Finance, justice and education ministers draw most criticism in first 100 days

Finance Minister Taurimas Valys, Justice Minister Rita Tamašunienė and Education, Science and Sport Minister Raminta Popovienė faced the most criticism during the government’s first 100 days, according to media monitoring company Mediaskopas, LRT reported.

“They faced the most criticism, which was sustained and directed at them personally or voiced by influential sources: the president, coalition partners and trade unions in the sectors they oversee,” said Linas Spėčius, the company’s data strategist.

Valys’s reputation was weakened by questions about his competence that arose while the government was being formed, late negotiations over the 2027 budget, a planned trip to the United States during budget deliberations, a projected deficit of 3.8% of gross domestic product and confrontational communication.

Tamašunienė’s public image was chiefly damaged by a conflict with the head of the Prison Service and a vote of no confidence from trade unions over longstanding problems in the system.

Popovienė’s difficulties began in July and August, during a dispute over the threshold for the basic education achievement tests and a presidential veto. In September, the president publicly questioned whether the minister was solving problems or merely pretending to work. Disputes over teachers’ salaries and reports about the minister’s spouse working at Raudondvaris Manor also sustained negative coverage.

Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius was the most frequently mentioned figure in the media, with 17,470 reports. He was mentioned 2.5 times as often as the most-covered minister, Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas, who appeared in 6,674 reports.

Coverage of Sinkevičius was positive when it focused on the family policy package, increases to pensions and salaries, defence funding, the presence of US troops in Lithuania and cooperation with NATO. Criticism centred on the projected budget deficit of 3.8% of GDP, fuel price management, reports about his wife’s employment at Raudondvaris Manor, delays in assessing his dissertation and errors in public communication.

“The image of an experienced government leader coordinating decisions was weakened in the media by questions about his personal reputation, doubts over how large-scale social promises would be funded and a defensive response to some criticism,” Spėčius said.

Kaunas’s public image was mixed. It was strengthened by progress on the Rūdninkai military town, preparations to host a German brigade and investment in the defence industry. It was weakened by the cost of a party for Ministry of National Defence employees, drone incidents and gaps in public alert systems.

After Kaunas, the most-mentioned ministers were Interior Minister Martynas Katelynas, with 5,140 reports, and Valys, with 4,908. Katelynas gained high visibility through firm messaging on migration and border protection, but his image was weakened by a dispute over State Border Guard Service chief Rustamas Liubajevas and concerns about officers’ pay.

“The minister managed to present his political priorities clearly, but the effectiveness of his communication was limited by unanswered questions about the financial or institutional basis for decisions,” Spėčius said.

Economic and Innovation Minister Edvinas Grikšas, Energy Minister Lukas Savickas and Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys received the most favourable coverage.

Grikšas benefited from coverage of projects for ammunition and Leopard 2A8 tank factories, investments worth 700 million euros and the opening of a laser factory. Savickas was viewed favourably for developing energy projects and responding to the storm that hit the country in August. Budrys’s image was strengthened by efforts to maintain the rotation of US troops, support for Ukraine, tighter sanctions on Russia and cooperation with Germany.

Spėčius said no minister had avoided criticism during the government’s first 100 working days.