"Minister Palaitis resigns. The Liberal and Center Union proposes a new ministerial candidate. It must be done by 22 March 2012," the document says, adding that the competition for selecting a new head of the Financial Crime Investigation Service should be halted by 16 March.
The coalition partners will also have to agree on plans for the restructuring of the FCIS and approve them in the government by 19 March. They will have to be adopted in the parliament by 15 April. And the restructuring process should be completed by 1 May.
The demands were presented to the coalition partners by the Presidium of the Homeland Union–Lithuanian Christian Democrats.
The document contains a clause that agreement should be reached by 18 March. Failure to reach agreements would lead to the termination of the coalition agreement.
Three parties, including the Homeland Union–Lithuanian Christian Democrats, the Liberal's Movement and the Liberal and Center Union, are members of the ruling coalition in Lithuania.
Tension in the ruling coalition followed Palaitis' decision to dismiss two top officials of the Financial Crime Investigation Service, Vitalijus Gailius and Vytautas Giržadas, on 15 February, after a recommendation from the State Security Department. The department was investigating possible leak of information about Snoras bank shortly before its nationalization.
Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius later said the move was unmotivated and hasty. Meanwhile President Dalia Grybauswkaitė backed the minister. She refused to sack the minister and proposed solving the issue by political means in the parliament.
