Lithuania's EU commissioner expects new group to change political agenda 'for the better'

  • 2021-09-07
  • BNS/TBT Staff

VILNIUS – European Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevicius said on Tuesday that he expects the creation of a new parliamentary group in Lithuania to change the country's political agenda for the better, adding that he does not associate himself with any political force for now.

"I'm watching the process from the outside, not as a participant, but I think that such a move will certainly change Lithuania's political agenda, and I believe that it will change it for the better," he told BNS. 

Sinkevicius suspended his duties as vice-chairman of the Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union (LFGU) when he took up his current post in the European Commission.  

Sinkevicius would not comment on his political future after his current term ends.  

"I'm not associating myself with anyone for the time being," the commissioner said. 

"My political future will be linked to the European Commission and an intense agenda for at least three years," he said. "We'll see then". 

"You can see how quickly and unexpectedly things change, so I don't really have anything more to say today." 

Ten parliamentarians, including former Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis, former Social Security and Labor Minister Linas Kukuraitis, and Rima Baskiene, former deputy speaker of the Seimas, announced earlier on Tuesday that they were leaving the Farmers and Greens ' political group in the parliament to form a new group. 

Other members of the new group, named "The Democratic Group For Lithuania," will also include Vytautas Bakas, Domas Griskevicius, Ruta Miliute, Laima Mogeniene, Laima Nagiene, Lukas Savickas, Algirdas Stoncaitis, Zenonas Streikus, Tomas Tomilinas and Algirdas Butkevicius.