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S. Skvernelis himself made no secret that he would have a different opinion on the shadow Cabinet of Ministers headed by Ramūnas Karbauskis and composed almost exclusively of members of the “peasant” faction.
Noting that he had “politely refused” to participate in the shadow cabinet, S. Skvernelis repeatedly claimed to see his other role: mobilizing the opposition. However, as the former prime minister himself recognized, it will be much more difficult to do so after the formation of the shadow government than before. In other words, at the same time speeches are made about a common leader of the opposition forces, pointing out that the cooperation of the opposition factions has become practically impossible.
It is true that if the opposition groups of the Social Democrats, the workers and the peasants do not achieve a consensus and a common opposition leader, there is another plan that has been discussed many times in public. The LVŽS only lacks two members of the faction so that this political force can delegate a candidate for the position of leader of the opposition of the Seimas only from its ranks.
Both R. Karbauskis and Aušrinė Norkienė, the LVŽS senior, have alluded to the fact that mixed MPs belonging to a group of Seimas members or other factions are being interviewed to join the platoon of 32 “peasants” from the Seimas. However, this plan presents its own challenges.
Rima Baškienė, a longtime LVŽS member, fears that S. Skvernelis, who has been left without a shadow portfolio, may be left without the status of leader of the opposition if he decides to serve as leader of the opposition. in the last way.
The politician points out that the Statute of the Seimas stipulates that the largest of the faction that has the required number of members (more than half of the Seimas members belonging to the Seimas minority) can be declared leader of the opposition. Thus, in such a case, S. Skvernelis could be the leader of the opposition only if the eldest of the LVŽS faction were elected.
According to Valstietė, it is likely that after the LVŽS faction grows and acquires the right to nominate an opposition leader for itself, R. Karbauskis himself will not want to rotate in the leadership of the faction. In other words, the shadow prime minister, says R. Baškienė, may object to the current elder of the LVŽS faction, A. Norkienė, being replaced by the former prime minister.
“It may be the wish of Ramūnas Karbauskis that the faction continue to be led by Aušrinė Norkienė,” R. Baškienė told Eltai.
According to her, although the current elder of the faction is coping well with the current position, the position of the leader of the opposition requires much broader competencies and skills.
“They are both very good people, but we have to assess each person’s ability to be in a specific position. The leader of the opposition must be the person who reacts, rises to the rostrum, speaks, participates. Saulius Skvernelis is more appropriate here. I would judge everything precisely in terms of compliance with that level. Aušrinė Norkienė is an excellent administrator and, as an elder, joins the faction. But maybe she is not as sharp … today we value skills, “said R. Baškienė.
The fact that S. Skvernelis, who topped the list of “peasants” in the last two elections to the Seimas, did not become a member of the party, R. Baškien is convinced, should not be a big problem in appointing the former prime minister. . as the eldest of the LVŽS faction.
“Sometimes we raise partisanship and other times we say it does not matter. When the government was formed in 2016, somehow partisanship was not valued as a great merit, it was considered competition. There are many non-partisans in our group, but we are working together. Therefore, I would not attach much importance to partisanship, “said R. Baškienė.
There is another way: a faction made up of a mixed group of Seimas members
According to political opinion, another path should not be ruled out, which, on the one hand, would allow S. Skvernelis to become the leader of the opposition, and A. Norkienė – to maintain the positions of the elder of the “peasants” faction. This is the formation of another faction in the Seimas. According to R. Baškienė, if politicians belonging to a mixed group of members of the Seimas formed a new faction, perhaps, the politician was considering, she would agree to join the “peasants” and announce a common opposition leader. According to the Statute of the Seimas, explained R. Baškienė, in which case the leader of the opposition should not necessarily be the eldest of any faction.
So the faction merger gives the opportunity to elect the opposition leader and have Aušrinė Norkienė as the eldest of the group in the “peasant faction and the leader of the opposition (S. Skvernelis – ELTA). All kinds are possible. of options, so I think spring will be interesting, ”said R. Baškienė.
It is true that the politician recognized that joining another faction of a mixed group of parliamentarians is no less challenging than uniting opposition parties that currently see their place in the political space differently.
No matter how the subsequent course of events unfolds, R. Baškienė emphasized, the leaders of the “peasants” must understand that the situation requires decisions that are broader than the interests of a single party.
“It just came to our attention then. First of all, we are in opposition. And because we are in opposition, we must also realize that we are in a completely different situation than we were in the ruling majority. Now our chances are. different “, emphasized R. Baškienė.
“Now is the beginning of the Seimas mandate and we must appreciate that there is an extraordinary situation in the world. Lithuania is also going through an extraordinary situation. Therefore, we should fight less in such a situation,” said the old Seimas, who did not hide which supported S. Skvernelis’s thoughts that the shadow government should be formed from broader opposition forces.
Last week, the “peasants” appointed party leader R. Karbauskis as head of the shadow Cabinet of Ministers.
In explaining why he did not become head of the informal government, S. Skvernelis admitted that he viewed opposition work a little differently. According to him, it was possible to try to build a government in the shadow of all opposition parties.
“I think it was necessary to try to form a coalition government of opposition factions. If we talk about real steps and real actions, we are probably well aware that it will probably not be the case in Lithuania that a political party forms the government,” reasoned the former prime minister.
At the same time, he noted that the consolidation of opposition parties will become even more difficult when the “peasants” form a shadow government.
“It just came to our notice then. This step will probably make it even more difficult to do. Let’s not forget one essential thing: that both the LSDP, the Labor Party and the ‘peasants’ are also competitors for the same voter,” said S Skvernelis.
R. Karbauskis: R. Baškienė represents herself in those languages
Meanwhile, Ramūnas Karbauskis, president of LVŽS, claims that the “peasants” have not yet considered such a scenario, when it might be necessary to decide who, A. Norkienė or S. Skvernelis, should have the status of leader of the opposition. On the other hand, said the politician announced as the shadow prime minister, the eldest of the LVŽS faction must necessarily belong to the party. Not only that, he emphasized, A. Norkienė is undoubtedly best suited to lead the “peasants” of the Seimas at this time.
“We have not discussed this issue and of course it would be a complication. The elder of the faction must also be a party representative. Norkienė is the vice president of the party. She is definitely the best candidate of the faction,” R. Karbauskis told Eltai.
“In general, I cannot comment on what Rima says. But she speaks for herself, she represents herself, because there have never been such discussions in our group. We have never discussed such options. Our goal is to strengthen the opposition, not just have a second person on the board. It is not an end in itself to go to the junta and hold office, ”said R. Karbauskis, noting that the“ peasants ”who formed the shadow government are still determined to seek an agreement between the factions on the leader of the opposition. .
According to him, although the agreement between the opposition parties is unthinkable, it is possible to find common denominators between the factions. According to R. Karbauskis, if the Social Democrats elect a new president and the “workers” decide on their actions in parliament in general, this issue could be closed.
“I am anxious about the changes in the socialist faction and party. And the ‘workers’ have to decide what to do. Until now they have opted for the tactic of ‘hitting’ everyone around them and especially us ‘peasants’ “They are the most brutal critics, not conservatives, but peasants,” said the politician.
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