Armonaitė has named ten women who in her opinion could represent Lithuania at the European Commission.
Moreover, she claims that the nomination process is stalling in Lithuania and thus the Freedom Party would convene a meeting of the coalition council to solve the issue in summer.
„Three in a row European Commission members from Lithuania were men, perhaps it is time to choose a woman?“ the politician wrote on Facebook.
Armonaitė proposed to consider choosing Head of the Institute of International Relations and Political Science (VU TSPMI) Margarita Šešelgytė, lawyer Dovilė Burgienė, Nasdaq CEO Arminta Saladžienė, scientist Urtė Neniškytė, founder of Vinted online marketplace Milda Mitkutė, Ambassador of the EU to the United States Jovita Neliupšienė, CEO of LTG Link Kristina Meidė, Member of the Supervisory Board of Revolut Dovilė Grigienė, CEO of Telia Giedrė Kaminskaitė-Salters and Lithuania’s former president Dalia Grybauskaitė.
Responding to criticism, Prime Minister Šimonytė assured reporters that coalition partners are holding discussions regarding Lithuania’s candidate to the European Commission. She reiterated that an announcement would be made once the candidate is selected.
Šimonytė did not comment about the list of potential nominees suggested by the Freedom Party.
The prime minister earlier said that President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen expects nominations to be made by 19 August.
The Government puts forward a candidate to the European Commission with the consent of the president and parliament.