Lithuanian PM Faces No-Confidence Vote Over Data Leaks, Ethics Probe

Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė faces a no-confidence motion initiated by the opposition. Lawmakers are demanding to know when she was first informed about illegal access to the Centre of Registers' information systems and the subsequent unauthorized disclosure of data. They also question the specific instructions she gave to the Minister of the Interior and other responsible institutions, as well as actions taken within the Migration Department. A key point of contention is the delayed public notification of the incident. The motion also probes why the public was informed late about the data breach. Furthermore, the inquiry seeks to understand the Prime Minister's actions concerning a finding by the Chief Official Ethics Commission (VTEK). The VTEK concluded that Šimonytė had grossly violated the law by including her family members on official work visits. Lawmakers are asking why she did not recuse herself from decisions involving the composition of official delegations that included her family. They also want to know what measures have been implemented since the VTEK ruling to clearly regulate the recusal of top officials from decisions related to their private interests or those of their close associates within the Government Chancellery and ministries. The opposition is also questioning whether the Prime Minister intends to resign following these incidents and what steps will be taken to restore public trust in the government, the security of state registry data, and the transparency of the Prime Minister's decisions. The leader of the Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats, Laurynas Kasčiūnas, had previously indicated the possibility of initiating a no-confidence procedure if the Social Democrats did not provide a clear answer on who would lead the government after the formation of a new coalition.