TS-LKD seeks talks with US embassy staff over ambassador’s work

Opposition conservatives are seeking informal talks with employees of Lithuania’s embassy in the United States about Ambassador Gediminas Varvuolis’s work, LRT reported, citing BNS sources.

An invitation from Žygimantas Pavilionis, deputy chairman of the Seimas Foreign Affairs Committee, and former Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė to speak with members of the Homeland Union Lithuanian Christian Democrats reached the entire embassy staff, according to BNS.

Varvuolis told BNS he was unaware of such invitations. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed it had information about attempts by TS-LKD members of the Seimas to hold informal talks with the embassy staff in Washington.

Pavilionis confirmed that he had been communicating with embassy employees and said some of them had mentioned Varvuolis’s conduct.

“I can confirm that I communicate with them, but not only on these issues. We discuss various matters because I regularly travel to America and am currently writing a report for the entire TS-LKD party on how we can strengthen our relations with America. Naturally, I also draw on the experience of our diplomats. I communicate with them constantly, and that communication has never stopped. Some of them mentioned the ambassador’s bad behaviour,” Pavilionis told BNS.

Šimonytė denied information about possible talks and said she had “not communicated directly with embassy staff for quite some time”.

The Delfi news portal reported last week that some embassy employees had contacted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, alleging that the ambassador had behaved disrespectfully, raised his voice and required long working hours.

Delfi sources said the employees had also spoken remotely with the ministry’s general inspector and that a conversation had taken place with the ministry’s chancellor, who had promised specific measures to address the situation. However, no investigation into the ambassador had been launched.

The ministry told BNS that it was assessing the information published in the media and would decide within five working days, in accordance with current legislation, whether to launch a possible investigation.

Remigijus Motuzas, chairman of the Seimas Foreign Affairs Committee and a Social Democrat, said that parliamentarians should not be the ones speaking with embassy employees.

“I think this is not our function, neither that of the Seimas Foreign Affairs Committee nor of an individual parliamentarian. Of course, no one prohibits asking questions or checking such things. But I believe we should officially contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” Motuzas told BNS.

He added that the ministry had a General Inspectorate whose functions included examining the working climate and assessing possible misconduct or the atmosphere at an embassy.

Pavilionis rejected the suggestion that his conversations with embassy employees were escalating the situation. He said he had received such signals for about six months but had only responded after the allegations were reported by the media.

Varvuolis has served as Lithuania’s ambassador to the United States since August 1 last year.