.

The LFGU started overhauling the ruling coalition following the presidential election earlier this year, and if the party, the SDLP, the Order and Justice party and the Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania – Christian Families Alliance form a coalition, it will have 76 votes in the Seimas.