Lithuanian family's plea for Egypt vacation funds sparks online debate

A public appeal on Facebook is seeking donations to fund a dream vacation to Egypt for the Žlabiai family, which includes six children. The request comes after the mother, Smiltėja Žlabienė, experienced the death of her infant and a subsequent "court hurricane" in Lithuania.

The appeal, shared on social media, states, "I know that TRAVEL helps best after funerals." It expresses a desire for someone to gift the entire family a 2-3 week holiday in Egypt. Bank account details are provided for contributions, though the total amount sought or the estimated cost of the trip is not specified.

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I know that TRAVEL helps best after funerals.

This request has ignited a discussion online. While some commenters encourage supporting the family through this tragedy, others question whether a trip to Egypt should be a priority. One woman commented, "People work to be able to go on trips. Haven't you tried working?" Another expressed understanding for the children's needs but doubted the necessity of the vacation itself.

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People work to be able to go on trips. Haven't you tried working?

Some commenters were critical, suggesting the family should focus on daily needs and question their ability to fund such a trip themselves. One commenter, raising six children, stated she finances her family's trips by saving from her earnings and advised Smiltėja to "look carefully at what she is doing wrong" if she constantly needs to ask for handouts. The author of the initiative defended the appeal, arguing that the family needs support after their difficult experiences.

The Žlabiai family's situation previously gained public attention after child welfare advocates initially decided to remove all seven children from the family, even though one had already died. The State Child Rights Protection and Adoption Service explained that the decision was made on July 27, and they only learned of the infant's death on July 28, with the baby having passed away on July 26. This circumstance caused public outrage and raised questions about inter-institutional information sharing. The service acknowledged the situation and stated that algorithms for information transfer between institutions would be reviewed.

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My children I take somewhere in parts. Not all at once. I work hard for that. I save up. And I wish Smiltėja would look carefully at what she is doing wrong if she constantly needs to ask for handouts.