VILNIUS, June 4 (Xinhua) -- Lithuania's president-elect Gitanas Nauseda said on Tuesday that he expected the country's incumbent Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis to continue his duties as the head of the government, but adding at the same time that "nobody was irreplaceable".
"The first choice would be that the current government would continue its work. However, if the situation develops in a different way, I can only say that there are no irreplaceable people, and other candidates may be found in Lithuania to take over the PM's office," Nauseda told reporters at a press conference.
The president-elect underlined that the current political situation in Lithuania was "not easy".
"We have to look for the solutions that would serve the best for the people of Lithuania," Nauseda said.
Former economist Nauseda won Lithuania's presidential election in the runoff ballot on May 26.
Lithuania's incumbent PM Skvernelis said that he appreciated Nauseda's support, yet underlined that strong ruling coalition was needed in order to further head the government.
"It is important (the support of the president-elect), however there are a few other essential issues, such as strong ruling coalition at the parliament; if there is no majority, it makes no sense to talk about the government," Skvernelis was quoted by local media as speaking to reporters on Tuesday.
After the election, the country's ruling parties decided to renew its coalition agreement. Last week, the Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union, the Social Democratic Labour Party and the party Order and Justice signed a memorandum on the ruling coalition. The three parties have 69 out of the total 141 mandates at the parliament.
It is expected that the new deal will be also joined by the Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania-Christian Families Alliance (LLRA-KSS), yet the negotiations are still ongoing. If LLRA-KSS agrees to join the memorandum, the four parties would have formal majority of 77 MPs.
According to Lithuania's Constitution, the country's government must return its mandate to a newly elected president who later decides on possible changes in the cabinet.
During the inauguration ceremony on July 12, Nauseda will replace the incumbent President Dalia Grybauskaite after her two terms in the office.
