Ruginienė on expectations for the new government: Rumors about the privatization of the public sector are worrying

I. Ruginienė spoke about such rumors after meeting with President Gitanas Nausėda at a remote press conference.

“We are receiving messages from the ruling majority to allocate funds to the private sector, such as education, health. That, as public educational institutions, private educational institutions should receive the same support.

Obviously, this would be by deducting funds from the public sector.

We hear that some people in the ruling majority are talking about restructuring public companies. What worries us is that we are ready to work and protect employees who work in the public sector, ”he said.

As you know, Prime Minister candidate Ingrida Šimonytė announced the list of ministerial candidates on Wednesday.

Subsequently, G. Nausėda discussed the short-term and long-term economic and social policy priorities and expectations of the newly formed government with representatives of trade unions and companies.

“The meetings focused on social dialogue, social alliance, reduction of income inequality, economic transformation, efficient and professional work of state institutions, and issues of improving the business environment.

The expectations of both the unions and the business representatives of the new Government, new ministers and ministers were expressed.

Strengthening social dialogue between employees and employers is an important aspect and should be one of the main priorities of the Government in the pursuit of positive objectives in the economic and social field for the next 4 years ”, said Simonas Krėpšta, Senior Advisor to the President, after the conference.

Social dialogue

I. Ruginienė also said that social dialogue was the main theme of the meeting.

“It just came to our knowledge then. We have examples of national collective agreements, industry and company collective agreements that define better working conditions than those contemplated in the Labor Code,” he explained.

The union representative further explained that dialogue means that decisions are made in consultation with the social partners.

Among the expectations of other employees for the new Government, I. Ruginienė paid attention to the public sector.

“We don’t want it to be the same again: start over with ‘cleaning’ and downsizing. We have expressed the expectation that high technologies will be invested and the public sector improved so that free services are available to all residents of our country, ”he said.

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Vidmantas Janulevičius, president of the Confederation of Industrialists, who also attended the meeting, said that he had discussed the revision of the plan called “DNA of the economy of the future” with the president and workers’ representatives.

“We have to understand that this investment with borrowed money must be very sustainable. “What would bring a great return in the next 10 or 20 years so that our children can pay, that the interest, which will not be zero after 30 years, is higher, so that the money that is earned works and earns us all fine, “he said.

V. Janulevičius also said that fiscal policy should be balanced, not worse than in neighboring countries.

“We compete with Latvia, Estonia and other countries. Today, we are lagging behind in many ways. We hope that Lithuania can attract capital, create new jobs, start baking that big cake that we can then share,” he said.

It was announced that the leaders of the Lithuanian Trade Union Confederation, the Lithuanian Trade Union Solidarumas and the Sandrauga Trade Union of Lithuania and the Lithuanian Confederation of Industrialists, the Investor Forum, the Lithuanian Employers’ Confederation, the Lithuanian Business Confederation and the Lithuanian Small Business Association will participate in the meetings with G. Nausėda. and the heads of medium-sized companies, the Association of the Lithuanian Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Crafts and the Infobalt Association.