Gentvilas calls family package cynical and poorly targeted

Liberal Movement lawmaker Eugenijus Gentvilas has criticised the government’s proposed family package, saying it is cynical to postpone some measures until a future government takes office, LRT reported.

“Social Democrats’ efforts to please people, often overflowing with love, can also have a cynical undertone: to show how much we care about you, but leave others to take care of it from 2029,” Gentvilas said on the ELTA Week programme.

He said each of the proposed measures was necessary, but questioned whether they should be introduced in full immediately. Gentvilas suggested beginning the provision of free school meals earlier but expanding it gradually until 2029 or 2030.

“I cannot criticise any of the measures, except for the way they have been designed: they are expensive, but not for our government, rather for a future government,” he said.

Gentvilas also questioned the proposal to provide one-time payments before the start of the school year to all families, regardless of their income. He said the measure was not sufficiently targeted.

“Why should the families of millionaires and multimillionaires receive money to buy school supplies before September 1? It is not differentiated,” Gentvilas said, arguing that some families needed 500 euros but would receive 200 euros, while others would barely notice the payment.

The opposition lawmaker said he would support the government’s proposals only if they were accompanied by specific bills aimed at reducing the shadow economy and supporting economic growth. He said he currently saw proposals for spending existing or future budgets, but not measures to increase budget revenues.

The government’s family package includes free lunches for all pupils in grades five through 10, a first-home financing programme, increased and more flexible childcare benefits, and support for families returning to Lithuania after living abroad.

The package contains nine measures and is valued at nearly 770 million euros. The most expensive measure is free school lunches for every pupil, which is planned to receive 375.9 million euros in stages from 2029 to 2034.

The package also proposes 123.6 million euros for increased and more flexible childcare benefits and 11.3 million euros for higher benefits for parents caring for sick children. A new childcare benefit system could take effect in 2028, allowing parents who choose to care for a child for 18 months to receive 100 percent of their previous salary, capped at four average monthly wages instead of the current limit of two.

The proposals also include an annual childcare and employment allowance of 384.8 euros per child, one-time payments of 148 euros for preschool and primary school pupils to buy school supplies, 67 million euros for a first-home programme, and 12 million euros in support for families returning from abroad.

Returning families could receive one-time payments of between 2,000 and 5,000 euros, as well as an integration allowance of up to 1,000 euros for Lithuanian language courses, professional qualifications, private kindergarten costs for children and psychological consultations.