"The issue was removed from the agenda, because we at the (ruling) coalition have agreed that (existing) laws have to be changed or new (laws) registered and adopted on a priority basis. The environment minister has to draft some decrees that would put into place clearer procedures for carrying out exploration work in terms of environmental and human protection," he told reporters.
Butkevičius reiterated that the government is inclined to go ahead with the tender.
The prime minister said that, to his knowledge, the necessary draft laws regarding shale exploration have already been registered and will be put up for discussion at the parliament shortly.
It was previously reported that the issue was pushed back because Environment Minister Valentinas Mazuronis was away on a foreign visit.
Mazuronis is in Dublin for an informal meeting of EU environment ministers focusing on the green economy.
The Cabinet was expected to consider two options for shale gas exploration in Lithuania: either to terminate the tender for exploration works or to name the winner. If the second option is chosen, the US energy company Chevron will be formally named the winner of the bidding process.
