After receiving him on Monday morning, Grybauskaitė said Butkevičius' birthday was the main reason for the meeting.
"Today is Mr. Butkevičius' birthday, this is why I invited him for a chat, he even got a presidential candy as a gift," the president told reporters.
In a more serious tone, Grybauskaitė later said she would propose that Butkevičius become the prime minister. Nevertheless, the president criticized his party's coalition partners – the Labour Party which is currently on trial for fraudulent bookkeeping.
"I wish the leader of the Social Democrats kept the honor of the party and the state without stumbling, as it was the case during the last few days, and attempt to form a government that could hold responsibility for governing the entire state," the president noted.
Butkevičius brought a bag of candy to the press conference room, saying the proposal did not come unexpected.
"We, politicians, are always on the path of getting used to surprises and lack of surprises. We hoped that the proposal would probably come," Butkevičius said when asked whether this was what he expected for his birthday.
Born in Radviliškis district, northern Lithuania, on 19 November 1958, he graduated from Šeduva Secondary School in 1977 and later acquired a degree in economic engineering in Vilnius. Butkevičius has been a member of the Lithuanian Seimas since 1996.
