Lithuanian PM’s family trip expenses exceed €2,500, ethics watchdog orders repayment

The Lithuanian government’s chancellor’s office has calculated that expenses for Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė’s family members during official trips abroad amount to over €2,500, public broadcaster LRT reports, citing the ELTA news agency.

According to the chancellor’s office, the total cost of travel for the prime minister’s relatives during two visits reached €2,583.20. Ruginienė has been instructed to reimburse the state for these expenses following a ruling by the Chief Official Ethics Commission (VTEK), which found she had violated laws on balancing public and private interests.

The commission determined that Ruginienė breached regulations by including family members in official delegations during trips to Italy and the Vatican in early spring. While the prime minister maintains that no ethical violation occurred, she intends to challenge the decision in court.

Earlier reports by news outlet Lrytas indicated that Ruginienė’s delegation—including her husband, Vismantas Ruginis—spent five days in Milan for the 2026 Winter Olympics opening ceremony, with all travel costs covered by government funds. The trips had previously drawn public scrutiny, prompting a parliamentary inquiry from MP Agnė Širinskienė.