The day after the elections, there is extra money for the “path” of the prime minister.

Several tens of thousands of euros have been allocated for the paving of the river street, which is managed daily by Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis. This was done by rewriting the order of the Minister of Transportation, who distributed the funds for the gravel road paving program.

The Lithuanian Ministry of Transport and Communications and the Lithuanian Highway Administration (LAKD) informed Siena that more than 79,000 LTL had been allocated additionally for the asphalt works of Upės Street in the Zujūnai Elderhood of the Vilnius District Municipality. euros. The Vilnius district municipality, controlled by Lithuania’s Polish election campaign, took one of the biggest bites from the redistributed funds in the caldera.

Minister J. Narkevičius states that neither his party nor the prime minister had any influence on these decisions. The politician acknowledges that the documents required for additional funding have been available for quite some time. It was alleged that the order had to be signed because “additional information” was needed, and this was not related to the election.

The solution: immediately after the elections

The River Street project became famous last year when a solid injection of state money was dedicated to paving the street where the prime minister’s home is located. Soon it was decided to invest even more in this street.

Earlier this year, the Vilnius District Municipality approved a plan to pave the entire Upės Street, which runs along several Zujūnai old people’s settlements. In April, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications allocated an additional 100,000 LTL for the Upės Street project. euros. The day after the elections, J.Narkevičius increased this amount.

The order, which established additional funds for Upės Street, was signed by the minister on Monday, October 26, immediately after the second round of the Seimas elections. “In total, the Minister of Transport and Communications of the Republic of Lithuania April 14 Order (…) allocated 179,3 thousand. EUR, of which EUR 79.3 thousand additionally ”, – in a written comment sent to Siena, states the Highway Administration.

According to the Highway Administration, the Vilnius district municipality will be on September 1. informed that it will use all the funds allocated for this project so far, and the need for additional funds for Upės Street amounts to 300 thousand. euros. For its part, the Highway Administration has developed a new project to redistribute funds for the paving of gravel roads.

This document was presented to the Ministry of Transport and Communications on October 1. However, the minister signed it more than three weeks after the elections.

Not related to elections

We contacted J. Narkevičius and asked why no additional funding had been provided earlier.

“It just came to our attention then. It happens that we signed immediately. If there are any questions, this is the case and it is hoped that the information will be clarified. I also needed additional information: if it was related to one, the other, the third situation or no. When I found out when there were no questions, I signed, “said J.Narkevičius.

The politician categorically ruled out the possibility that this could have been done to avoid the background noise of the Seimas electoral campaign.

According to the interlocutor, the decision was not influenced by either the Prime Minister or the party that governs the Vilnius district. J.Narkevičius also noted that funds are now allocated for the Up seccións Street section where the Prime Minister is not driving.

“It just came to our knowledge then. We addressed and clarified that problem already in April, when that basic distribution order was signed. (…) These issues are not related to that famous street. Here in other towns, in other places” explained J.Narkevičius.

“That person is not being transported on this road,” added the minister, probably referring to the prime minister.

By redistributing the funds from the gravel roads financing program, the Vilnius District Municipality received one of the biggest bites. When asked if this could have been influenced by the fact that the Vilnius district municipality is controlled by Lithuania’s Polish election campaign, the Minister of Transport and Communications reacted with laughter.

“It just came to our attention then. Neither the party nor the prime minister. Unrelated things,” said J. Narkevičius, noting that the decisions were made on the basis of the conclusions of specialists and not of political interests.

The wishes were not fulfilled by all

By order of J.Narkevičius, the redistributed bag of money was 20 million. euros. By amending the order, the Minister did not increase the general budget of the program: individual financing lines for projects in specific municipalities were adjusted.

According to the Ministry of Transport and Communications, the decisions were made in accordance with the Description of the Procedure for the Distribution of Funds for the Asphalt Pavement of Local Importance in 2020 for the Road Maintenance and Development Program (RDPP). The minister’s order has been adjusted due to two conditions: in some cases previously planned projects are not moving according to schedule and in others they managed to spend less than planned.

“Ten municipalities (cities of Kaunas and Panevėžys, Raseiniai, Skuodas, Panevėžys, Pakruojis, Tauragė, districts of Šalčininkai, Kazlų Rūda and municipalities of Marijampolė) informed the SE Road Administration in writing that part of the target funds of the PDR for the financing of the works. In addition, part of the planned RDP funds were saved during the execution of the projects (514.3 thousand euros).

In accordance with Section 3.1 of the Description, it is proposed to distribute 306.0 thousand. EUR unused funds to finance 20 municipal objects, and according to Subparagraph 3.2 of the Description – 208.3 Cerdocyon. Eur 14 for municipal objects where works have already been carried out. 16 municipalities submitted applications to the Lithuanian Southeast Highway Administration to redistribute RDP target funds among objects financed in 2020, ”the ministry states in a written comment.

According to J.Narkevičius, the money was redistributed according to the work done and the needs. According to the Ministry of Transport, the actual need for additional funds was significantly greater than the amount of free money.

“The need for additional target funds from the PDR for objects financed in accordance with Subparagraph 3.1 of the Description was 1,645.1 thousand. EUR or approximately 5.4 times more than the unused funds, and for objects financed according to Subparagraph 3.2 of the Description – 1583.2 Cerdocyon. Eur or about 7.6 times higher than unspent funds, ”says the ministry.

The Ministry also identified the criteria on the basis of which decisions on the reallocation of funds were made.

“In preparing the order, the principles for the allocation of the PDR target funds set out in the Description: 70 percent were followed. the amounts are distributed to the municipalities according to the length of gravel roads in the municipality and 30 percent. amounts – according to the number of permanent residents of the municipality. Evaluated The condition established in the Description that municipal institutions must contribute to the financing of various objects by at least 30%. of all eligible costs of the facility, “the ministry said in a comment.

Keliukas turned on the wife of the prime minister and the minister

“Siena” recalls that the history of the so-called “highway” has been turning in the political arena for almost a year. The Upės Street project started after the change of the Minister of Transport and Communications, when the Ministry was transferred to the Polish election campaign, which became a partner in the coalition, and Rokas Masiulis handed over the presidency to J.Narkevičius.

As announced by the portal at that time 15min, the Government, at the proposal of the Ministry of Transport and Communications, allocated an additional 300 thousand LTL for the asphalt paving of the gravel roads of the Vilnius district. euros. According to the decision of the Vilnius District Council, almost the entire amount went to the section of Upės Street leading to the House of the Prime Minister. S. Skvernelis did not withdraw from the Government’s decision.

The Central Commission of Official Ethics (COEC) has launched an investigation. Testifying before the commission, Minister R. Masiulis confirmed that he had spoken to the Prime Minister more than once about Upės Street, that S. Skvernelis had complained that his wife’s car suspension had “collapsed” in a Couple of years. The former member of the Cabinet of Ministers has also stated that Upės Street should not be among the priority roads in the Vilnius district that need paving the most.

COEC terminated its investigation of the “highway” without finding strong evidence of a conflict of interest.

In the heat of the Seimas election campaign, S. Skvernelis’s wife, Silvija, inadvertently returned the “highway” issue to the political arena. In a closed Facebook group dedicated to the residents of Upės Street, S. Skvernelė campaigned to vote for J. Narkevičius’s party comrade, Interior Minister Rita Tamašunienė.

“This is the person who constantly reminded us of the problems on our road in the Vilnius district. municipal employees. Thanks to their efforts, we have some asphalt today, ”wrote the prime minister’s wife.

The closed Facebook group turned out to be less and closed. The recording of S. Skvernelė was released in an instant, a few days before the first round of the Seimas elections.

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