Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite casts her vote in the presidential elections and the dual citizenship referendum in Vilnius, Lithuania, May 7, 2019. Advance voting kicked off on Monday in the Lithuanian presidential elections and referendums on dual citizenship and the number of parliament members. For the first time in Lithuania, the advance voting is held for five days. (Xinhua/Guo Mingfang)
VILNIUS, May 7 (Xinhua) -- Lithuania's President Dalia Grybauskaite casted her vote on Tuesday in the country's presidential election and referendum on dual citizenship, but abstained from voting in the referendum on the number of parliament members.
"I voted for the best (candidate). I wish the new president to work for the benefit of the state and its people," Grybauskaite was quoted as saying by local media after casting her vote in Vilnius city municipality.
Grybauskaite did not reveal the candidate who she supported, stating that she did not want "to interfere into the choice of people".
In the country's presidential elections and two referendums nine candidates are running for the seat, while the incumbent Grybauskaite will leave the office after finishing her second term.
According to the latest polls, MP and the country's former finance minister Ingrida Simonyte is leading the race, followed by economist Gitanas Nauseda and the country's Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis.
As regards two referendums held together with presidential election, Grybauskaite said that she voted in the referendum on dual citizenship and abstained from voting in the referendum on parliament's downsizing.
"I did not pick its ballot-paper as I believe this referendum is pointless. We can't improve the quality of the parliament's work or its reputation only by downsizing the parliament by a few lawmakers," Grybauskaite said.
She did not reveal her decision in the referendum on dual citizenship.
As the early voting kicked off on Monday and running till May 10, the Lithuanian citizens are voting in the presidential election and two referendums. The Baltic country holds the five-day advance voting amid efforts to ensure active participation in two referendums that would change the country's Constitution.
In one referendum, the Lithuanian citizens are voting on dual citizenship deciding whether to grant a dual citizenship to a person who becomes a citizen of other country complying with the criteria of Euro-Atlantic integration. Specific countries would be stipulated by law.
In the other referendum, Lithuanians are voting whether to reduce the number of members of the country's parliament from 141 to 121. Both decisions would change the country's Constitution.
The necessary threshold to implement the Constitutional changes is more than half of registered voters casting their vote in favor of the proposals.
According to the Lithuania's Central Electoral Commission, the number of voters in the country's presidential elections and two referendums is 2.47 million.
