The President underlined that the selection criteria based only on party membership had made the nomination process very complicated. Other factors specified in the Lisbon Treaty, including the geographical, demographic and gender diversity, have been unjustifiably overlooked.
According to the President, a clear-cut balance of political groups has not yet emerged in the new, more fragmented European Parliament. In an attempt to gain more political weight, parties interpret the election results differently. This may significantly hinder the future work of EU institutions and the decision-making process.
This coming autumn, the EU will have to deal with a number of critical issues, including the long-term budget for 2021-2027, Brexit and climate change. Therefore, the President said, it is in the interest of both Lithuania and the European Union to reach an agreement on appointments for top posts, taking into account all the relevant criteria specified in the Treaty.
