"We are changing coalition partners because we took into account the situation, evaluated the behavior, rhetoric, and positions of the former coalition partners. We started by first inviting the current coalition partners, trying to find out what the situation is, whether work is possible in the future. It seems that this work is impossible," said Mindaugas Sinkevičius, interim chairman of the LSDP, after the council meeting.

"47 departments (out of 60 – ELTA) spoke out that the coalition should be changed to a composition that was also approved by our party council," he emphasized.

However, the politician himself said at the council meeting that he supported the proposal to invite the"Austrias","Peasants", and Democrats to the coalition.

"I voted for the option that did not receive support - for that broad coalition," M. Sinkevičius assured.

True, the interim leader of the Social Democrats cannot yet answer whether representatives of the Lithuanian Polish Electoral Action-Christian Families Union (LLRA-KŠS), who currently work in the Seimas faction together with the"peasants", would also join the coalition.

"We made a decision to invite the LVŽS party and its representatives, with whom we had met. They discussed the issue in their party bodies. Whether they will bring anything additional - we do not know, but we are starting with the LVŽS," said M. Sinkevičius.

At that time, when asked whether the"peasants" would be more eloquent coalition partners than the democrats "For the Sake of Lithuania" who had issued ultimatums, the LSDP leader assured that only life would show that.

"It's probably difficult to speculate about the future. I'm neither Vanga nor Nostradamus. Life will show whether the work is possible, how it will go, whether it will be more stable or just more chaotic," he said, noting that stability is expected.

Expects to sign coalition agreement next week

Following the decision of the LSDP council, the party's negotiating group will meet with representatives of political forces invited to the ruling coalition. A meeting with the"aušriečiai" is planned for Monday.

According to M. Sinkevičius, it is hoped that the coalition agreement will be agreed by Thursday of next week.

"We would like and are setting ourselves the ambition to reach an agreement on a coalition agreement this week. We are planning a meeting with Nemunas Aušra tomorrow at noon," said the mayor of Jonava.

Will strive for the position of Speaker of the Seimas to go to the Social Democrats

In the coalition that has been in place so far, the position of Speaker of the Seimas was delegated to the Democratic Union"For the Name of Lithuania" - this position was held by Saulius Skvernelis.

When asked which party in the future coalition should represent this position, M. Sinkevičius said that a Social Democrat should hold the position of parliamentary leader.

"We will strive for it to go to the Social Democrats," said the interim chairman of the Social Democrats.

Unofficially, Juozas Olekas, currently the First Deputy Speaker of the Seimas, is expected to be appointed to this position. When asked about this, M. Sinkevičius indicated that his party colleague is an"excellent candidate for this position," but there has been no concrete decision yet.

He believes that he"didn't burn any bridges" with S. Skvernelis

Although the Democrats"For the Sake of Lithuania", currently working in the coalition, did not receive an invitation from the LSDP to continue working in the ruling majority, M. Sinkevičius says that"no bridges have been burned" with the latter's leader, Saulius Skvernelis, and businesslike communication is expected in the future.

"We didn't burn any bridges. I don't feel offended or unheard in any way. We just worked together, he was the head of my government, I was a member of his team. No bridges were burned, it's just that in life sometimes you have to make choices. And the community has had its say on which path we are taking," the LSDP leader asserted.

Supports the President's position on ministers from the"Nemunas Aušra" party

The interim leader of the LSDP, M. Sinkevčius, assured that despite R. Žemaitaitis' expressed desire to replace the ministers delegated by"Nemunas Aušra" with party members, the position expressed by President Gitanas Nausėda that representatives of this party should not hold ministerial positions will be adhered to.

"We hear the president and we are on the president's side. Mr. Žemaitaitis seemed to explain that he had some kind of decision. What that decision is, I don't know (...). The president's assessment and position are not just a wish. I think this is sufficiently clear rhetoric with a clear expectation," said M. Sinkevičius after the council meeting.

According to the LSDP leader, it is not yet clear who will share the ministerial portfolios and how, but, as M. Sinkevičius notes, the number of ministries received should be proportional to the share of mandates held by the party in the Seimas.

"The Minister of Social Security and Labor will definitely need to be replaced, there is probably no clarity about other ministries at this time. There may also be some negotiating element, because if we (...) agree on a coalition (...), it may be that some ministries will switch to the Social Democrats' position, perhaps there will simply be changes in who is responsible for what area," the Social Democrat explained.

"We have not heard anything about the increased appetite and we hope that that appetite will be adequate to the number of mandates of Seimas members. That mathematics must exist (…). We do not have such plans yet," he said, when asked whether there are any plans to allocate more ministries to"Nemunas Aušra".

Last week, it was announced that the energy minister, Žygimantas Vaičiūnas, delegated by the Democrats, could remain in office even if the party led by S. Skvernelis was no longer in power. The president also made it clear that he supports such an idea. He said that he appreciates Žygimantas Vaičiūnas' professionalism and authority in the energy sector.

However, M. Sinkevičius says he finds it difficult to imagine a scenario in which democratic ministers could continue working in the government.

"I have a hard time imagining it. I can't imagine exactly how this could be organized (...). Parties that have gained the trust of voters form a coalition majority and share responsibilities, implementing a common coalition program. This means having individuals in the government cabinet who are not from the coalition majority (...) - the political system doesn't work that way," said the chairman of the Social Democrats.

There are no negative signals from the Presidency regarding the composition of the coalition.

Last November, when the Social Democrats decided to invite R. Žemaitaitis'"aušriečiai" to the coalition, President Gitanas Nausėda called the latter decision a mistake.

When asked whether he had information on how the head of state would assess the newly formed coalition with Nemunas Dawn and LVŽS, M. Sinkevičius said that he had no indications.

"I have no negative indications and no indications at all. I think that the Presidency, through advisors, or the president himself, will find an opportunity to comment and join the process when he sees the need and time for it. Our nominated prime minister has not heard any indications either," said M. Sinkevičius.

"We are not engaging in such balancing acts and are not engaging in something that is impossible to implement and something that we will encounter categorical resistance to," he said.

Will propose to leave a provision on legal immunity in the coalition agreement

As you know, the Social Democrats, the"Austrias" and the Democrats, who formed a coalition last year, included a provision in the coalition agreement that members of the ruling majority, for whom law enforcement institutions apply to the Seimas with a request to hold them criminally liable, agree to resolve the issue of the removal of legal immunity in a simplified procedure. True, such a norm was not always in force - for example, in the case of Arūnas Dudėnas, a member of the Social Democrats faction.

When asked whether he would propose including such a provision in the new coalition agreement, M. Sinkevičius confirmed it.

"I will be in favor of leaving (this provision - ELTA)," the politician asserted.

As previously announced, the Social Democrats' negotiating group met this week with representatives of Nemunas Aušra, the Democrats Vardan Lietuvos, and the Peasants.

However, a letter distributed to party members by the LSDP coalition negotiating group on Saturday states that the Social Democrats no longer see the possibility of continuing to work within the current ruling majority - together with the"Austrias" and the Democrats.

Previously, the political force chaired by Saulius Skvernelis announced that it would no longer be able to work with R. Žemaitaitis's"Nemunas aušra", and the Social Democrats emphasized that such ultimatum statements are becoming unacceptable to them.

At that time, the"Austrians" themselves announced their readiness to continue working in the coalition, but, in their opinion, there could be no place for"divisive forces".

In turn, the"peasants" announced that they would form a negotiating group if the Social Democrats invited them to the coalition.

ELTA reminds us that after former Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas announced his resignation at the end of July, the LSDP had to not only look for a new prime minister, but also re-form the ruling majority.

The LSDP has nominated Inga Ruginienė, who has been the head of the Ministry of Social Security and Labour (SADM), as its new candidate for prime minister. On Thursday, President G. Nausėda signed a decree nominating the politician for the post of head of government.