Lithuania’s Deputy Finance Minister Valentin Gavrilov had an account on the Russian social network VKontakte and it contained a playlist of songs glorifying Russia’s army and the Soviet Union, LRT RADIO reported on Monday.
The vice minister says he has already deleted the account and is loyal to Lithuania.
“I logged in in 2025 to delete this account. I had not logged in to it for a very long time before that. As for the songs, it’s not because I like them, but just to listen to them,” Gavrilov said. “I was born in Lithuania, grew up in Lithuania, my whole life is connected to Lithuania, and I work exclusively for Lithuania.”
Following the report, the opposition parties appealed to Finance Minister Rimantas Šadžius to remove Gavrilov from the deputy minister post.
"This raises serious doubts about human values and loyalty to Lithuania's interests. Especially when he [Gavrilov] is in charge of financial policy, European Union issues, and international relations, which are directly related to initiatives that are important for Lithuania, such as support for Ukraine,” said Radvilė Morkūnaitė-Mikulėnienė, the interim leader of conservative Homeland Union.
“Does the minister think that a person who glorifies the Soviet Union and the Russian army can hold the post of deputy minister? This could not only pose a reputational risk but also a security risk for Lithuania,” she added.
Meanwhile, the Liberal Movement has invited Šadžius to discuss the new information on Gavrilov with members of the political group.
“In response to the new information that has emerged about Deputy Finance Minister Valentin Gavrilov, we invite Minister Šadžius to the Liberal Movement group to once again ask the question whether the minister still has full confidence in him, given that Gavrilov will have to make decisions related to sanctions and the allocation of funds for the defence of Lithuania,” Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen, leader of the Liberal Movement, wrote on Facebook.
On Monday, Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas said that he had not personally seen Gavrilov’s VKontakte profile, but he did not rule out the possibility of turning to the State Security Department (VSD) over this issue.
“I do not rule out the possibility of asking the VSD for a conclusion on whether or not the person poses a threat to national security,” he said.
Paluckas said that “for the time being” he had no doubts about Gavrilov’s loyalty to Lithuania: “I can see that the minister is directly supervising his activities and sees what he is doing, how he is doing it, what his position is.”
“If there are questions, they can best be answered by those who have full information,” the prime minister added.
Gavrilov has previously been criticised for celebrating the Soviet Victory Day on May 9. Following the public outcry, he said May 9 was very important to his family. He later changed his mind and said he decided to commemorate the end of the Second World War on May 8, “in respect for the opinion of all Lithuanian citizens”.
The Western world, including Lithuania, commemorates the end of the Second World War on May 8, when Germany signed the surrender act in 1945. Lithuania did not become free at the end of the war because it was occupied by the Soviet Union.
Russia uses the Victory Day of May 9 to spread its propaganda and ideology.
In the team of social democrat Finance Minister Šadžius, Gavrilov is in charge of financial policy, European Union issues, and international relations.
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