"We hope that thanks to your efforts as the heads of state, a real professional of the sphere of culture and art, skilled in administration and implementation of cultural policies, a trusted and recognized culture personality will be appointed as the minister of culture of the Republic of Lithuania," the letter addressed to President Dalia Grybauskaitė, Speaker of the Seimas Vidas Gedvilas, and Prime Minister-Designate Algirdas Butkevičius says.
In the letter, the signatories also express concern over "abilities and experience" of the person who will be appointed the minister of culture.
"Judging from the information in the media, we get an impression that the Ministry of Culture is no longer considered to be an important government institution and any person can be appointed to head it, even a person with hardly any cultural experience or experience in cultural management, or any person can be appointed to this responsible governmental position based on his party membership," the letter said.
The letter was signed by famous Lithuanian actors, directors, musicians, and other representatives of the culture industry.
Under the coalition agreement, the Labour Party has a right to nominate a candidate to head the Ministry of Culture. Social Democratic Prime Minister-Designate Algirdas Butkevičius has already rejected several candidates proposed by the Labour Party.
