The EAPL may get two ministries

According to unofficial information received by „Kurier Wileński”, the representatives of the Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania may stand at the head of two ministries. The EAPL is currently negotiating with the new coalition.

“Yes, we are talking with the representatives of the coalition about two ministries. However, it’s too early to say what resorts we can get. The situation is changing all the time, but we notice positive dynamics. We have a peaceful though assertive position. We have to be equal partners”, says Waldemar Tomaszewski. According to unofficial information, the ministries of agriculture, Communications and culture have been mentioned.

At the beginning of this week, the Supreme Council of the EAPL accepted the invitation of the newly created ruling coalition including parties of Social Democrats, Labour and “Order and Justice”. The Supreme Council announced that the EAPL is ready to join the coalition on the same terms as “Order and Justice”, which has similar parliamentary fraction.

The newly created coalition agreed that Social Democrats – having 38 seats in Parliament – will receive the post of the Prime Minister and seven ministries. The Labour Party, with 29 seats, will have 5 ministries and the post of the Chairman, whereas “Order and Justice” with 11 seats will have 2 ministries in the new government.

On Monday, the leaders announced that they invite the EAPL to join the coalition and offered them a few posts of deputy ministers. Only on Tuesday, the coalition agreed for the EAPL to have one ministry, given by the Labour Party in favour of the Poles. However, only yesterday, according to the information received by “Kurier”, the new coalition decided to give two ministries to the representatives of the EAPL.

According to its leaders, the EAPL, entering the new coalition, will have positive impact on the development of Polish-Lithuanian relationship.

“I believe that Poland is our strategic partner. The EAPL’s participation in the ruling coalition is possible, and it will help to solve the strategic problems of energy that should be discussed with neighbouring states and to maintain firm position in the EU discussions”, announced the leader of Social Democrats, Algirdas Butkevičius.

He said that, if he becomes the Prime Minister, his first visits will be to Latvia and Poland.

Source: http://kurierwilenski.lt/2012/11/07/awpl-moze-otrzymac-dwa-ministerstwa/

Tłumaczenie Ewelina Zarembska w ramach praktyk w Europejskiej Fundacji Praw Człowieka, www.efhr.eu. Translated by Ewelina Zarembska the framework of a traineeship programme of the European Foundation of Human Rights, www.efhr.eu.