The Skvernel faction is not only a threat to the “peasants”: change also awaits other political actors

According to Delfi sources, Lukas Savickas, who had left the Lithuanian Greens and Peasants Party (LŽVS) a little earlier, may join the faction of former Prime Minister S. Skvernelis.

On this occasion, the president of this party, Ramūnas Karbauskis, commented that he had been looking for an opportunity to leave for a long time and, above all, he was encouraged to do so by the different opinions on the Association Law.

Due to similar disagreements with the LSMS, both Rūta Miliūtė and Tomas Tomilinas parted ways. Delfi’s sources indicate that they should also join the Skvernel faction.

Linas Kukuraitis and Algirdas Stončaitis should also move from LSMS to the new faction. At least two other names of members of the LSMS faction are also mentioned.

The ranks of the Mixed Group of Seimas Members can also be completely emptied. It is said that at present, three of its members should also move to the Skvernel group. Vytautas Bakas, the former head of the Seimas Defense and National Security Committee, who had previously split from the LSMS party, should join.

Domas Griškevičius, who currently works in the mixed group of members of the Seimas, should also announce the same, the former Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevičius.

Domas Griškevičius, a sole member of the Seimas elected for the first term in Šiauliai, who works in a mixed group of Seimas members, did not speak and said that everything would be clear on Tuesday.

“Look, tomorrow everything will be made public, it will be explained – what and how. (…) I’m certainly not going to comment on that topic today. (…) This is how the talks are conducted, but tomorrow, as you know, there will be a press conference, and we will respond to all of that at that time, ”said Mr Griškevičius.

Algirdas Butkevičius was also speechless.

“I don’t know anything yet, there are still no connections. There may be some conversation tomorrow, I can’t really answer this question today, maybe he still won’t accept me,” joked A. Butkevičius.

The group presentation will be on Tuesday

Vytautas Bakas, one of the first “peasants” to leave the Seimas and still work in the Mixed Group, was still speechless.

“Tomorrow there will be a presentation from this group and I will talk about the political future and how I see that political role,” Bakas said.

The Seimas member, after the withdrawal of the “green peasants”, has so far not associated with any existing political force.

“It just came to our attention then. I am elected by a single member directly to the people, without any party support. As political life unfolds, I feel comfortable enough in the sense that there are people behind me who have voted by me.

Being in one or the other faction in the Seimas is more associated with the opportunity to represent one’s constituents. (…) In this case – Alytus, so the regional agenda is very important to me, ”said V. Bakas.

One year left to decide

So far, the politician has not spoken of other perspectives: whether the assemblers will join an existing political force or create their own.

“Sometimes I also feel that after such an intense year (…) sometimes we speak as if there were elections a year later, but there are three more years of this mandate. It seems to me that the first task that is important to achieve is to respond to the expectations that people have placed when voting for politics.

For three years now, talking about new derivatives would be a waste of energy. I want the problems of the regions to be heard, ”said V. Bakas.

In his opinion, the future political future could be considered “perhaps at least one more year”.

“Then you can sit down and talk to both the sponsors and the team,” said V. Bakas.

2019 is called the year of the turning point

He himself reminded him that he had left the ranks of the “green peasant” in 2019. That year was called a turning point by politicians.

“During the first two years (2016-2018), the Peasant Party managed to implement changes, for example in the field of defense and security, and decisions were made that were probably the most pronounced since Lithuania’s accession to NATO and the EU. The State has decided to finance defense, public security, (…) support has begun for the first “think tanks.” This was the type of work that should be carried out in a modern state normal.

After that, in 2019, there was a big turn in the “peasant” party. Then a pragmatic decision was made to form a coalition with the parties on trial, with the politicians involved. In my opinion, Ramūnas Karbauskis, other leaders of the “peasants”, betrayed their voter in this place, “said V. Bakas.

The politician did not respond to the question of whether the future faction will run in opposition or seek to join the ruler.

“I cannot comment on the group because it does not exist yet. I am simply not the person who could comment on the issues of the non-existent faction,” said V. Bakas.

As commentators have repeatedly underlined, the S. Skvernelis faction project is also important to Virginijus Sinkevičius, who is currently serving as European Commissioner, for whom it could be a convenient start to pursue his political career in Lithuania.

There is also speculation with which political forces the future faction will be able to negotiate, including the LSDP and the Greens.

On Monday evening, it was announced that a press conference by Seimas member Saulius Skvernelis and other Seimas members would be held at the Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania on Tuesday, September 7 at 10 am to discuss the work and plans for the next fall session. of the Seimas.

More Seimas members will report back at the press conference and questions from the media will be answered.