Nausėda to discuss trust in defence minister after €47,559 event

President Gitanas Nausėda will discuss whether he still has confidence in Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas when they meet after the minister returns from a work trip, presidential adviser Vaidas Augustinavičius said, LRT reported.

Nausėda has criticised a celebration for Ministry of National Defence staff that cost nearly €48,000. On Monday, he said he was waiting for Kaunas to apologise and explain the circumstances, but did not say whether he still trusted the minister.

Kaunas responded to the public criticism by saying people should not pretend that “robots, rather than people, work in the civil service” and that community celebrations are normal in any organisation. He said he would assess whether the amount spent on the event had been chosen objectively.

Augustinavičius acknowledged the heavy workload facing ministry staff but said their motivation should be supported through other means, such as training and internships. He said the ministry should act especially responsibly with spending during Europe’s security crisis, and argued that it should be held to a higher standard than other ministries.

Reports by the news portal lrytas.lt and Lietuvos ryto TV said the event cost almost €48,000. An initial estimate of €50,364 included €5,100 for venue rental, €12,000 for catering, €1,500 for a host, €1,452 for the band Balta Varnos, €7,865 for Donatas Montvydas and €2,178 for a performance by illusionist Anton Lavrentjev.

The ministry’s Budget and Finance Department urged a reduction in the initial estimate. The final cost was €47,559, of which the ministry paid €44,994 and attendees covered the rest. About 200 employees of the ministry and its General Affairs Department attended. Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius has also asked the defence minister to explain the spending.