Lithuanian PM Ruginienė found in serious breach of ethics over family trips to Italy and Vatican

Lithuania’s Prime Minister Ingrida Ruginienė seriously violated the country’s Law on the Coordination of Public and Private Interests by including family members in official delegations to Italy and the Vatican, the Chief Official Ethics Commission (VTEK) ruled on Tuesday.

The ethics watchdog ordered Ruginienė to reimburse the state for travel expenses incurred by her relatives. According to VTEK chair Gediminas Sakalauskas, the prime minister’s decision to sign off on delegation lists that included her spouse, daughter, and son created a clear conflict of interest and allowed private individuals to use state funds.

Between February 6–10, Ruginienė’s husband accompanied her on an official trip to Milan and Cortina for the Olympic Games. From March 6–8, her spouse, daughter, and son joined her delegation to the Vatican for an audience with Pope Leo XIV. In both cases, Ruginienė personally approved the delegation compositions, and the family members’ travel was covered by public funds.

VTEK determined that the trips served the private interests of Ruginienė’s relatives and that by failing to recuse herself and approving the decisions, she enabled this misuse. The breach was classified as serious.

A spokesperson for Ruginienė, Ignas Algirdas Dobrovolskas, told BNS the prime minister intends to challenge the ruling in court. “The prime minister has repeatedly stated that all decisions were made in accordance with current rules and protocol requirements,” he said, arguing the case raises questions about the relationship between legal norms and long-standing practice.