Lithuanian Officials Accused of Misusing State Funds, Emergency Elections Proposed

In recent weeks, the Lithuanian media published reports in which several Lithuanian officials in various municipalities of the country have been blamed for the nefarious use of money.

Almost all political parties have been involved in the scandal, and several ministers have been in the crossfire of criticism, such as the Minister of Education and Sports Jurgita Šiugždiniene.

She was unable to explain and offer a single certificate and check where 14,000 euros were spent while she was still working in Kaunas municipality.

The minister explained that such reporting was not necessary during her leadership.

Minister of Finance Gintare Skaiste from “Tēzemes savienė” and Minister of Culture Simons Kairis from “Liberal Movement” have also not been able to provide evidence of how state money was spent while still working in the city council.

The scandal is too big for the Lithuanian government to continue working, according to the leader of the Lithuanian ruling party “Tēvzemes savienė”, Minister of Foreign Affairs Gabrielius Landsbergis.

“I am strictly against lynching and I try to systematically follow the issues of the state. That is, if there is the responsibility of one person who did something wrong, then this person must take responsibility.

But if it is a systemic problem, then I always call for it to be solved systematically,” Landsbergis said.

The initiative of the leadership of the Lithuanian government coalition to hold early parliamentary elections must now receive the support of the parliament.

“I personally think that it is wise to instigate an emergency election. I do not think whether it would be possible, rather I am assessing whether it would be rational,” said the leader of the Liberal Group of the Lithuanian Parliament, Eugenii Gentvil.

“Voters gave a mandate to the current ruling majority – conservatives and liberals. They must work so that people’s trust is not lost.

If one minister does his job unreasonably, then he is not irreplaceable,” said the head of the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party.

If there is no support for emergency elections in the Lithuanian parliament, then the resignation of Prime Minister Ingrīda Šimonīte’s government will be considered.

Early elections in Lithuania can be announced if at least 85 of the 141 members of the Seimas support it.

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