Leipute welcomes defence minister’s apology over €47,559 party

Lithuanian Social Democratic Party parliamentary group leader Orinta Leiputė has welcomed Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas’s apology for spending nearly €48,000 on a ministry party, saying she expects the episode to lead to changes, LRT reported.

“I view his action very positively and think conclusions will be drawn,” Leiputė told Žinių radijas on Wednesday. She said Kaunas had assessed the situation after returning from a lengthy business trip.

Leiputė said the minister appeared to have a plan for motivating staff, including discussions with the head of the ministry’s trade union. She noted that some employees work remotely and said workplace climate can be an important factor in organising measures for staff.

Kaunas apologised publicly on Tuesday, saying the decision to spend nearly €48,000 on the event was inappropriate given the current geopolitical situation. He said he was responsible for the ministry’s work and that there would be no search for scapegoats. He also announced plans to develop a system for staff motivation and strengthening the community, and to review administrative problems at the ministry.

The final event budget was €47,559. The Ministry of National Defence covered €44,994, with attendees paying the rest. About 200 ministry and General Affairs Department employees attended. An initial estimate of €50,364 included €5,100 for the venue, €12,000 for catering, €1,500 for a host, and fees for performers including Baltos Varnos and Donatas Montvydas.

Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius asked Kaunas to explain the spending but said he trusted the minister. President Gitanas Nausėda called Kaunas’s initial response “a second mistake” and said he was waiting for an apology and explanation.