Union says reprimand shows prison service chief should be replaced

Lithuania’s prison officers’ federation says a government reprimand for Lithuanian Prison Service director Mindaugas Kairys shows his leadership has become harmful to the service and that he should be replaced, LRT reported.

The government decided on Wednesday to reprimand Kairys. Justice Minister Rita Tamašunienė proposed the penalty following an official inquiry, which found that he had violated the Statute of Internal Service and other laws by abolishing positions at Kaunas Prison despite the minister’s order to reverse the decision.

The Lithuanian Law Enforcement Officers’ Federation said the prison reform, which transfers officers from Security Management divisions to Resocialisation divisions, was damaging to the system and had been personally backed by Kairys. Federation chair Loreta Soščekienė said staff and their representatives had not been consulted and that officers were being pressured to move between divisions.

“We hope the Justice Ministry will remain principled and soon recognise that Kairys is no longer fit to serve as director,” Soščekienė said. The federation called for changes to the service’s senior leadership, saying the problems would only be addressed if the director were replaced.

Two other unions had urged the government not to approve the reprimand, arguing that Kairys acted lawfully in making staffing changes at Kaunas Prison. Kairys also rejected the criticism, saying the transfers were not compulsory, employees who declined were offered other jobs in the service, and pay in the Resocialisation division would rise by 80 to 90 euros. He said the work would be similar, despite additional duties appearing in job descriptions, and warned that stopping the reform could disrupt the prison’s operations.

Kairys has previously received two disciplinary penalties from the government: a reprimand and a severe reprimand in July last year. Earlier official inquiries found violations related to the use of service funds and the rules governing an official vehicle.