Alytus mayor says adviser concealed family business links

Alytus Mayor Nerijus Cesiulis says he did not know that his adviser, Saulius Ivoška, had failed to disclose his mother’s business links to public procurement in the city, LRT reported. Cesiulis said he would wait for the relevant authorities to respond before deciding what action to take.

An investigation published on Tuesday by the investigative journalism centre Siena and Alytus radio station FM99 examined Ivoška’s family business connections and substantial gifts he received from his parents last year. Cesiulis said most of the information was new to him.

The mayor said the issue had already been discussed by the Alytus branch of the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party, but that he could not yet make a decision regarding his adviser.

Company won contract for municipal service centre

One of the investigation’s main findings concerned Mano Alytus, a customer service centre in Alytus. The contract to fit out the centre was won by Ekotyra, a company managed by Ivoška’s mother that removes construction waste.

According to public procurement records, the initial contract was worth 93,600 euros. The company was required to follow a pre-prepared design project. The contract was later amended, with a significant number of works removed and other tasks added. The final value rose to 97,270 euros.

At the opening ceremony for Mano Alytus, Ivoška, who was then the mayor’s unpaid public adviser, helped Cesiulis hold the symbolic ribbon.

Cesiulis told Siena that he had not known Ivoška’s mother’s company had carried out the work presented at the ceremony.

“No, I really did not know,” Cesiulis said.

The mayor said the municipal waste management companies that organised the procurement should provide all information related to the tender and the work. He added that he could not assess the quality of the work carried out by Ivoška’s mother’s company.

Advisor’s connection to news portal

Cesiulis also referred to the news portal Dzūkijos veidas, which was controlled by Ivoška’s mother for many years. Alytus municipal funds continued flowing to the portal after Ivoška joined the mayor’s team.

Cesiulis said he had known about that situation and had taken preventive steps himself. He said he had suggested that Ivoška distance himself from Dzūkijos veidas before the unpaid public adviser was appointed to the paid position of mayor’s adviser.

“What I knew was that he was either the owner of Dzūkijos veidas or one of its owners. I said that because these positions were incompatible, he should transfer that position. He did so,” the mayor said.

Ivoška’s mother gave up control of Dzūkijos veidas in 2024, shortly after her son became the mayor’s adviser. The portal is now owned by Mantas Kilkus, its long-time director, who describes Ivoška as an old friend.

Declarations did not mention business links

While serving as an unpaid public adviser and later as the mayor’s adviser, Ivoška submitted declarations of interests to the Chief Official Ethics Commission. None of his declarations mentioned links to Ekotyra or Dzūkijos veidas.

“If that is the case, it is a violation. I believe the Chief Official Ethics Commission will receive the information and make the appropriate decisions,” Cesiulis said.

Asked whether he would personally refer the matter to the commission, the mayor said he believed the ethics watchdog would act without his initiative.

“I think that if he failed to declare it, forgot, was late or something similar, there will be appropriate decisions by the Chief Official Ethics Commission,” Cesiulis said.