2012 11 16

Ex-President of Lithuania Valdas Adamkus hopeful about new parliament

Former Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus says he is hopeful about the country's new Seimas, which starts its term on Friday, and expects the new government to return public trust in the state.
Valdas Adamkus
Valdas Adamkus / Juliaus Kalinsko / 15min nuotr.

The ex-president, who attended the new Seimas' first sitting on Friday, said Lithuania had made progress over the last two decades of independence but that was not enough as a lot of people had lost trust in the state.

"I welcome this Seimas with hope. My only wish is that with their work, with that oath they gave to the nation, they restore dignity of the state order, restore Lithuanians' trust in their state," Adamkus told BNS.

The former president believes people in Lithuania are still "in the period of psychological breakthrough." "It's nevertheless true that 22 years of independent democratic life has not been enough for us to take over values and instill them."

Lithuania 's new Seimas held its first sitting on Friday. New members of the Seimas were sworn in and accepted their powers at the sitting.

The Social Democrats, the Labour Party, the Order and Justice Party, and the Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania signed a coalition agreement earlier this week. They are set to replace the center-right government of Andrius Kubilius. The president had earlier spoken against the Labour Party's involvement in the new government as the party itself and its leaders are defendants in a criminal case.

Report mistake

Successfully sent

Thank you

Economy

Lithuanian producers of EPS on the way to circular economy
Gilužio Rivjera by the real estate company Homa – hundreds of apartments and millions in investment
Capitalica fund successfully issued bonds amounting to EUR 5 million to finance the Verde project in Riga

Feature

State Progress Strategy 'Lithuania 2050': will Lithuania become the 'Silicon Valley' of social enterprise?
Citus Experts: Planning to Furbish or Brush Up your Home Interior? Get Ready for a Brutal Run
How do the country's most desirable employers nurture IT talents?

Opinion

Ramūnas Vilpišauskas. The president’s achievements in Brussels were modest
Laurynas Jonavičius. Will the new German government’s foreign policy coincide with Lithuanian interests?
Eastern Partnership ‘beyond westlessness’: a new momentum for the European integration

Politics

Taiwanese Minister Ming-hsin Kung – about Lithuania’s strengths and the two countries’ looming plans
The double standards of “values-based policy”: Lithuania did not join the condemnation of Turkey
Behind the scenes of ambassadorial appointments: Seimas looking for clarification on continuing questioning at the Presidential Palace