Duchnevičius sees no problem in Ilma Paluckė’s clinic hiring

Vilnius District Mayor Robert Duchnevičius said he saw no problem with Ilma Paluckė’s appointment at the Vilnius District Polyclinic, after discussing the matter with its director, LRT reported. The director, Evaldas Navickas, told him Paluckė was hired based on her qualifications, the mayor said.

“I asked the director. We have a good working relationship,” Duchnevičius told the ELTA news agency on Tuesday. “He said he had looked for someone with the right qualifications because the need for internal communications is growing. If there was a genuine need and the work is actually being done, I don’t see a problem.”

Duchnevičius said he would have concerns if the director had created a sham position. He also dismissed opposition allegations as “a witch hunt,” saying he saw no conflict of interest. If the authorities found evidence of wrongdoing, the situation could be reviewed, he added.

Last week, the Delfi news portal reported that Paluckė, the wife of Social Democrat Gintautas Paluckas, had started work as an internal communications coordinator at the clinic during the summer. Navickas previously served as an adviser on health matters to a former prime minister.

Clinic representative Gabrielė Jankauskaitė said Paluckė was selected through a recruitment process that assessed candidates’ qualifications, professional experience and suitability for the position. Gintautas Paluckas’s public and private interests declaration says his wife began working at the clinic on August 17. He also told Delfi that she was hired based on her qualifications.

The opposition Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats faction has asked the Special Investigation Service to assess corruption risks in the clinic’s personnel management and examine the circumstances of Paluckė’s hiring. It has also asked the Chief Official Ethics Commission to determine whether Navickas breached the law on the reconciliation of public and private interests by making or taking part in the hiring decision.