Lithuanian parliament chancellor’s Tanzania trip raises questions

A week-long trip to Tanzania by Lithuanian parliament chancellor Algirdas Stončaitis has prompted questions from an opposition lawmaker about whether it was necessary. LRT reported that Stončaitis attended an autumn session of the Association of Secretaries General of Parliaments.

The session took place alongside the 153rd Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly, held from October 5 to 9 in Arusha, northern Tanzania. Parliament chancellors or their deputies from more than 120 countries were invited, according to the report.

The Lithuanian parliament’s office said the trip was intended to represent the parliament in international forums for parliamentary administrations, exchange professional experience and good practice, and strengthen ties with the administrations of other national parliaments.

During the event, Stončaitis met with the chancellors of the parliaments of Tanzania, Norway, Germany, Estonia and South Korea to discuss cooperation. He also presented the Baltic and Nordic-Baltic (NB8) models of regional parliamentary cooperation, innovations at the Lithuanian parliament’s office and preparations for Lithuania’s presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Stončaitis travelled with Loreta Raulinaitytė, a senior adviser in his office. The office said she is responsible for participation in the association’s work and coordinates its international cooperation. Both travelled on an official invitation, arrived on October 5 and left on October 9, following the event’s official programme.

Air tickets for the two cost 1,598 euros, accommodation cost 775 euros and per diems totalled 198 euros. The office said the final costs would be known after the trip. It added that they flew in economy class and did not use VIP services or other extra privileges.

Members of the Lithuanian parliament also attended the assembly: delegation head Rūta Miliūtė, her deputy Arminas Lydeka and Modesta Petrauskaitė.

Opposition Liberal Movement leader and Deputy Speaker Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen said the trip was not a usual format. She said parliament officials typically make one or two trips a year connected with cooperation among parliaments in the region, and that the need for a week-long trip to Tanzania could be viewed in different ways. She added that participation in international events depends on each chancellor’s working style.

Another Deputy Speaker, Social Democrat Orinta Leiputė, said she saw no problem with the work trip, noting that such visits involve agendas, meetings and specific objectives rather than leisure.