In the Nausėda war and the ruling, Skvernelis sided with Šimonytė: I know perfectly well how he feels now.

“I can support Ingrid Šimonytė because I know very well what the position of the Prime Minister is. I would definitely do the same if it weren’t for I. Šimonytė and such a situation would occur, because I support the institution of the Prime Minister and the Government. <...> I will always support the Government when the presidency exceeds the limits of competence or interferes with the competence of the executive branch ”, said S. Skvernelis in Events of the week of Delfi TV.

“I really know very well how the Prime Minister feels now about having not one, but two crises, and what decisions she must make. So I really think the government needs support. It is difficult for the Government and especially for this Government. I repeat it from day one, yes, it will be very difficult for the Prime Minister because there is a very weak team.

In general, distrust has been generated in the Minister of Health and only those who have not listened can listen to him. I know the minister, he is a virtuous, hard-working man, but he is a completely alien system. The same goes for the Ministry of the Interior. There is another crisis, let’s take a look at the minister: she is really unfortunate, sad to see, because she is probably very scared. <...> “It will be very difficult for the prime minister to carry another crisis on his shoulders,” he said.

According to S. Skvernel, it is obvious that the relationship between the presidency and the government was not easy.

“I see an image similar to the one we had with us. Really complicated. Probably all the presidents were more or less willing to be part of the executive branch and to lead, influence or regulate the government, ”said the former prime minister.

Missing solutions

Like G. Nausėda, S Skvernelis expressed concern about the rate of vaccination. According to him, if the level of vaccination does not increase, it will inevitably be necessary to make decisions so that vaccinated people have different opportunities to participate in public life than if they did not.

“Why close half of Lithuania, which is responsible, vaccinated? Who cares about their own health and the health of others. If someone does not want to be vaccinated, they can quarantine them, close their house and be, but what about it? Why do other people, children, have to suffer as a result? The school year must begin without conditional contact, our children will not be able to endure another season like this, “the opposition leader is convinced.

According to him, the minister and his team must make decisions now.

“When the minister said that we had not found the vaccines when he came, what was he talking about? He found all the vaccines he had bought. All you had to do was be able to run a vaccination information campaign and do those things, eventually listening to the doctors. Now, until we think about what to do, fall will come and there will be another quarantine, ”said S. Skvernelis on the show.

An influx of migrants could be expected

The decision to manage the flow of illegal immigrants from Belarus, according to S. Skvernel, is also being made late.

“It just came to our knowledge then. When did such a relationship between Lithuania and Belarus arise? This is after illegal and unrecognized elections. When Lithuania became a leader in that process, it did not diversify its risks with neighboring countries, the same Latvia , Estonia, Poland, it probably wasn’t news to anyone.

I heard that message when I was still Commissioner General that Belarus is protecting the border just because we need it, because they really don’t need anything there. That threat has been voiced more than once, but we all realized that perhaps more is a kind of blackmail tool, speculation. Now that we have taken those steps, it is natural that we would have expected it, ”said S. Svernelis.

According to him, this situation is unique, so even the fence that is being built will not solve the problem; who and how will help to overcome that fence will appear.

“It just came to our attention then. Basically, it’s even a punishable organized crime. <...> See how the Belarusian side is now translating this problem: “We may want to protect the border, but since you have imposed sanctions, we do not have the funds and we are directing them to the social policy of our country.” Clearly, this is a clear lie. ,

In his opinion, a solid common position from the European Union (EU) should be sought to resolve this situation, and the president could also show his leadership here: “We probably really understand that neither Turkey nor Iraq have any interest from Lithuania state.”

The future of the “peasants” is worrying

On the program, S. Skvernelis also expressed concern about the leadership of the Lithuanian Green and Peasant Party (LVŽS), of which he is a member of the Seimas.

“We will see what the congress will be like and where the party is moving. I really see that there is a danger that some wing will radicalize and we go to the right on some issues. I am really worried,” said S. Skvernelis.

He stated that he did not believe that the LVŽS decision that only a person who was a member of the LVŽS for at least four years in a row could be nominated as a candidate for party president did not apply to him.

“I don’t think it’s for me, but for someone really tailor-made. Maybe virginia [Sinkevičiui]Because he was certainly involved in party activities, he became a vice president of the party, although at the time the party president did not want to be. Virginijus is still likely to return to Lithuania and to politics after his term is over. It may not be suitable for anyone, “commented S. Skvernelis on the” Events of the Week “program.

“I think Ramūnas [Karbauskis] There is no need to be afraid of any competition, from what I can see and talk to him, he is absolutely sure that he will be elected president even in the general elections ”, summarized the former prime minister.