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The number of parliamentarians declaring their meetings during work hours increased by one third

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Published may 05, 2018


During the regular autumn session, the number of declarations made by members of Lithuanian Parliament (the Seimas) regarding their meetings with interest groups and registered lobbyists increased by one third. 60 parliamentarians publicized information about their meetings in autumn, while in spring – 45 declarations were made. The information came from the research conducted by Transparency International Lithuania after reviewing the information on manosusitikimai.lt, official work calendars, and personal websites of the parliamentarians.

Two thirds (41 out of 60) of the parliamentarians that published their meetings have been in the office for the first term. The meetings of these politicians make up the majority (390 out of 496) of all publicly declared meetings.

The highest number of meetings (47) were declared by Simonas Gentvilas, member of the Liberal Movement Group . Seimas Chairman Viktoras Pranckietis declared 39 meetings, followed by Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis (37). A member of Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union, Arūnas Gumuliauskas, declared 27 meetings while his colleagues Rima Baškienė and Vytautas Bakas declared 19 meetings each.

80% of all the meetings were declared by the members of Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union political group (259 out of 496) and The Liberals Movement political group (113 out of 496).

Three fourths (77%) of the members of Liberals Union political group and more than a half (57%) of Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union political group’s members publicly declared at least one meeting.

3 out of the 7 members of the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party political group made their meetings public, followed by 7 out of 31 members of Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrat political group, and 2 out of 12 members of the Lithuanian Social Democratic Labour political group. 1 out of 7 members of the Order and Justice political group, 1 out of 8 from Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania – Christian Families Alliance political group, and 3 out of 6 Non-attached Members publicized their meetings.

The largest number of meetings was held with business associations and businessmen (191), NGO representatives (140), science (81) and religious communities (20) representatives, and trade unions (16), the same tendency as the last spring session.

4 politicians proclaimed their meetings with registered lobbyists (4): Simonas Gentvilas, Rūta Miliūtė, Monika Navickienė, Algirdas Sysas.

For research purposes, the only the information that was publicly available between 10th of September 2017 and 16th of February 2018 was taken from official working calendars, personal websites, and entries made in manosusitikimai.lt about the interest groups that the parliamentarians met with.

A short summary can be found here, and more information about the study here.

More information: Sergejus Muravjovas, sergejus@transparency.lt, +370 689 97579



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