That's (Lithuanian) Showbiz!

  • 2008-05-19
  • In cooperation with BNS

VILNIUS 's A large group of show-business starsestablished a party under the title of National Resurrection Party Sunday, withTV show producer and presenter with a background in law Arunas Valinskas, 41,chosen as the party's chairman.

If the Ministry of Justice approve foundingdocuments of the party, the National Resurrection Party will become the 38thparty to be entered into the country's legal persons register.

However, doubts over the party's legitimacysounded shortly after due to the party's failure to adhere to the requirementset for political parties to have at least 1,000 founding members in Lithuania in order to be legally established, as the party'scongress drew only 687 delegates who participated personally or through legalrepresentatives.

Valinskas himself asserted to the pressfollowing the congress that according to the Civil Code, the attendance of noless than half of the founding persons - i.e. 500 plus one member - isnecessary for legitimate decision making.

Nevertheless, Chairman of the CentralElectoral Committee Zenonas Vaigauskas has stated many times that 1,000 membersmust participate or authorize someone to represent them in the foundingcongress.

The Ministry of Justice will have the finalsay in this dispute.

Renowned individuals in Lithuania's show-business, TV stars, singers and actors areamong founders of the party. Not all of them plan to run for parliament, and it'sbeen alleged that some are only participating in order to attract votes.

Valinskas noted that the party will upholdcentrist ideologies and hopes for successful participation in the Seimaselections Oct. 12th, and overcome the five percent barrier, to obtain seats inthe parliament. The National Resurrection Party hopes to claim most votes insingle-mandate districts and plans to propose its candidates in all of the 71districts.

The party's program notes that it doesn'tseek to change the geopolitical orientation, constitutional order or the basicprinciples of the political system of Lithuania.

"We will try to embody the attitude thatcommitments made to Euro-Atlantic, international partners, would be seen and implementedin Lithuania not as a burden, but an honorable duty (...). We willseek to have Lithuania become a leader among the Baltic States", the party's program reads.