Union says reprimand shows prison service chief cannot lead

The Lithuanian Law Enforcement Officers Federation says the government’s reprimand of Lithuanian Prison Service director Mindaugas Kairys shows he is no longer fit to lead the service. LRT reported the union’s position on Wednesday.

“Although we consider the reprimand well deserved, we still doubt whether it will stop Kairys,” federation chair Loreta Soščekienė said in a statement. She called on the Justice Ministry to recognise that he should no longer serve as director.

The federation criticised a prison reform that moves officers from security management units to resocialisation units. It said the changes, which it described as personally backed by Kairys, were harmful to the system and were being implemented without proper consultation. Soščekienė said officers were being pressured to change departments and that Kairys had refused to hear the union’s concerns.

The government reprimanded Kairys on Wednesday, following a recommendation from Justice Minister Rita Tamašunienė. An internal inquiry found that he had breached the Law on the Status of Internal Service and other legislation by deciding to abolish positions at Kaunas Prison and failing to reverse those decisions despite the minister’s order.

In July, Tamašunienė said she had received complaints from unions that the reform was being imposed on officers. Kairys did not withdraw his decisions, the minister said at the time.

Kairys rejects the criticism. He told ELTA that employees offered posts in resocialisation units would receive higher pay, with salaries rising by 80 to 90 euros, and that those who declined would be offered other positions in the Prison Service. He said the work would remain similar and warned that halting the changes at Kaunas Prison would cause further operational difficulties.

Two other unions had urged the government not to reprimand Kairys, saying his decisions on staff transfers at Kaunas Prison were lawful.

Kairys received two disciplinary penalties in 2025: a reprimand on July 9 and a severe reprimand on July 16. Earlier inquiries found violations related to the use of the service’s funds and the rules for using an official vehicle.