Kubilius: Palaitis will resign

  • 2012-03-15

VILNIUS - The Conservatives reached an agreement with the Liberal and Centre Union - Lithuanian Interior Minister Raimundas Palaitis will resign, said Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius.

"We have agreed with the party's leaders, but I am not sure whether it will be realized by coalition to be able to continue to work," Kubilius said to the News Radio (Ziniu Radijas) on Thursday.

He said that if this condition is not fulfilled and Palaitis does not resign - the Conservatives will propose working under minority coalition conditions.

On Wednesday, Palaitis' adviser Ramune Hazir said that he is not going to reign.

As reportedearlier, President Dalia Grybauskaite decided not to dismiss Palaitis from his position. The decision was made after meeting with Kubilius, Palaitis and Chairman of the Liberal abd Centre Union Algis Caplikas.

March 6, Kubilius proposed Grybauskaite to sack Palaitis, grounding his decision on the fact that Palaitis made a mistake by hastily sacking heads of the Financial Crime Investigation Service Vitalijus Gailius and Vytautas Girzadas.

As the Lithuanian president decided to keep Minister of the Interior Raimundas Palaitis in his post, Seimas Speaker Irena Degutiene says she does not see any other option but to call early parliamentary election in summer.