European commissioner issue has become a 'joke' – Lithuanian parlt speaker

VILNIUS – The issued of Lithuania's candidate for a European commissioner has become a "bit of a joke", Speaker of the Seimas Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen says.

"One can come up with all sorts of proposals, but to be honest, this issue has become a bit of a joke," she said on Tuesday after the Freedom Party suggested that Lithuanian should look for a candidate not only among politicians, but also among female leaders.

"We have a lot of intelligent women in Lithuania, very talented experts in their fields, and we an do it this way, but so far, as far as I can remember, the Freedom Party has only linked the name of the commissioner to issues of importance to them," Cmilyte-Nielsen said.

Representatives of the Freedom Party have previously said a vote on Lithuania's EC candidate could take place alongside the adoption of the civil union bill. However, the latter eventually was not added to the agenda of the parliament's last spring session.

Cmilyte-Nielsen still believes that Lithuania is late in nominating its candidate for the European Commission.

"It is, first of all, the HU-LCD's prerogative (to put forward a candidate - BNS) and there are certain limits to the extent to which we, as smaller coalition partners, can raise this issue. We are waiting to see who they will propose and then we will discuss it at the coalition council," she said.

Earlier in the day, the Freedom Party called a coalition council meeting to decide on Lithuania's candidate for a European commissioner.

Media outlets and the HU-LCD have singled out Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis as Lithuania's main candidate for a European commissioner, and he has been linked to the enlargement portfolio.

President Gitanas Nauseda has said that Lithuania should focus on the economic portfolio rather than the foreign policy portfolio. His chief adviser Frederikas Jansonas has hinted that the prime minister and Finance Minister Gintare Skaiste could be in the running for the European Commission.

Government Chancellor Giedre Balcytyte has also been mentioned by the media as one of the potential candidates.

President von der Leyen asked member states in late July to nominate two candidates for EU commissioners, one male and one female, which, according to Simonyte, would be discussed.

After the summer recess, hearings of the candidates are scheduled in Brussels in the relevant committees of the European Parliament.

The EP plenary will then vote on the approval of the full European Commission.