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After the president and the Conservatives agreed on who should play Lithuania’s first violin at European Council (EVS) meetings, G. Landsbergis made it clear that current practice may change.
Furthermore, the conservative leading ruler of the portal lrytas.lt He hoped that Vilnius would not repeat the Warsaw scenario after the changes: “I am very hopeful that we will not get to the real conflict, as happened in Poland, when both heads of state went to EVS.”
There were not enough chairs for everyone.
More than a decade ago, Poland was represented at the EU summit by then-Prime Minister Donald Tusk and President Lech Kaczynski.
The latter did not listen to the requests of the former Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski not to go to Brussels and found himself in a very difficult situation: the country’s delegation ran out of space at the summit. D. Tuskas, R. Sikorski and Finance Minister Jacek Rostowski were already seated next to him and, according to the strict rules of the EU summit, no more than three representatives of a state could enter the room. of meetings.
Kaczynski was unable to sit at the negotiating table of the heads of state at that time, because the two chairs reserved for his Polish representatives were already occupied and the president remained behind the door.
Sent a clear signal
According to Lietuvos Rytas sources, it is already being discussed among the rulers that the Prime Minister should participate in the EVS meeting that will take place in about a month, where issues related to climate change will be discussed.
It is true, G. Landsbergis assured that he had not yet received information on the following possible recommendations from the Seimas European Affairs Commission (ECC): “Perhaps you are better informed than me? But let’s wait and see what the future agenda of EVS will be like. “
The ERC has previously decided that Lithuania’s position should be presented by the president at the remote EVS meeting last week.
But the head of the committee, the conservative Radvilė Morkūnaitė-Mikulėnienė, announced that from now on the Seimas will evaluate the Lithuanian delegation taking into account the agenda of each EVS.
G. Nausėda categorically reiterated that the Seimas can form the position of the country, but that it does not have the right to determine the composition of the delegation.
The head of state told the BNS agency that no institution, ministry or group of members of the Seimas can restrict the ability of the president to fulfill his constitutional duty.
Certificate – only one
Can the visible disagreements between the Presidency and the rulers on the EVS turn into a serious political crisis? How can this dispute end?
When asked about this, G. Landsbergis stated that he did not see the conflict: “I see the desire of the members of the Seimas to find out how the representation of our leaders on the Council has worked so far.
It turned out that for a long time the delegations in Lithuania were simply governed by customary law.
In other words, the agreement between politicians was the only legal instrument on which our representation was based. As I monitor the situation in public, the Seimas European Affairs Commission is apparently trying to define the above agreements more clearly. “
Lbergberg was pleased that this could be a “great basis” for the country’s leaders to agree on how the country will be represented and what positions will be presented.
The ERC has the opportunity to recommend to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to form one or another delegation. The government can reconsider or change the decision. But, one way or another, the ministry is accountable to the Seimas, ”said the minister.
In addition, the politician recalled that for Lithuania, as for Poland, only a so-called certificate is issued, with which you can enter the European Council.
Don’t think the worst will happen
But what will happen if the invitation printed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is then delivered to I. Šimonyte, not to G. Nausėda?
Would the president, who had not been invited, stay in Vilnius or still go to Brussels, after which he could only walk as a tourist?
“God forbid, I do not expect such a scenario. I believe that wise and state-minded leaders will definitely find a responsible way out and the ministry will not find itself in the crossfire when difficult or very difficult decisions have to be made,” the foreign minister said.
The conservative leader, along with colleagues, said he was willing to seek a diplomatic solution to the situation, and also rejected the president’s accusations that the actions of the initiators of the change of order so far could be unconstitutional.
G. Landsbergis argued that then-President Valdas Adamkus was not accused of violating the Constitution when he gave up his post to go to Brussels to Andrius Kubilis or other former prime ministers.
“If there were times when the prime minister drove within his responsibilities and then this was not treated as a violation of the Constitution, why should it be any different now? Especially since the change in tradition, neither the Constitution nor any other law in this area has been modified.
The problem is different: I wonder how it happened that neither the two terms of Dalia Grybauskaitė nor the new president or his team had any idea to review the laws that would clearly regulate and enshrine what happened under customary law. This situation had to be remedied ”, commented G. Landsbergis in the program“ Not for the press ”.
