Lithuanian President Nominates Former Interior Minister for PM

Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite has nominated former Interior Minister Saulius Skvernelis for the post of prime minister in the country's new government, the president's press service said Tuesday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Skvernelis was put forward for the post by the Lithuanian Peasant and Greens Union, which won the Lithuanian parliamentary elections in October.

"I signed the decree on appointing the leader of the Lithuanian Peasant and Greens Union party as the prime minister. My team and I are ready to do what we can to make the 17th government operate fairly in all areas. We will be very constructive, we will work so all taken decisions adhere to the constitution and correspond with the interests of the state and of Lithuanian citizens," the president was quoted as saying in a statement.

The former interior minister's candidacy is set to be considered by the parliament on Thursday.

Grybauskaite added that a number of urgent reforms in welfare, labor legislation, energy security, investments and business transparency are necessary.

Increasing the transparency of state-owned companies, reducing inequality, undertaking anti-corruption measures and carrying out educational and defense reforms are also all necessary tasks for the new government, she added.

Parliamentary elections in Lithuania took place on October 9, with the Peasant and Greens Union winning 56 seats. The social democrats got 17 mandates. In November, the two parties formed a ruling coalition, leaving the liberals and conservatives in opposition. The Peasant and Greens Union reserved the posts of prime minister and parliament chair as part of the coalition deal.