The Lithuanian defence minister has dismissed Colonel Elegijus Paulavičius as chief of the country’s military intelligence.
According to information available to BNS, the head of the Second Investigation Department has been transferred to the Defence Ministry’s temporary reserve of professional military service personnel as of Wednesday.
Paulavičius was removed despite the fact that his term of office is due to expire in mid-August. BNS understands that the reason for his removal was his own request submitted in mid-June to terminate his professional military service contract at the end of his term of office.
Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas said the dismissal “is in no way related to national security or military intelligence”.
“It has to do with employment relations, the readiness of a person to continue in their position and similar things,” he told reporters on Wednesday, adding he did not have reasons to question Defence Minister Dovilė Šakalienė’s decision.
Paulavičius is not subject to any investigation, the prime minister said, refraining from providing any more information because of personal data protection.
Approached by BNS, Paulavičius confirmed he was transferred to the professional military service reserve on Wednesday by the defence minister’s order, although he had asked in mid-June to be dismissed from the professional military service from August when his term of office expires.
Ministry: dismissal is part of a review
The Defence Ministry later issued a statement, saying Paulavičius was dismissed as part of a review of the working atmosphere at the Second Investigation Department.
“The transfer to the reserve was carried out in order to ensure the smooth and uninterrupted work of a very important institution carrying out military intelligence and counter-intelligence,” the ministry’s commentary to the media said.
“The questions about the smoothness of the work are related to the internal atmosphere in the organisation and we are checking this information. While the investigation continues, in order to ensure the smooth functioning of the institution and to enable them to perform their duties properly, a decision has been made to place the head of the institution on reserve for the last seven weeks before the end of his term of office,” it said.
The ministry insisted that the smooth functioning of the intelligence institution was a priority.
“We expect the director to cooperate with the investigation and to keep the interests of the state above personal ambitions,” the commentary said.
Paulavičius was appointed head of military intelligence in August 2020.
He joined the Lithuanian Armed Forces in 1999 and has served in a variety of positions within the system and has also worked at the NATO Joint Analysis and Lessons Learnt Center in Portugal.
The Second Investigation Department is one of Lithuania’s two intelligence services, alongside the State Security Department (VSD).
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