Culture minister keeping job, for now

VILNIUS — Despite a demand from the top of his own party to quit, Lithuania’s culture minister said he might resign in future but for now is staying put.

Leader of the National Resurrection Party Arūnas Valinskas publicly demanded Thursday that the Minister of Culture Remigijus Vilkaitis resign immediately for unknown reasons. Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius said before meeting with Vilkaitis that he was yet to see [private_supervisor]any valid reasons for the move.

Following the meeting Vilkaitis said that resignation is a matter of time, but said he has “unfinished business” to take care of and needs space and time to complete his work.

Kubilius said that during the meeting he tried to find a point that the two party members could agree on, but it was fruitless.

“So far we do not feel that I have succeeded in the peacemaker role in the efficient implementation of consensus. Yet again, I can say that I can not reproach the minister … one criticism I have is that perhaps he is a relatively new man in politics and has not really kept close relations and abided by the basic rules of the party. A minister must maintain close relations,” Kubilius said.

Valinskas said the party’s view that Vilkaitis should resign remains unchanged.

“I really want to thank Vilkaitis for the job, he worked in a very difficult time,” Valinskas said adding that he is hoping for a quick and positive outcome to the situation. He cited the former health minister Algis Čaplikas who resigned quickly after a scandal unfolded in his ministry.

Vilkaitis said that he needs time to finish the work he has started and that only then a letter of resignation would be forthcoming.

“I’m not really stubborn. It is now important for the state to have sort of tranquility. Sometimes it takes time to take decisions. It should be calm and not make any destructive decisions,” Vilkaitis said after the meeting.

If Vilkaitis resigned, there are no candidates for his replacement, National Resurrection said.

National Resurrection waited until Vilkaitis was out of the country before springing the news upon the government and Seimas. The minister was in Croatia on a week-long working visit.

Valinskas made a veiled threat saying that if the minister stayed in his post, that they would have to consider their cooperation in the coalition. The coalition, which holds all the government posts, is on shaky ground having recently lost their formal majority in the Seimas. [/private_supervisor] [private_subscription 1 month]any valid reasons for the move.

Following the meeting Vilkaitis said that resignation is a matter of time, but said he has “unfinished business” to take care of and needs space and time to complete his work.

Kubilius said that during the meeting he tried to find a point that the two party members could agree on, but it was fruitless.

“So far we do not feel that I have succeeded in the peacemaker role in the efficient implementation of consensus. Yet again, I can say that I can not reproach the minister … one criticism I have is that perhaps he is a relatively new man in politics and has not really kept close relations and abided by the basic rules of the party. A minister must maintain close relations,” Kubilius said.

Valinskas said the party’s view that Vilkaitis should resign remains unchanged.

“I really want to thank Vilkaitis for the job, he worked in a very difficult time,” Valinskas said adding that he is hoping for a quick and positive outcome to the situation. He cited the former health minister Algis Čaplikas who resigned quickly after a scandal unfolded in his ministry.

Vilkaitis said that he needs time to finish the work he has started and that only then a letter of resignation would be forthcoming.

“I’m not really stubborn. It is now important for the state to have sort of tranquility. Sometimes it takes time to take decisions. It should be calm and not make any destructive decisions,” Vilkaitis said after the meeting.

If Vilkaitis resigned, there are no candidates for his replacement, National Resurrection said.

National Resurrection waited until Vilkaitis was out of the country before springing the news upon the government and Seimas. The minister was in Croatia on a week-long working visit.

Valinskas made a veiled threat saying that if the minister stayed in his post, that they would have to consider their cooperation in the coalition. The coalition, which holds all the government posts, is on shaky ground having recently lost their formal majority in the Seimas. [/private_subscription 1 month] [private_subscription 4 months]any valid reasons for the move.

Following the meeting Vilkaitis said that resignation is a matter of time, but said he has “unfinished business” to take care of and needs space and time to complete his work.

Kubilius said that during the meeting he tried to find a point that the two party members could agree on, but it was fruitless.

“So far we do not feel that I have succeeded in the peacemaker role in the efficient implementation of consensus. Yet again, I can say that I can not reproach the minister … one criticism I have is that perhaps he is a relatively new man in politics and has not really kept close relations and abided by the basic rules of the party. A minister must maintain close relations,” Kubilius said.

Valinskas said the party’s view that Vilkaitis should resign remains unchanged.

“I really want to thank Vilkaitis for the job, he worked in a very difficult time,” Valinskas said adding that he is hoping for a quick and positive outcome to the situation. He cited the former health minister Algis Čaplikas who resigned quickly after a scandal unfolded in his ministry.

Vilkaitis said that he needs time to finish the work he has started and that only then a letter of resignation would be forthcoming.

“I’m not really stubborn. It is now important for the state to have sort of tranquility. Sometimes it takes time to take decisions. It should be calm and not make any destructive decisions,” Vilkaitis said after the meeting.

If Vilkaitis resigned, there are no candidates for his replacement, National Resurrection said.

National Resurrection waited until Vilkaitis was out of the country before springing the news upon the government and Seimas. The minister was in Croatia on a week-long working visit.

Valinskas made a veiled threat saying that if the minister stayed in his post, that they would have to consider their cooperation in the coalition. The coalition, which holds all the government posts, is on shaky ground having recently lost their formal majority in the Seimas. [/private_subscription 4 months] [private_subscription 1 year]any valid reasons for the move.

Following the meeting Vilkaitis said that resignation is a matter of time, but said he has “unfinished business” to take care of and needs space and time to complete his work.

Kubilius said that during the meeting he tried to find a point that the two party members could agree on, but it was fruitless.

“So far we do not feel that I have succeeded in the peacemaker role in the efficient implementation of consensus. Yet again, I can say that I can not reproach the minister … one criticism I have is that perhaps he is a relatively new man in politics and has not really kept close relations and abided by the basic rules of the party. A minister must maintain close relations,” Kubilius said.

Valinskas said the party’s view that Vilkaitis should resign remains unchanged.

“I really want to thank Vilkaitis for the job, he worked in a very difficult time,” Valinskas said adding that he is hoping for a quick and positive outcome to the situation. He cited the former health minister Algis Čaplikas who resigned quickly after a scandal unfolded in his ministry.

Vilkaitis said that he needs time to finish the work he has started and that only then a letter of resignation would be forthcoming.

“I’m not really stubborn. It is now important for the state to have sort of tranquility. Sometimes it takes time to take decisions. It should be calm and not make any destructive decisions,” Vilkaitis said after the meeting.

If Vilkaitis resigned, there are no candidates for his replacement, National Resurrection said.

National Resurrection waited until Vilkaitis was out of the country before springing the news upon the government and Seimas. The minister was in Croatia on a week-long working visit.

Valinskas made a veiled threat saying that if the minister stayed in his post, that they would have to consider their cooperation in the coalition. The coalition, which holds all the government posts, is on shaky ground having recently lost their formal majority in the Seimas. [/private_subscription 1 year]

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