Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius (above) said that health minister Algis Čaplikas should not be prejudged before the investigation is completed.

VILNIUS — Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius said Thursday that whether embattled health minister Algis Čaplikas should resign or not depends on what the police investigation uncovers.

On Wednesday Speaker of the Seimas Irena Degutienė said she expects Čaplikas to resign as an act of “political responsibility” for the alleged misconduct of one of his vice ministers, Artūras Skikas. Skikas was arrested last Thursday accusing him of accepting a 20,000 litai (€5,790) bribe from a co-worker. If found guilty, Skikas could face up to five years imprisonment and would be barred from working in the medical field.

If Čaplikas were to resign, it would be the second member of the Kubilius’ cabinet to depart in only one week. Former Minister of Foreign Affairs Vygaudas Ušackas left his position last Thursday after President Dalia Grybauskaitė declared that she no longer had confidence in him.

In an interview with Žinių Radijas Thursday morning, Kubilius dissented with Degutienė, arguing that the investigation of Skikas should run its course before Čaplikas’ culpability in the case is determined.

“Čaplikas repeatedly made clear that he is not shirking political responsibility. Certainly with an ongoing investigation, however, I am without any of the information needed in order to assess the level of responsibility,” Kubilius said.

Reiterating his government’s 2010 priority list, Kubilius added that corruption must be ferreted out regardless of who was committing it, though.

“We are very clear that the fight against corruption is one of our top priorities, and will exclude no one, regardless of any post, it would be if it appears that one or another politician or person is entangled in some web of corruption,” Kubilius said.