Arunas Valinskas elected new Lithuanian speaker

VILNIUS - Chairman of the National Resurrection PartyArunas Valinskas was elected after a second vote on Nov 17 to become the new Lithuanian parliamentary speaker.

A total of 79 MPs voted infavor of the National Resurrection Party chairman's candidacy with 58 votes againstit and one spoiled ballot.

Member of the NationalResurrection Party Dainius Budrys carefully observed his party colleagues andcoalition parties during the second vote.

Chairmen of the partiesforming the ruling coalition decided following the failed vote to start gatheringsignatures again and propose Valinskas' candidacy to the parliamentaryspeaker's post.

The Seimas speaker iselected with a simple majority vote, the Seimas statute stipulates.

Some 138 MPs were sworninto the new Seimas on Nov 17. Three elected candidates, who have resignedtheir mandates, will be replaced by party colleagues next on the party list.

Valinskas was nominated forthe parliamentary speaker's candidacy by the four-party center-right rulingcoalition consisting of the Homeland Union - Lithuanian Christian Democrats, the National Resurrection Party,the Liberal Movement and the Liberal and Center Union.