VILNIUS, November 16 (RIA Novosti) - Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite has for the first time welcomed a new parliament that gathered on Friday for its first meeting with a written message instead of a personal address.
“You will swear allegiance to your commitment to work for the benefit of Lithuanian nationals by laying your hand on the Constitution. I wish you to never forget the words of the oath, especially when you face doubts what decision to choose,” the message said.
“From now on, you become representatives of the entire nation. Free, equal and just for all. This is not easy, but I believe that you are swearing voluntarily and responsibly,” the president said in the message.
Grybauskaite urged the parliament to work constructively, adding that the country’s nationals, businesses and investors are waiting for responsible decisions.
All previous Lithuanian presidents always personally welcomed newly elected deputies of the Seimas at their first session.
Former Lithuanian president Valdas Adamkus, who was invited to the first meeting of the new parliament, said he is not surprised by Grybauskaite’s decision.
“After the parliamentary elections, the president had differences with parties that won them, and now she does not find force inside her to step over that threshold of differences,” the Lietuvos rytas newspaper quoted Adamkus as saying.
Adamkus said the president’s decision will cause greater tension between the president and the new parliament.
Lithuania held parliamentary elections on October 14 and 28. The Lithuanian Social Democratic Party gained 38 seats, the Homeland Union - Lithuanian Christian Democrats won 33 seats and the Labor Party got 29 seats in the 141-seat parliament, which will have to make due with 139 deputies because election results were annulled in two single-mandate electoral constituencies over voter bribery.
The Lithuanian government led by Homeland Union leader Andrius Kubilius on Friday stepped down in line with the country’s Constitution following the start of the new parliament’s operation. Grybauskaite issued a relevant decree to accept the cabinet’s resignation and instructed it to temporarily fulfill its duties until a new cabinet is established.
The president has to submit the candidacy of a new premier to parliament within 15 days. By tradition, the new head of government is the leader of the party that gained the most votes in the parliamentary election.
