MP Radvilė Morkūnaitė-Mikulėnienė is put forward for the position of minister of education, science and sport. She is the chairwoman of the political group of the Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats (TS-LKD).
Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Social Security and Labour Vytautas Šilinskas is nominated for the minister’s position.
„I have no doubt that both of them will honourably complete the tasks that had been planned for this term of office as they have the required political experience and skills, and are willing to engage in discussions with communities in these areas,“ Šimonytė’s statement issued on Friday reads.
The head of Government pointed out that the main task for the education minister is to prepare for the next academic year and implement the national agreement on education.
The position of the education minister became vacant following the resignation of Gintautas Jakštas earlier this year. The Ministry of Education was criticised for inadequate organisation of mid-term exams for eleventh graders.
Meanwhile, Monika Navickienė stepped down as Minister of Social Security and Labour on 12 June 2024. She was also the acting minister of education. The minister resigned after it transpired that in 2023 she took a private jet to Dubai together with her distant relative, businesswoman Ieva Trinkūnaitė, and Trinkūnaitė’s partner Vilhelmas Germanas, who has been convicted of fraud. A governmental commission has also prevented Trinkūnaitė’s financial technology company Foxpay from acquiring LITLAB, a company whose main shareholder is Mindaugas Navickas, the husband of former minister Navickienė.
