Cut parliament numbers, says PM

  • 2014-07-03
  • From wire reports, VILNIUS

Lithuanian Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevicius

Lithuanian Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevicius has backed plans to reduce the number of members of Parliament, reports ELTA.

"The population in Lithuania has declined. I think that the number of politicians should be established based on the experience of other countries," said Butkevicius in an interview on Ziniu Radijas radio.

"There are certain estimations which are quite logical concerning the necessary number of members in Parliament. [These] have regard to the size of the state, of the population. (..) I think the number of MPs could be reduced." 

The prime minister added that the issue had not been discussed by the ruling parties yet.

MPs representing various political groups have proposed reducing the number of MPs to 101. Data from Lithuania Statistics reveals that from 1992-2013, the population in Lithuania decreased by 743,394 citizens.

According to the data, the population in 2013 stood at 2,971,905. At present the Lithuanian Parliament consists of 141 members.