Lithuanian military crew stayed in Italy to fly prime minister and delegation home

The Lithuanian armed forces have confirmed that a military transport aircraft, the Spartan, remained in Italy to return Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė and her delegation after an official visit, following a request from the Government Chancellery, LRT reports.

The crew had completed training courses in Italy on March 4–6 and was originally scheduled to return on March 7. However, after receiving the government’s request, the aircraft stayed to transport the delegation on March 8. The military stated that the crew could not depart immediately after training due to insufficient preparation time and mandatory rest requirements.

While awaiting the return flight, the crew performed scheduled maintenance on the aircraft and conducted routine military operations with Italian colleagues. The military emphasised that the additional stay did not incur extra accommodation costs, as the crew remained on the Italian military base. Each soldier received a standard daily allowance of €63 for the extended period.

Fuel costs for the flight amounted to approximately €4,000, covering the round trip from Lithuania to Italy. The military clarified that the return flight was funded by the government, not the defence budget. Billing for the March 8–9 flight will be submitted to the Government Chancellery, as per the defence chief’s order.

Ruginienė travelled to the Vatican with her spouse and two children as part of an official delegation. The Defence Ministry previously stated that using the Spartan saved state funds by avoiding commercial flight tickets. Opposition lawmakers have questioned the arrangement, with MP Agnė Širinskienė referring the matter to the Chief Official Ethics Commission.

Before the trip, Ruginienė explained that the visit was a state-level invitation extended to her family by the Pope, and that all family members would perform official duties during the trip.