Nauseda concerned about horse-trading over EC candidacy

Lithuania's President Gitanas Nauseda expressed his concern on Friday over the prolonged process of selecting the country's candidate for member of the European Commission.

"Pushing around over the candidate for European Commissioner and inability to reach an agreement between the parliament, the government and the Prime Minister delays and discredits the nomination process, damages our negotiating capabilities that are successfully used by other countries," Nauseda was quoted as saying in a statement released by his office.

He urged to complete the nomination as soon as possible as Lithuania should get a position in the Commission that best suits the country's national interests and those of the EU.

"It is important that the Lithuanian nominee for the European Commission should have extensive expertise, high professional reputation, good governance skills. and political experience," the president underlined.

Back on Thursday, Lithuania's ruling Farmers and Greens Union political group at the country's parliament announced that the party would nominate Minister of Economy and Innovation Virginijus Sinkevicius for the European commissioner's job.

Following the announcement, Lithuania's Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis said that he was surprised by the proposal as numerous candidacies were being considered.

A candidate for the European Commission is to be nominated by the Lithuanian government and approved by the president.