Government 1, President 3

  • 2007-07-13
  • By TBT staff and wire reports
VILNIUS - At a press conference to mark three years since President Valdas Adamkus became president for the second time, the veteran politician gave a generally positive verdict on the first year of Gedminas Kirkilas' minority government.

"I applaud the first year of activities of the new government, although sometimes more resolute steps would be welcome, especially when it comes to reforms," said President Adamkus, July 12.

"Speaking about the relationship between us [the President's Office and the government] I should say that the cooperation is very clear and true," Adamkus told the press conference, adding that he hoped that the current government "will continue to work until the end of its term, and that the common work will be an example for the other governments that sometimes even a minority government, possessed of different views towards certain things, can serve people."

"I would really hate it if people started thinking that the government and the President's Office are some sort of rivals," he continued.

"I can assure you that the President's Office will not try to take its targets or work away from the government. We all have very clear limits, the government is the institution that has to enforce the laws adopted so that they bring good for the state and for the people." the president told the media.

Adamkus' assesment was confirmed by political analysts, who agreed that the last year has generally followed a positive trend.

"I did not expect that [the government] would manage to implement the targets that it set so easily and relatively smoothly," Vilnius University's Antanas Kulakauskas told BNS.

Kulakauskas said that even though it is controversial, "the matter of the nuclear plant" is also one of the most important decisions.

Deputy Director of the Institute of International Relations and Political Sciences of Vilnius University Algimantas Jankauskas agreed with him.

"I would name the construction project of the nuclear plant as the most important decision. Now, of course, a long stage of its implementation is awaiting, but it definitely is a plus for the government," Jankauskas said.

The minority government has 58 seats in Parliament, but it is supported by the formally oppositional Homeland Union (Conservatives), which has 24 seats. The total number of seats is 141.