"I am optimistic, we have said it very clearly that we will reconsider our presence in the government, if the government program is not executed. If it is postponed to next year, to 2014, we will think whether it is possible," Valdemar Tomaševski, the leader of the Electoral Action of Poles, told LNK news on Sunday.
In his opinion, six months should be enough to amend the Education Law and stipulate provisions that would be more favorable to national minorities.
"This is not rushing. It is normal to adopt the law in, let's say, July," he added.
Parliamentary Vice-Speaker Algirdas Sysas of the Social Democrats says he is not afraid of the LLRA threats.
"We haven't discussed this in the political group or the group's board. We do not fear ultimatums, there's no need to threaten, especially since some changes – these changes exactly – were envisaged in our program. We will do it anyway. However, Tomaševski probably wants to feel a bit more important," said Sysas.
Education and Science Minister Dainius Pavalkis confirmed to BNS earlier this year that, among other options, a possibility was considered to give different tasks of the Lithuanian-language graduation examination to national minority students than in Lithuanian-language schools, with a more specific discussion scheduled for Monday.
In his words, the discussions would focus on assessment of the examination, the size of the essay and the number of authors national minority students would be expected to cite in their papers.
In spring 2011, the Lithuanian parliament adopted a new version of the Education Law, which, among other things, stipulated a new scheme of the teaching of the Lithuanian language in schools of national minorities, more classes in the Lithuanian language and unification of the tasks of the Lithuanian-language graduation examination starting 2013.
