Lithuanian PM decides to sack 3 ministers

Three ministers of the Lithuanian government will be replaced in order to ensure bigger reform breakthrough, prime minister Saulius Skvernelis said on Monday.

"There are some areas in which as a head of government I would like to see bigger progress, more dynamics and more determination. I want to announce that I decided today to replace three ministers currently working at the government," Skvernelis told reporters.

Proposals to dismiss ministers of education and science, environment and culture will be submitted to the country's President Dalia Grybauskaite on Wednesday, Skvernelis added.

His decision was announced amid protracted walkout by Lithuanian teachers who have been protesting against recently introduced changes to the teachers' remuneration system.

"There are many things to be fixed, and it is not only up to the Ministry of Education and Science", Skvernelis underlined.

He did not have any potential replacements at the moment, the PM claimed.

Jurgita Petrauskiene, minister of education, said the PM's decision was not a surprise as she had been facing "a lot of questions on this subject recently". Last week, Grybauskaite questioned the possibility of Petrauskiene to proceed at the office. According to the president, the government's education system reform had shortages and was being implemented in an "arrogant" way.

Liana Ruokyte-Jonsson, minister of culture, and Kestutis Navickas, minister of environment, admitted in their comments to the local media that they lacked support for their work at the parliament.

President Grybauskaite said she agreed with the decision to dismiss Petrauskiene, however she will wait for the prime minister's explanation why the other two ministers should be fired as well.

"When it comes to the education and science minister, the president agrees. However, she will want to hear some arguments and reasons regarding the other ministers," presidential adviser Daiva Ulbinaite told the news agency Elta.

As the fourth week of strikes began on Monday, around 1,400 teachers were taking part in the protests. Based on preliminary data of the Ministry of Education and Science, 60 schools out of nearly 2,000 schools were on strike Monday.