Too much exaggeration in Lithuania about who will become prime minister – Blinkeviciute

VILNIUS – There has been too much exaggeration in Lithuania about who will become the prime minister after the October parliamentary elections, Vilija Blinkeviciute, the leader of the opposition Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (LSDP), has said adding, however, that incumbent MP Gintautas Paluckas would be able to take up this position.

“It seems that we are exaggerating too much the position of the prime minister,” Blinkeviciute told the Ziniu Radijas news radio on Friday.

According to her, the party did not consider any candidates for prime minister until after the parliamentary elections, but “there are always considerations, reflections to think about”.

“And if we are talking about whether Paluckas is ready and truly capable of serving as prime minister, I have no doubt about it,” the leader of the LSDP said.

Earlier this week, President Gitanas Nauseda, who was supported by the Social Democrats in May in his bid for re-election, also said that Paluckas could take on the responsibility of leading the government.

Blinkeviciute stated that she was grateful to the president for such an assessment and pointed out that if the LSDP won the Seimas elections, it would have more than one candidate for prime minister.

Nauseda had stated previously that he could see Blinkeviciute as prime minister. Now the president says that it is Blinkeviciute's decision.

The politician herself reiterates that after the elections she would take responsibility for forming a governing majority, and that the right people would be chosen to fill the executive posts.

Earlier this month Blinkeviciute was elected to the European Parliament where she has served since 2009. The Social Democrat leader does not disclose whether she will give up her seat in the EP if she is elected to the Seimas.

According to public polls, the LSDP is the most popular party in the country.

Lithuania will elect its new Seimas on October 13.