Armonaitė: we receive posters about underground concerts, proposals are provided for the opening of outdoor cafes

How is the quarantine released?

Minister A. Armonaitė stated on the show that all quarantine releases are accepted by a long way of compromise.

“If we, as the Ministry of Economy and Innovation, hear a voice every day that wants to open a safe business, we are actually making suggestions on how to do it in our internal government formats. There are experts who have had a completely opposite view so far, there is the Ministry of Health, which is coordinating other approaches. The Ministry of Economy has been proposing for some time to abolish the 300 square kilometers. meters and allow the operation of larger commercial areas ”, explained Minister A. Armonaitė.

The politician said the ministry’s proposals had not been heard for some time due to the epidemiological situation, which had been unclear for several weeks.

“The situation is stable, it is better to be stable than to get worse. Therefore, we can already make certain decisions regarding release from quarantine, ”said A. Armonaitė on the show.

He explained on the show that he does not agree that expert opinion is sometimes overestimated. According to her, the decisions are made by the Government and it is necessary for it to know all the necessary information.

“It just came to our attention then. It must be said that the government is making decisions and there have been experts who have said that we cannot open the ski slopes. But that decision was made. In general, there is this debate in the management of the quarantine around the world, and what is the responsibility of experts and what is the responsibility of politicians.

I believe that we as decision makers have the responsibility and need to look at both the health number and the mental health number in society and the economic health number. Taking this into account and making decisions, ”said a member of the Cabinet of Ministers about the handling of the quarantine.

He said there are currently very cautious proposals to open up outdoor dining venues.

“These proposals are in line with the very clear commitment of the company with the safety and health of its customers, employees,” said the minister about the latest proposals.

No conflict with the prime minister was noted.

The Head of the Ministry of Economy and Innovation, A. Armonaitė, has publicly opposed the decisions of the Government and Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė. So there was a lot of talk about different information messages coming from the cabinet. But is there still a consensus within the cabinet?

The politician stressed that in Western democracies, multi-party coalitions express their views.

“We in Lithuania must also bear in mind that it is not the case that there is only one opinion. If the previous government acted as a statutory structure, or before that, there was no diversity of opinions. This does not mean that no coalition government German and its constituent parties cannot have divergent positions. “Personally, I usually appreciate the situation that there are all kinds of opinions,” said the politician.

She said that it was normal for the situation that SAM was looking at the health indicator, and she, the Ministry of Economy and Innovation, was listening to business requests.

“It just came to our attention then. And what happened a few weeks ago was a very simple debate in which we could make decisions before, we made them, only later. I would like not to give in to this political culture, which seems to hold us hostage, which must have a single opinion on various issues, “said the head of the Ministry of Economy and Innovation.

A. Armonaitė stated that she herself did not realize the situation of the conflict.

“There was no conflict there, and there was a lot in the public sphere. It was only the Ministry of Economy and Innovation who said the charge, which was maintained consistently. There was no conflict, perhaps the issue then was just the moment, that opinion differed a little, ”said the politician.

The minister said that if the quarantine is not released, he tends to exhale.

“There are indications that some concerts are being held underground, I would not want that, because nobody is in control of that situation. So far, there have been few cases of this type, but we have received a couple of indications about it,” he said. A. Armonaitė.

Estonia closes for an extremely strict quarantine as of Thursday. The ministry head said the government-approved plan to relax quarantine restrictions could work “the other way around.” So for that he was called and observed.

“There is a plan with scenarios A, B, C and D. Everything is provided there. I am glad that the situation allows for a more ambitious quarantine release. (…) That plan can work in both directions. I hope that we can talk about the course of the releases, ”said the minister.

He has no plans to flee the coalition.

A. Armonaitė, president of the ruling Freedom Party, declared that promises made to voters during the election campaign are not going to be withdrawn.

“The Freedom Party is a movement for equality, both in terms of human rights and in general in terms of decisions that are important for the future of Lithuania, be it education or innovation. This movement is vibrant and has a incredible opportunity to contribute to decision-making in Lithuania. We will really seize that opportunity, we will not be afraid of responsibility, “he explained.

The politician stressed that the political force does not promise to back down.

“We are not straying from our ideas anywhere, the voters voted for us. When everyone said we would fail, we voted abundantly for us. And we really do not forget why we are here, “said the minister in the talk” Conversation with Daiva Žeimyte-Biliene “.

However, the question already arises whether all members of the ruling coalition will support, say, the association law. But A. Armonaitė explained that so far he has no preconditions to believe that he will not receive support.

“So far, I have no presumption that we will not receive the support of the ruling coalition.” There is a spring work program and the governing coalition is united, unanimously, I think they will support it. Even more so since the presentation of the project of criminal responsibility for illicit possession of small amounts of narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances for distribution in December, which the ruling majority supported it, ”the politician recalled.

The Christian flank of the Homeland Union, the Lithuanian Christian Democrats (TS-LKD), is already criticizing some of the Freedom Party’s proposals. A. Armonaitė said that he also expected the support of the opposition.

“(Some may not admit, aut. P.) And another great part can admit and that is the most important thing. “We expect support not only from the ruling coalition, but also from the opposition,” he said.

The leader of the Freedom Party has assured that so far the idea of ​​leaving the ruling majority is not being considered, if it does not receive support.

“We started working recently, 100 days have passed in the Seimas, not yet for the Government. Usually you don’t think you just quit your job to quit your job, or you just got married, you don’t think you need a divorce. So far I have no preconditions for that. We have to go and make decisions, and we will ”. Delphi A. Armonaitė said on the program “Conversation with Daiva Žeimyte-Biliene”.