Algirdas Butkevičius and Eligijus Masiulis stated their opinions during a discussion about a deeper integration of the European Union (EU) held in the framework of election debates organized by BNS news agency and Lietuvos Rytas Television.
"Currently I think Lithuania should not rush to join the euro zone, as we have to manage things in a master-like way, exit from the economic downturn by promoting economic development before seeking integration in other areas," Butkevičius said during the live debate on Sunday evening.
"Lithuania should not adopt the euro as soon as we start formally meeting the Maastricht criteria but only when the euro crisis in Europe is over, individual countries manage their fiscal deficit problems and Lithuania may benefit from the membership," Masiulis said.
Lithuania's government earlier declared its aspiration to adopt the euro in 2014, however, specific timeframes have not been specified since the spread of the debt crisis.
Asked about concentration of powers in Brussels, Valentinas Mazuronis, the leader of the Order and Justice party, said the EU should remain "a union of independent countries, not a federation" in the future.
The Labor Party's leader Viktor Uspaskich said integration should be deeper, emphasizing the need for Lithuania to seek equal terms and conditions, first of all, unified payments to farmers.
"There should be deeper integration within the EU. We're not giving up our sovereignty, but the conditions should be equal," Uspaskich said.
Conservative leader Andrius Kubilius, the incumbent prime minister, said that it was in Lithuania's "vital interest to see the EU as strong as possible, more consolidated and unified, as this brings both economic and geopolitical benefits."
