Rudys takes Interior Ministry chancellor post, Skarupskas eyes defence role

Laimonas Rudys has become chancellor of Lithuania’s Interior Ministry, while former adviser to ex-Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas, Marius Skarupskas, is expected to join the Defence Ministry as a deputy minister, LRT reported, citing the 15min news portal.

Rudys, who previously served as chancellor in Paluckas’s government, has started work in the Interior Ministry team led by Minister Martynas Katelynas. Linas Drazdauskas, a former lawyer, has also taken up a deputy minister position there.

Skarupskas is expected to become the Defence Ministry’s fourth deputy minister. Sources told 15min that he is currently undergoing vetting by special services.

He is expected to replace Deputy Defence Minister Vitalija Zumerienė, who left the post two weeks ago. Skarupskas would be responsible for procurement in the national defence system and for developing the defence and security industries.

From 2013 to 2016, Skarupskas served as deputy economy minister in the government led by Algirdas Butkevičius. He currently heads the small partnership Molbertas, whose activities are classified as entertainment and training.

Rudys left his position as government chancellor last November after Inga Ruginienė replaced Paluckas as prime minister.