Culture minister candidate gains support

VILNIUS - The Rising Nation party's new candidate to lead the Culture Ministry, Arunas Gelunas, has received the verbal support of Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius, greatly improving the candidate's prospects for being appointed to the ministry.

"I know Gelunas from his actions in state service, where he is working actively and constructively, and leaves a very good impression," Kubilius told journalists.

The president, who would make the final decision on the new minister, has said that she has no negative comments about the candidate.

The Rising Nation party expressed its distrust with its own representative in the Culture minister's post Remigijus Vilkaitis in late April. There were several unsuccessful tries to find a new minister and Vilkaitis has not signed a resignation letter yet.