President's advisor ironizes Balčiūnas's statements: Lithuanian basketball needs responsibility, not success

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda has sharply criticized the national basketball team's recent results, declaring that the current system is failing. "The system is definitely not working," Nausėda stated in an interview with BNS, emphasizing that the team's performance does not align with the resources and human capital invested. He called for an open discussion to determine accountability for the team's shortcomings.

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First of all, we see that the system is definitely not working. Whose specific responsibility it is, there should be a very open conversation. As far as I know, such a conversation is practically underway right now, just finished, where the causes were analyzed, but I am only stating the fact itself.

His remarks drew a response from Mindaugas Balčiūnas, president of the Lithuanian Basketball Association. Balčiūnas, posting on Facebook, thanked the president's office for wishing the team success and stated he had spoken with the presidency. He expressed gratitude for the support.

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Based on the resources and human capital we have put into this team, the performance of this team simply does not meet expectations. This is not just a moral disappointment, it is simply an objective statement of fact, as the team was too strong to lose.

However, presidential advisor Tomas Jansonas offered a more pointed reply to Delfi.lt. Jansonas suggested that discussions with the "presidency building" might not yield much benefit. He clarified the president's stance, stating that success is not what Lithuanian basketball requires. "What Lithuanian basketball needs is not success, but responsibility and an objective view of the situation," Jansonas said, echoing the sentiment that the team's results are unacceptable given its strength.

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Dear friends, basketball is happy to have so many fans. Even the most significant ones. I just spoke with the presidency. They wished me the greatest success in resolving the situation. I thanked them.