Lithuania's CEC to announce presidential candidates

VILNIUS – Lithuania's Central Electoral Commission is due on Friday to announce the official list of presidential candidates.

Social democrat EU commissioner Vytenis Povilas Andriukaitis, philosopher Arvydas Juozaitis, MEP Valentinas Mazuronis, economist Gitanas Nauseda, MPs Mindaugas Puidokas ir Naglis Puteikis, Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis, representing the ruling Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union, MP Ingrida Simonyte, representing the opposition conservative Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats, and MEP Valdemar Tomasevski, leader of the Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania – Christian Families Alliance, are registered as presidential candidates.

Officially announced candidates gain legal immunity.

Earlier, the CEC also refused to register MEP Petras Austrevicius, and Also Alfonsas Bute, Petras Grazulis and Kazimieras Juraitis as presidential candidates after they failed to collected the necessary minimum of 20,000 voter signatures.

The first round of voting in the presidential election will take place on May 12.