EUROPEAN UNION: Lithuania's environment minister resigns

Lithuania's Environment Minister Arunas Kundrotas resigned on Monday blaming constant opposition attacks that had undermined his ministry and made his job untenable.

Kundrotas had long been under pressure facing accusations he had failed to make effective use of European Union funds, failed to prepare a working strategy for waste treatment, and sidelined housing projects. He survived a vote of no confidence by a hair's breadth at the end of December when 70 out of 141 lawmakers called for his resignation.

"An evaluation of the current situation shows that there are no prospects for continuing my work," Kundrotas said in a statement.


"I am stepping down in the hope that the environment ministry will be able to do the job that the Lithuanian people, and the environment, needs," he added.

Kundrotas, a member of the Social Democratic party of Prime Minister Gediminas Kirkilas, had been environment minister in three governments since July 2001. Kirkilas leads a fragile minority government.

Via: Agence France-Presse

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