Roundup: Lithuanian defense, agriculture ministers face interpellations amid scandals

Lithuania's defense and agriculture ministers are to face interpellation procedure next week, revealed the speaker of the country's parliament on Thursday.

On Thursday, the speaker of the Lithuanian parliament Loreta Grauziniene announced that the country's defense minister Juozas Olekas and agriculture minister Virginija Baltraitiene must reply to interpellation questions by next Tuesday and then face a voting at the Seimas, the country's parliament.

If the ministers' answers are dismissed by the parliament, they will face a vote of confidence, according to Grauziniene.

Interpellations against Olekas and Baltraitiene poses a threat of "political chaos", thinks the speaker of the Seimas.

Olekas and Baltraitiene losing the vote of confidence would mean that the current social democrats led government would have more than half of its ministers replaced during the term.

"Then the prime minister and the government would have to receive their mandates anew," Grauziniene told a press conference.

The possible vote of confidence would take place just before the country's parliamentary elections to be held on Oct. 9.

"A political chaos could emerge before the elections," noted Grauziniene.

Interpellations against the ministers have been initiated by the parliament's biggest opposition group Homeland union -- Lithuanian Christian democrats.

MPs question Olekas' responsibility over the control of defense spending. Earlier this month, it was revealed that Lithuanian army had bought kitchen utensils for around eight times the market prices in 2014.

Following the scandal, Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite required Olekas to take personal responsibility.

Meanwhile, Baltraitiene faces questions about corruption scandals at the ministry's controlled authorities and her personal responsibility.

The most recent scandal involved the country's chief veterinary officer and a suspected abuse of office and forgery of documents to hide information about human health-threatening bacteria found in frozen dumplings.

Baltraitiene is also questioned over the scandal of the ministry's overpriced procurements of food. Endit