Speaker of the Seimas Irena Degutienė said Čaplikas' resignation was a question of "political responsibility."

VILNIUS — Parliamentary speaker Irena Degutienė expects health minister Algis Čaplikas to resign after one of his vice ministers was suddenly arrested for bribery last week.

Degutiene said that Čaplikas held a “clear position” not shying away from political responsibility and that after consulting with the prime minister that he may quit from the post.

He would be the second minister to resign in a week if he did go following the former Minister of Foreign Affairs Vygaudas Ušackas, who left his post last Thursday.

“No problems, I said from the outset. If there is any question of political responsibility, of course, I would not run from it,” Čaplikas said after questioning on Tuesday at the headquarters of the Special Investigation Service, an anti-corruption task force.

The task force raided the office of Vice Minister Artūras Skikas last Thursday accusing him of accepting a 20,000 litai (€5,790) bribe from a co-worker. Bribery in Lithuania’s health care system is a well-documented practice that occurs at all levels, industry professionals say.

If found guilty, Skikas could face up to five years imprisonment and would be barred from working in the medical field.