Nausėda expects defence minister to apologise over costly staff party
Monday 28th September 2026 on 23:00 in
Lithuania
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda expects Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas to apologise for a party for ministry employees that cost nearly 48,000 euros, but did not say whether he still trusts the minister, LRT reported.
In an interview with LNK television on Monday, Nausėda said he wanted Kaunas to explain whether he believed nothing improper had happened and the situation could recur, or whether he would say it would not happen again, apologise to the public and take steps to prevent a repeat.
Nausėda said Kaunas had made a second mistake by failing to acknowledge what had happened. He added that while ministry employees were not robots, neither were Lithuania’s 2.8 million residents, who did not receive public money to organise their parties.
The president said the incident undermined support for defence spending, warning that it would be brought up whenever the government sought budget funding for national defence.
Responding last week to criticism from Nausėda, Kaunas referred to earlier discussions about buying transport aircraft that could also be used by the country’s leaders. Nausėda said there was no current discussion about purchasing such aircraft. He added that he had never advocated for a presidential plane, noting that the aircraft in question would also be used by the prime minister and defence minister.
Nausėda said the Presidential Office also holds gatherings for staff before Christmas, but they do not cost tens of thousands of euros.
Kaunas said last week that staff parties were common practice in organisations and promised to review the event’s cost and arrangements. The Ministry of National Defence allocated nearly 45,000 euros for the party. Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius said Kaunas had initially commented imprecisely on the reports, but that the incident had not shaken his confidence in the minister.
Lithuania has budgeted about 4.8 billion euros for defence this year, equivalent to 5.38 percent of gross domestic product.