On Tuesday, 124 members of the Seimas voted for the law returned by the president to be adopted with the amendments he submitted, one was against and two abstained.
The head of the country vetoed the amendments adopted by the Seimas in June, by which potential conflicts of interest of mayors and members of municipal councils were exclusively handed over to self-government ethics commissions for investigation, leaving VTEK as the only higher instance.
The head of the country returned the amendments, arguing that if violations by local government politicians are left to be investigated exclusively by local ethics commissions, there is a risk that an objective investigation will be impossible due to bias.
The President also proposed to the Seimas to determine that the investigation of complaints regarding the compliance of the actions of members of municipal councils and mayors with the provisions of the Law on Harmonization of Public and Private Interests would remain the competence of VTEK.
Conservative Vilius Semeška, who spoke for the president’s veto, said that the Seimas had made a mistake by earlier adopting amendments that removed VTEK’s competence to investigate violations by local government politicians and “there is nothing happier than not living in a mistake, but acknowledging and correcting it”.
“Municipal ethics commissions are nevertheless very politicized, especially when municipal ethics commissions are made up of the majority and will not be able to make impartial decisions, then trust in both the municipality and the democratic state, as well as the parties and politicians themselves, will significantly decrease,” said V. Semeška.
Conservative Jurgis Razma said that objectivity should not be expected from local government ethics commissions, and the Supreme Commission for Official Ethics “will definitely examine those questions more objectively and clear answers will be given to the public”.
The VTEK law stipulates that this commission investigates reports, complaints and requests of individuals regarding the conformity of the actions of declaring persons with the provisions of the Law on the Coordination of Public and Private Interests, except for the members of the Seimas. In June, the Seimas added municipal council members and mayors to this provision, but the president vetoed this provision.
At the time, the Seimas amendments were also supported by VTEK, which maintains the position that the amendments reconciled the Law on the Chief Official Ethics Commission with the Law on Local Self-Government and the Code of Conduct for State Politicians.
In a comment to BNS, the commission noted that according to the current regulation, a complaint could be submitted to both municipal ethics commissions and VTEK regarding the same incident.
“This amendment aims at a systemic approach – that first of all municipal ethics commissions investigate the behavior of council members, as provided for in the Law on Local Self-Government, and the role of VTEK would be to evaluate the decisions of these commissions, if they were appealed to VTEK,” the commission previously stated in a comment submitted to BNS.
VTEK also noted that after the adoption of the amendments, the commission remains as a mandatory preliminary institution for handling disputes out of court, which examines complaints about decisions made by municipal ethics commissions.
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#Seimas #approved #presidents #veto #local #government #politicians #violations #investigated #VTEK
**Interview with Vilius Semeška, Conservative Member of the Seimas**
**Interviewer:** Thank you for joining us today, Mr. Semeška. Recently, the President vetoed amendments that would have shifted the investigation of potential conflicts of interest among mayors and municipal council members to local ethics commissions. Can you explain the implications of this veto?
**Vilius Semeška:** Thank you for having me. The President’s veto was crucial for ensuring that the integrity of the investigation process remains intact. By returning the amendments, he recognized the potential bias that could arise if local ethics commissions, which are often influenced by local politics, were left as the sole authority for these investigations.
**Interviewer:** You mentioned potential bias. Can you elaborate on why local ethics commissions may struggle to remain impartial?
**Vilius Semeška:** Absolutely. Local ethics commissions are typically composed of individuals affiliated with various political parties, including the majority party in the municipality. This structure can lead to conflicts of interest, where decision-making may not be based on objective facts but rather influenced by political loyalties. It is vital for the public to trust the integrity of these investigations, and using VTEK ensures a more impartial process.
**Interviewer:** The amendments initially adopted by the Seimas were intended to streamline the investigation process. Do you not think local commissions could provide a more immediate response to conflicts of interest?
**Vilius Semeška:** While the intention may have been to create a swift response, the risk associated with politicized investigations outweighs the benefits of speed. Transparency and public trust are paramount, and investigations conducted by VTEK can offer a higher level of scrutiny that the local commissions may not achieve. Our responsibility is to both address issues promptly and uphold ethical standards.
**Interviewer:** How do you respond to criticism that VTEK might also be influenced by political factors, and that its process may not be entirely objective?
**Vilius Semeška:** That’s a valid concern, and any institution is susceptible to criticism. However, VTEK has established a reputation for thorough and unbiased examinations compared to local commissions. The framework surrounding its operations is designed to mitigate political influences, ensuring that complaints and investigations are handled with the utmost professionalism.
**Interviewer:** what is the next step for the Seimas regarding legislation on conflict of interest in local governments following this veto?
**Vilius Semeška:** The Seimas will deliberate on the President’s suggestions and work collaboratively to uphold the law on the coordination of public and private interests. Our goal is to enact reforms that enhance transparency and reinforce public trust in our local governments, ensuring that every elected official is held to the same ethical standards.
**Interviewer:** Thank you for your insights, Mr. Semeška. It’s clear that maintaining integrity in governance is a priority for you and the Seimas.
**Vilius Semeška:** Thank you for having me. It is an honor to participate in discussions that shape the ethical landscape of our political system.
