Grybauskaite approves new health minister

Mar 02, 2010
TBT Staff

Former Interior Minister Raimondas Sukys will take over the health ministry with the blessing of the president (phot: Seimas)

VILNIUS - Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite has said she will sign the decree ushering in Raimondas Sukys as the country's new health minister.

Sukys, a member of the Liberal and Center Union, has been a member of parliament since 2000 adn has previosly served as the Interior Minister. He was nominated for the position by his party.

"The president said that Sukys is an experienced politician, and is well prepared to take over the heading of the health ministry,” presidential spokesman Linas Balsys said aftera meeting of the two on Monday.

Sukys will be replacing Algis Caplikas, who resigned after a politically appointed deputy minister was charged with bribe-taking by anti-corruption authorities.

Caplikas was not accussed in the affair and, importantly, maintained the support of the prime minister, but said he felt the scandal had irreperably weakened his political position.

In his new position Sukys will have to tackle continuing health care reform, reducing the price of medicine and fighting against graft in the health care system.

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