The president told the public broadcaster LRT on Monday that the purpose of existence of some ministries, namely the Ministry of Energy, could be considered as part of a wider reform. According to him, the number of bureaucrats would decrease as a result of this reform.
„The idea of the Ministry of Regions is to bring the policy of regions to a higher level,“ said Nausėda.
The head of state claims that many mayors welcomed the proposal that the new Ministry of Regions would be created. He said that now „regional policy becomes lost in the central government“.
As reported, the Presidential Palace hosted the sixth Forum of Regions in September and Nausėda presented the idea that the new Ministry of Regions would be founded, which would contribute to greater self-sufficiency of local authorities.
Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė agrees that the idea could be considered but the new body should have wide functions. Whereas Minister of the Interior Agnė Bilotaitė thinks this would be a waste of resources. The Ministry of the Interior is currently responsible for regional policies.
The Ministry of Energy was established after Lithuania regained its independence in 1990. It was incorporated into the Ministry of the Economy in 1997, but was once again re-established as a separate ministry in 2009.