The government proposes to appoint L. Linkevičius as ambassador to Sweden

This was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers on Wednesday. If the head of the country supports the candidacy, L. Linkevičius would start his duties on January 15 of next year.

Introducing himself, the former government minister said that Sweden is not a country with which relations should be improved, but he sees opportunities to deepen them.

“It is perhaps necessary to deepen and expand them more – not only with Sweden, but I see prospects and the format of the North-Baltic countries, which has become as new as a trademark: 3+5 has become NB8 and now everyone looks at it as a partnership, and we are in it we are not playing the last role”, said L. Linkevičius.

He said that he sees an opportunity to improve economic cooperation, especially considering the fact that Swedish banks operate in Lithuania, and he hoped that the country would become a member of NATO before his appointment.

L. Linkevičius served as Minister of Foreign Affairs for two terms in a row – from 2012 to 2020.

After the Seimas elections in January 2021, he returned to the diplomatic service and was appointed ambassador for special assignments.

In the same year, they wanted to appoint L. Linkevičius as the Lithuanian ambassador to the USA, but then President Gitanas Nausėda stated that he did not see the possibility of appointing the former ministers of foreign affairs and national defense as ambassadors in Washington and Brussels, because they needed a “political cooling off” period.

In the middle of September this year, the head of the country said that L. Linkevičius had already “cooled down” enough to be able to lead the embassy.

“I’ll just be glad that the cooling off didn’t last the whole term”, said the Minister of Foreign Affairs Gabrielius Landsbergis at the meeting, inviting L. Linkevičius to introduce himself.

“With sincere joy, I ask if we can support this resolution and this small positive climate warming – because in general climate warming is not very positive – or climate change,” Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė asked her colleagues before unanimously approving the candidacy.

The diplomatic representation in Sweden does not have a leader after the ambassador Giedriis Čekuolis left office on August 31.

Ambassadors to Lithuania are appointed and dismissed by the President at the proposal of the Government and with the approval of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Seimas.