Prime minister Sinkevičius calm over dissertation issues, says errors not serious

Lithuanian Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius says he is “completely calm” about questions surrounding his doctoral dissertation, stating that any errors found should not be serious, LRT.lt reports.

Speaking to journalists on Tuesday, Sinkevičius said: “I am completely calm. I wrote [the dissertation] 11 years ago and defended it publicly. For 11 years, the dissertation has been accessible in paper form at the Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania. ISM University noticed it wasn’t uploaded, and they had no complaints against me—perhaps it’s unclear who failed to upload it, whether it was my oversight or someone else’s. The work has now been uploaded and is publicly accessible.”

He added that he wrote the dissertation himself and had faced no issues at the time: “I wrote it myself. No one raised any problems 11 years ago. I think that even now, if some minor details are noticed, everyone can make mistakes, but they should not be serious.”

Sinkevičius also said he was not surprised by the public and media attention his dissertation has received: “Apparently, the interest in my personal life, academic work, and professional career has intensified. This is a starting element for any official taking on such responsibilities.”

Recent public discussions have raised questions about Sinkevičius’s dissertation, including its unavailability in the information system, concerns over its quality, improper citations, and possible plagiarism, such as presenting excerpts from other authors’ works under his own name. Further scrutiny has also examined details of how another of his academic works was submitted.

Archival researcher Daiva Vilkelytė noted on her Facebook page that Sinkevičius had indicated in his dissertation documents that a second required academic article—necessary for a doctoral candidate to defend their work—had been submitted to the press a year earlier than it actually was. The university, however, stated that all doctoral requirements had been met, confirming that Sinkevičius had submitted three articles, two of which fulfilled the doctoral criteria.

Sinkevičius defended his doctoral dissertation at ISM University of Management and Economics in 2015.

Since becoming prime minister, Sinkevičius has chosen not to move into the official Turniškės residence, instead remaining in Jonava with his family. He stated that his security personnel are professionals and that their presence does not disrupt his family or neighbours. He acknowledged that commuting from Jonava to Vilnius consumes both his time and that of his security detail but said everyone must adapt to the situation.

“I have my personal life, and I believe I can balance my needs with the work of the security personnel to ensure it runs as smoothly as possible. I do not rule out that I may occasionally use the official residence,” he said.