VILNIUS, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Ingrida Simonyte, Lithuanian economist, member of parliament and former minister of finance, announced on Monday that she would run for the Baltic country's presidential office.
Simonyte confirmed that she would participate in the opposition's conservative Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrat party's (TS-LKD) open primary election and, in the case of success, run for the president's office next May.
"I confirmed my intention to take part in the party's primary election and further in the election of Lithuania's president if my candidacy is supported by the party members and other supporters eligible to vote," Simonyte told reporters at a press conference in Vilnius.
As reported earlier, TS-LKD branches put forward a total of 12 candidates for the 2019 Lithuanian presidential election, but only one of them will be nominated in November. Simonyte received the strongest support from the members of TS-LKD.
A "very big support" from the party's community, as well as non-partial supporters, was the main reason behind the decision to put forward her candidacy, Simonyte said.
"It would be too arrogant to reject or ignore this support. I suppose that people relate my person with expectations of different, probably more open, more sincere and respectful policy," Simonyte noted.
It is up to voters to decide whether she can meet these expectations or not, Simonyte added.
When asked by reporters about the frequent comparisons of her and the incumbent President Dalia Grybauskaite, the politician said that "such similarities are drawn from the fact that we are not used to see many women in politics and have some kind of stereotype."
Forty-three-year-old Simonyte was not a member of TS-LKD, however in 2016 she was elected to the parliament with the party's list and currently belongs to TS-LKD fraction in the parliament.
An economist with a master's degree from Vilnius University, Simonyte served as a member of the board at the Bank of Lithuania before she became a member of parliament. During the financial crisis years, from 2009 to 2012, Simonyte was Lithuania's finance minister.
With eight months to go before the presidential election, official announcements about participation have been made by philosopher Arvydas Juozaitis, economist Gitanas Nauseda, diplomat Vygaudas Usackas, MPs Ausra Maldeikiene and Naglis Puteikis, and members of European Parliament Valentinas Mazuronis and Petras Austrevicius.
