Zuokas bows to public pressure

Nov 13, 2008
TBT Staff in cooperation with BNS

VILNIUS - Chairman of the Liberal and Center Union Arturas Zuokas has said that he will not run for Healthcare Minister after a public outcry against his suitability for a ministerial post.

Zuokas, a former Vilniuscity mayor, said that his decision not to take the post was influenced by public doubts over his aptness following a recent conviction on bribery charges.

A Vilnius district court has found Zuokas guilty of attempting to bribe a former member of Vilnius City Council Vilmantas Drema. The official was forced to pay a 12,500 lita (3,600 euro) fine.

The Board of the Liberal and Center Union plans to make a final decision on Nov. 14 on which two candidates to propose for health and interior ministers' posts. Responsibility for running these two ministries has been handed over to the Liberal and Center Union under an agreement of parties forming the ruling majority.

Though it is still unclear who will take the post of health minister, a number of other cabinet members have already been decided. Here is a quick look at who will be in the next Lithuanian government:

Ministries of Homeland Union – Chrtistian Democrats

MINISTER FOR ECONOMY

Conservative Dainius Kreivys is going to be the new minister for economy, the most challenging position regarding a complicated economic situation. He is an economy analyst and consultant, and board council chairman for the “Baldenis” furniture company.

MINISTER FOR DEFENSE

Rasa Juknevičienė is taking Defense minister position. She is a signatory of the Act of the Re-Establishment of the State of Lithuania and has been a member of Homeland Union since it was founded. She is in favor of restoring a compulsory military service despite the fact it was made volunteer only recently by social democrats government.

MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS

Gintaras Ušackas is going to take the minister for Foreign Affairs position. He is not a member of any political party, but will work as conservative proposed minister in the government. He is currently a Lithuanian ambassador to the United Kingdom. Before that he was the ambassador to the United States.

MINISTER FOR FAMILY AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS

A new coalition is planning to rename the “Social Defense and Labor Ministry” the “Family and Social Affairs Ministry.” The new minister is going to be Rimantas Dagys, a conservative, who was a member of parliament in 1996-2000, a social democrat at that time, and also a member of outgoing Seimas as a conservative.

MINISTER FOR AGRICULTURE

Agriculture is going to be governed by Kaziemiras Starkevičius, a conservative MP. He is well known for organizing his annual Christmas installation in Kaunas. He is an author of his party‘s Rural Development program.

MINISTER FOR ENERGY

Arvydas Sekmokas is said to be a head of proposed to be established Ministry of Energy.

Ministries of Liberal Union

MINISTER FOR JUSTICE

Remigijus Šimašius, president of Lithuanian Free Market Institute, accepted a Liberal Union proposal to be a minister for Justice. He is not a member of any political party.

MINISTER FOR TRANSPORT

Eligijus Masiulis, the leader of Liberal Union, is going to govern Ministry of Transport.

MINISTER FOR EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

Gintaras Steponavičius of Liberal Union is going to be a minister for Education and Science.

Ministries of National Resurrection Party

MINISTER FOR CULTURE

Actor Remigijus Vilkaitis is a member of the Valinskas’-led National Resurrection Party and a candidate to become a minister for Culture. He is famous for the characters he created, especially the one based on Labour Union leader Viktor Uspaskich, for a popular satyric TV show Dviračio Šou. He is also a godfather of Uspaskich’s daughter and a close friend of Valinskas.

MINISTER FOR ENVIRONMENT – yet to be decided

Ministries of Liberal and Center Union

MINISTER FOR INTERIOR – yet to be decided

MINISTER FOR HEALTHCARE – yet to be decided

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