Ethics commission to decide whether to investigate Kaunas mayor’s conference invitation

Lithuania’s Chief Official Ethics Commission will decide on Wednesday whether to open an investigation into Kaunas Mayor Visvaldas Matijošaitis’s invitation to a business conference, LRT reported, citing BNS.

The commission decided in early October to gather more information before ruling on whether to launch an inquiry. If it does, it will assess whether Matijošaitis breached the Law on the Adjustment of Public and Private Interests, which bars officials from accepting services or gifts because of their public duties or status.

Matijošaitis was invited to the “Turning Point” conference in Palanga by its patron, Superia LT, rather than buying a ticket that cost at least 1,500 euros. Vilnius Mayor Valdas Benkunskas, Vilnius municipal administration director Adomas Bužinskas and the heads of Vilniaus vandenys, Kauno energija and Kauno autobusai also attended, according to 15min. The news outlet Kas vyksta Kaune reported that Kaunas deputy mayors Mantas Jurgutis and Andrius Palionis were there as well. The institutions that sent the other politicians and public servants paid for their tickets, while Matijošaitis’s was covered by the conference patron.

The commission is also expected to consider a complaint by conservative lawmaker Mindaugas Lingė concerning a possible conflict of interest involving Finance Minister Taurimas Valys and his previous work at Šeimos kredito unija. Lingė has asked the commission to assess whether Valys properly declared his private interests and should have recused himself from decisions related to credit unions. Valys denies any conflict. His brother, Žygimantas Valys, chairs the credit union’s board and heads its administration.