PM nominates Kasciunas for defense minister

VILNIUS – Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte has officially nominated Laurynas Kasciunas, chairman of the parliamentary Committee on National Security and Defense, to President Gitanas Nauseda for the position of defense minister, the government said on Tuesday.

"Kasciunas is being nominated in view of his experience and active work as the chairman of the Committee on National Security and Defense, which is of particular significance for the implementation of the priorities of strengthening national defense in the short term," the statement said.

Incumbent Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas announced his resignation last week at the prime minister's request.

Simonyte said she had suggested that Anusauskas should step down because he had been too inactive on key recent national defense issues such as the conscription reform, the search for additional defense funding sources, and the expansion of the active military reserve.

President Gitanas Nauseda plans to meet with Kasciunas on Wednesday. The president has said that when deciding on a new minister, it will be important for him to ensure the smooth continuity of work at the Ministry of National Defense.

Kasciunas has already voiced his readiness to take up the new post, adding that his main task in this position would be to implement the principle of universal defense.

Ministers are appointed and dismissed by the president on the nomination of the prime minister.