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G.Nausėda says that based on the transformation of the Highway Directorate into a state company, since this will create the conditions for its efficiency and implementation of an advanced system of tolls for electric highways.
However, the head of state vetoed the law, arguing that the majority of employees on the board of a state-owned company contradicted good government practices, current Lithuanian laws, and recommendations of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development ( OECD).
“The road infrastructure sector needs a strong owner and a well-organized administration,” said Jaroslav Neverovičius, Seimas presidential adviser, stressing, however, that the activities of the Highway Administration must “be carried out in accordance with transparency standards. , professionalism and efficiency “.
“The professionalism and political impartiality of the agencies of state companies is recognized as one of the important preconditions for the transparent and efficient operation of state companies,” he added.
Governors hope to reject the president’s veto, arguing that most employees of state-owned companies are needed to better reflect the country’s interests in corporate governance.
The chairman of the Seimas Budget and Finance Committee, Valius Ąžuolas, asked not to intimidate the OECD’s recommendations, as they are not binding instructions.
“It is up to each state to decide how it wants to run its business. … It would be a mistake to intimidate us here at the OECD and there is no need to manipulate the OECD on this issue,” said V.Ąžuolas.
Opposition officials say they will support the presidential veto. According to them, boards composed of state representatives would not only contradict Lithuania’s obligations to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), but would also not satisfy state institutions, as there are no employees willing to work on the boards .
Liberal Eugenijus Gentvilas called the vetoed law illegal. According to him, this law deviated both from Lithuania’s own standards for the management of state-owned companies and from OECD good practices.
“I said in May that there will be a check on progress this year. We, as the Seimas, are backing down with such a bill,” said the MP.
100 of the 101 parliamentarians who participated in the vote voted for the vetoed law to be re-presented to Seimas.
Responding to the fact that Seimas decided to form the Highway Administration Board of most of the state representatives, it hastened to change the formation of other boards of state and municipal companies; at the end of May, the Seimas adopted the pertinent amendments to the Law of State and Municipal Companies.
The State and Municipal Business Law now stipulates that not only public officials but also independent members must be appointed to the boards, they must be made up of at least half of the members and at least a fifth of the employee representatives .
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