BNS: 17 parties gearing up for EP elections in Lithuania, says JustMin
Updated 2009-04-06
VILNIUS, Apr 03, BNS - A total of 17 parties have resolved to run in elections for European Parliament (EP) and turned in respective papers to the Justice Minister in a timely manner. Thursday was the last day for parties to come forward with their member lists to the Ministry of Justice.
The ministry has 15 days to assess whether the lists are legitimate and the applying parties eligible to run in the elections for EP on June 7. The Order and Justice Party, the Samogitian political party, the Labor Party, the Center Party, the Lithuanian Poles' Electoral Action, the Lithuanian Social Democrat Party, the Liberal Movement, the Peasant Popular Union, the Civil Democracy Party, the Social Union of the Christian Conservatives, the Laborist Party, the Homeland Union - Lithuanian Christian Democrats, the national movement Lithuania's Way and the National Resurrection Party have turned in their member lists to the ministry before the set deadline.
All political parties must turn in to the Ministry of Justice their member lists according to the government-provided procedure no later than 65 days prior to the elections, the Law on Political Parties stipulates.
The Central Electoral Committee on Friday will start receiving application papers for running in the elections for EP. Lithuania's election authority will be accepting application papers from April 3 till May 4.
General elections for the new term of the 736-seat EP will take place throughout Europe in the beginning of June of 2009, with the election date in Lithuania set for June 7. Lithuania gets 12 EP mandates.
