Ruginienė says ethics ruling would not block ministerial appointment

Outgoing Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė stated that a recent ruling by the Chief Official Ethics Commission (VTEK) would not prevent her from serving as a minister, LRT reports.

“It would not be an obstacle. In fact, I have received more than one such offer and now I have time to think and decide,” Ruginienė told lawmakers during the government’s weekly Q&A session in the Seimas.

Conservative MP Jurgis Razma asked whether Ruginienė had consulted legal experts on whether the VTEK decision could complicate her potential ministerial appointment after she steps down as prime minister.

Earlier this month, VTEK concluded that Ruginienė had “grossly violated” the Law on the Coordination of Public and Private Interests by approving official travel for family members to accompany her on trips to Italy and the Vatican. The trips—including her husband’s travel to Milan and Cortina for the Winter Olympics in February, and her husband, daughter, and son’s travel to the Vatican in March—were funded by the state budget.

Media reports have suggested that the VTEK ruling could prevent Ruginienė from being reappointed as prime minister. Her government is expected to resign next week, with Social Democrat leader Mindaugas Sinkevičius set to take over as prime minister.