Prime minister urges politicians not to escalate US embassy dispute

Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius has urged politicians not to interfere in the work of Lithuania’s embassy in the United States, LRT reported on Wednesday.

He was speaking after BNS reported that opposition conservatives were seeking informal talks with embassy staff in Washington about the work of Lithuania’s ambassador to the United States, Gediminas Varvuolis.

“It is very important for us to maintain our strategic partnership with the United States. Internal disturbances and conflicts do not do us credit as a state and do not improve our relations,” Sinkevičius told reporters.

He said politicians should not ignore or avoid investigating situations that may exist, but should not contribute to their escalation.

According to BNS, an invitation from Seimas Foreign Affairs Committee Deputy Chairman Žygimantas Pavilionis and former Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė to speak with members of the opposition Homeland Union Lithuanian Christian Democrats reached the entire embassy staff. Individual employees were reportedly used to distribute the information.

Varvuolis told BNS he was unaware of such invitations. The Foreign Ministry confirmed that it had information about attempts by conservative lawmakers to hold informal discussions with the embassy staff in Washington.

Pavilionis confirmed to BNS that he had been communicating with embassy employees and that they had mentioned Varvuolis’s work during some conversations. Šimonytė denied information about possible talks and said she had not communicated directly with embassy staff for a long time.

Sinkevičius said that conflicts, situations and complaints could occur, but that the Foreign Ministry had officials responsible for handling them. He referred to the ministry’s inspector general, who investigates written appeals, and said he knew of no such written complaints so far.

“When a political party inspires, urges or proposes this, it seems like politicking to me, and it should not happen,” he said.

The Delfi news portal reported last week that some embassy employees had contacted the Foreign Ministry, citing what they described as disrespectful behaviour by the ambassador, raised voices and long working hours.

The portal’s sources said employees had also spoken remotely with the ministry’s inspector general 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 opened.

The Foreign Ministry told BNS that it was assessing the information made public and would decide within five working days, in accordance with applicable legislation, whether to launch a possible investigation.

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