Narkiewicz: It is appreciation of Poles in Lithuania. Pole became deputy Speaker of Seym

An AWPL MP, Jarosław Narkiewicz, has become the sixth deputy Speaker of the Seym. In a secret voting 73 MP have voted for him and 43 against him.

„I see it (choosing him as the deputy Speaker; editorial note, PL DELFI) as, first of all, an appreciation of the role of Polish community in Lithuania. We are not a minority only, we are Lithuanian citizens, whose voice is audible.”- said Jarosław Narkiewicz to PL DELFI.

„Our coalition is quite big, 86 MPs, UE presidency is ahead, a governmental programme is extensive, and that is why, in agreement with the coalition’s opinion, I suggest Narkiewicz for the deputy Speaker”- said Vydas Gedvilas, the Speaker, before the voting. In his opinion Narkiewicz will be able to represent the Seym during national minorities’ parties, and being a member of the presiding board, he will inform his group about the decisions taken faster.

Before the voting, Jarosław Narkiewicz thanked for the trust his coalition partners, the Chief Committee of AWPL and, personally, the leader of AWPL, Waldemar Tomaszewski. „It is an honour and a responsibility. Therefore, I have thanked the people who had trusted me.”- explained Narkiewicz.

In a secret voting 97 MPs voted for him, 2 against and 3 did not vote. After accepting changes in the Seym charter, the Seym will have 7 deputy Speakers. The seventh one will belong to the opposition. It is predicted that it will be Remigijus Šimašius, a former Minister of Justice.

AWLP has been a member of the ruling coalition. According to the coalition’s agreement, AWLP has sent its representative to be the Minister of Energy, and it will be Jarosław Niewierowicz. AWLP also received posts of five different under-secretaries in various ministries.

Renata Cytacka, the Secretary of the Vilnius Region Self-Government, is supposed to become the under-secretary of energy; deputy-manager of the Administraion of the Vilnius Region Self-Government, Władysław Kondratowicz, is supposed to become the under-secretary of Administration; Edyta Tamošiūnaitė, the deputy-manager of the Administration of the city of Vilnius is supposed to become the under-secretary of Education; Leokadia Poczykowska is supposed to be the under-secretary of Agrivulture and Edward Trusewicz, the Secretary of The Association of Poles in Lithuania, is supposed to be the under-secretary of Culture.

Source: http://pl.delfi.lt/aktualia/litwa/narkiewicz-jest-to-docenienie-roli-polakow-na-litwie.d?id=60257433

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