Report about error

The labourists, who intend to take over the reign along with other opposition parties, are already planning changes in the country’s government. One of these is a possible abolition of the Ministry of Energy (ME), merging it with the Ministry of Economy (MoE). The ME was established in early 2009 due to the efforts of the government led by the Conservative leader Andrius Kubilius, delfi.lt wrote on 19 October referring to “Lithuanian News”.

The leaders of the Labour Party (LP), which has won the largest share of seats in the Seimas after the first round of parliamentary election, believe that it is useful to consider anew whether the ME is necessary. They say that the institution has not accomlished anything special and thus might be incorporated into the “parent” agency, the Ministry of Economy.

“In my opinion, it is not necessary for such a small country to have two similar ministries. In practice the Ministry of Economy has not too much responsibility, therefore, if we merge the Ministries of Energy and that of Economy, the costs would be much smaller,” the LP‘s Chairman Viktor Uspaskich said.

It is informally reported that the labourists, participating at the negotiations on a new coalition, are fiercely trying to get hold of this institution.

Meanwhile, the representatives of the Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats see the deliberations on the abolition of the EM as an attempt to disrupt the achievement of strategic objectives.

Translated by Rimantas Kleiva