Liberal Movement accepted its would-be role in opposition – MP

After parliamentary election runoff the Social Democratic Party (LSDP) vowed to hold coalition talks not only with Democrats For Lithuania, the Farmers and Greens Union (LVŽS) and the Nemunas Dawn party but also with the Liberal Movement. Yet a representative of the latter, MP Eugenijus Gentvilas, says his party has accepted that it will be in the opposition in the upcoming parliamentary term.

According to Gentvilas, the Liberal Movement does not feel to be part of coalition negotiations following parliamentary elections that finished on 27 October.

"As I say – thank you for inviting us, but that wide front did not include us. I have a feeling that it will not include us. If there is a courtesy call, we will indeed pick up. We will have coffee, tea. But I think we have already reconciled with the role in the opposition, which is honourable," Gentvilas said Monday evening on the show LRT forumas on public television.

Meanwhile, the LSDP announced that it would present a draft agreement on the coalition to Democrats For Lithuania and the LVŽS. This will include not only matters related to governmental positions but also key priorities of the centre-left coalition.

Although the LSDP continues coalition consultations with other parties, yet prime ministerial candidate Gintautas Paluckas said that the coalition would centre around the LSDP, Democrats For Lithuania and the LVŽS. Representatives of these three parties are planned to meet on Tuesday.

Moreover, even though Paluckas met with Remigijus Žemaitaitis, leader of the Nemunas Dawn party, yet he did not meet with representatives of the Liberal Movement.

As reported, the LSDP will have 52 out of 141 seats in the Seimas, Democrats For Lithuania – 14, the LVŽS – 8, the Nemunas Dawn – 20 and the Liberal Movement – 12.