VILNIUS - After meeting with representatives of the right-wing Conservatives and left-wing Social Democrats today, President Valdas Adamkus announced that he would decide on the candidate for prime minister early June 15
"I still have questions that need to be answered, and you will hear my decision at the Seimas at 10 a.m. tomorrow," Adamkus told journalists, adding that he would make a principled decision. In the president's words, a strong character is the main attribute he's looking for.
Adamkus earlier told the Verslo Zinios business daily that the task of forming the coalition would be delegated to that bloc which receives more votes in Parliament.
"Whether I like it or not, I have to be realistic and propose a candidate who would manage to get support of parliamentary majority. The arithmetic is simple, and every person in Lithuania will see it. The bloc that has most mandates in the parliament will get the powers to form the government. My hands are tied by the provisions of the Constitution," said the president.
Meanwhile, leaders of the Social Democratic Party have refused to comment on their further steps.
"We had a conversation with the president and discussed the situation. This is it. The decision will have to be made by the president, as far as we understand," the party's leader, former Prime Minister Algirdas Brazauskas, told journalists.
Acting Defense Minister Gediminas Kirkilas and the head of the party's parliamentary group, Juozas Olekas, were also present at the meeting.
The Breakthrough coalition, comprised of the Conservatives, the Liberals and the Social Liberals, have a total of 47 votes in Lithuania's 141-seat parliament. Leaders of the three parties signed a document today, stating their readiness to form a ruling coalition and proposing Kubilius for prime minister.
Analogous determination has also been declared by the Social Democrats, who claim to control 53 seats together with their partners. Acting Prime Minister Zigmantas Balcytis is their candidate for heading the government.
After today's meeting with the president, Brazauskas could not forecast how many votes the Social Democrats' bloc would have in the parliament.
He also refused to answer whether the Social Democrats received a proposal to form the ruling majority. "No comments," said Brazauskas. After the president-initiated coalition talks between the left-wing Social Democrats and right-wing Conservatives failed on June 13, both parties accused each other of ruining the negotiations.
The president signed a decree resigning the 13th government on June 1. Under Lithuanian law, the president has 15 days after a government step-down to propose a candidate for prime minister.
