Lithuania's interior minister nominee backs EU migrant contributions over relocations

VILNIUS - Lithuania's interior minister nominee Martynas Katelynas said on Tuesday he supported paying financial contributions for all migrants under the European Union's solidarity mechanism instead of accepting a share of them.

"Personally, I hold the position that it is better to pay and not irritate the public, as public sensitivity is a very important issue in this geopolitical period. I would be in favour of paying for everyone," Katelynas told the Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats parliamentary group.

However, he stopped short of promising that such a decision would be finalised next year.

"I do not want to make promises; I am stating my position. We will see the result in how we manage to implement it," the politician said.

Under the European Union solidarity mechanism, Lithuania decided this year to accept 58 migrants from Cyprus and pay 1.4 million euros for the remaining quota of migrants it will not host.

Katelynas also proposed that the Interior Ministry publish monthly migration statistics, including arrivals, deportations and general migration trends. He said greater transparency would help the public better assess legal migration while strengthening efforts to combat illegal migration.

The nominee said he was not a supporter of open migration but stressed that high-value migration should not be viewed negatively due to a lack of information.