The news portal lrytas.lt asked what summer plans members of the Seimas and heads of state have, when they are going on holiday and what destinations they have decided to choose this year.
Mr Razma went to the Latvian seaside
Jurgis Razma, a conservative member of the Seimas and Vice-Chairman of the Seimas, admitted to the portal lrytas.lt that he has not planned any special holidays this summer, as he already lives surrounded by nature and peace.
„My place of residence is in the countryside, which is perfectly suitable for a holiday,“ said J.Razma.
However, the Deputy Speaker of the Seimas said that he had already taken one trip to the Latvian seaside, which had been particularly helpful for him to regain his strength.
„I spent a few days on the Latvian seaside, in a campsite where civilisation is almost non-existent. We rested in such simple conditions by the sea,“ said Mr Razma.
Asked why he chose the seaside of a neighbouring country instead of Lithuania, the conservative said that he had not found any places in Lithuania where one could camp near the sea.
„There, the environment is almost untouched by civilisation – theoretically, there is a camping site, but you can spend time in a quiet, completely natural environment. It seems to me that this is a very good option for a holiday,“ Razma shared.
Širinskienė also spends time with her Japanese carp
Agnė Širinskienė, Member of Parliament and Elder of the Mixed Group of Members of the Seimas, was happy to be able to devote more time to her hobbies finally, but she does not forget her work either.
„I try to relax – my husband and I went to Poland, we went to Lublin, but now I think it's the time when I want to do some „tinkering“ – whether it's bills or other matters. Sometimes I come to Vilnius for a couple of days during the week to do the necessary work, to answer letters, sometimes paper ones.
The rest of the time I spend at home in Dūkštai in a slightly more relaxed mode,“ said Širinskienė.
The MEP is very fond of planting and caring for flowers, but she also admitted that she even grows Japanese carp.
„I can already devote time to my hobbies, and I can go and feed my carp in the morning. I grow Japanese carp, which, by the way, grow and live very well in Lithuania. Practically within three years, they can come and eat out of my hand, which is very satisfying.
There is no time for such things at work because, in the mornings, you are in Vilnius, and you don't see the carp anymore. So I try to enjoy it – I understand that there is a month left, and these things will not be there because I will not be at home these days,“ – A.Širinskienė told the portal lrytas.lt.
A. Mazuronis marches along the Camino Lituano
Andrius Mazuronis, the Chairman of the Labour Party and a member of the Parliament could probably boast the most impressive summer. On 7 July, he started walking the Camino Lituano pilgrimage route. It is 500 kilometres long, and the whole distance has to be covered on foot.
When lrytas.lt contacted the politician, he assured us that he will soon reach Alytus.
„I feel great, and I am not tired at all. Today I have already crossed the 400-kilometre mark, 10 kilometres to Alytus. I will spend the night there today,“ Mazuronis said.
This is not the first time that the Chairman of the Labour Party has walked such a long distance – at the beginning of May, he also walked along the Portuguese St. He also walked along the St. James's Way, where he walked about 270 kilometres. Mazuronis admitted that he enjoys walking very much – even though he lives close to the Seimas, he tries to walk at least 10 kilometres a day, even in Vilnius.
He had been interested in the Lithuanian Camino for a long time, so he waited for the right opportunity to set off.
„My wife, mother-in-law and children were going to Palanga, and I found the moment when I asked to go out for three weeks to march. I had read about this route, and I had been interested in it for a very long time. I had read descriptions, comments, and reviews. I was wondering what the infrastructure was like there – how the night spots were, how the accommodation was, how the food was.
It was a bit of a thrill, but on 6 July, we celebrated Mindaugas Coronation Day at the Presidential Palace, and on 7 July, I went to Žagarė and started going. There are a few days to go before the Seine, and that's where the road ends,“ said Mazuronis.
Although there have been no problems with accommodation so far, the Member of the Seimas admitted that it is a bit more difficult to find warm food on the journey.
„There aren't many cafés around, and it's difficult to get warm food, so even now, I carry milk sausages, bread and a cucumber in my backpack. It's basic food, but it's still fun.
And it's very easy to find accommodation, and the Camino Lituano website is very good. People are quick to respond and accept. There has never been a time when I have not been able to find accommodation,“ said Mazuronis.
When asked what has made the biggest impression on him so far, the politician mentioned the people he has met along the way.
„The people you meet. When you walk along the road, they look quite empty, but in the hostels, there are more people. It was my birthday on 13 July, and I was staying in Paberže with seven other people. We had a cake from a local shop, so we had a nice birthday celebration over a can of beer or other drinks with people I was seeing for the first time in my life and probably for the last.
It's such a sense of community when everyone is like a family member, ready to help, to welcome, and even give you a patch for blisters. Apart from walking, perhaps the most fascinating thing is the landscape, nature, Lithuanian roads, which are not at all inferior to Portuguese roads, and some of them are even more beautiful,“ said Mazuronis.
However, even though the MP will have walked several hundred kilometres at the end of the journey, the Worker said he does not feel tired at all.
„You don't get tired at all. I felt pain in my legs the first few days, but then you just get up and walk. Your body gets used to it. And to rest your head, here is probably the best way ever invented to fatten it up and make it completely light, without any stress, with a philosophical approach.
It is a very good way of meditation, a very good way to rest and regain psychological strength, which is very important,“ Mazuronis told the lrytas.lt portal.
How will the country's leaders and ministers go on holiday?
Like members of the Seimas, the President of Lithuania does not have a formal holiday, but parliamentarians have the opportunity to rest between Seimas sessions. The Head of State, Gitanas Nausėda, will have no rest this summer.
As Ridas Jasiulionis, the President's advisor, told the news portal lrytas.lt, the rest of the summer is not scheduled to be interrupted by any breaks.
„The President has no plans to leave Lithuania,“ Jasiulionis said.
In the meantime, members of the Government are entitled to a minimum annual leave of 20 working days. Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė will take all her holidays soon, on 25 July, and will rest until 3 August, spending most of her vacation in Lithuania.
Meanwhile, the Speaker of the Seimas, Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen, will be on holiday in Denmark this year, as she has been for several summers before.
„I will follow tradition and go to Denmark for six days. Normally, work is not interrupted when I am away, but I will work remotely from Denmark,“ the Speaker said.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Gabrielius Landsbergis, is already on vacation from 13 to 26 July. On Thursday, the Minister for Economy and Innovation, Aušrinė Armonaitė, started her summer vacation and will rest until 11 August. The Minister is planning to travel both in Lithuania and abroad.
The Minister of Transport and Communications, Marius Skuodis, is also likely to start packing his bags, as he plans to take a holiday from 24 July until 4 August. The Minister will also take a longer break after Žolina, taking a 16–18 August holiday. The same strategy will be followed by the Minister of Social Security and Labour, Monika Navickienė, who will be on holiday from 16–18 August, as well as from 31 July to 8 August.
The Minister has no definite plans for her leave at the moment but plans to spend time with her loved ones. Simonas Kairys, the Minister of Culture, will take a similar break from work for two weeks at the end of July and the beginning of August. The Minister plans to spend part of his vacation in Lithuania and part abroad.
The Minister of the Interior, Agnė Bilotaitė, has already spent 3–5 July abroad and plans to spend 28 July-14 August in Lithuania. Meanwhile, Finance Minister Gintarė Skaistė is planning to take a two-week holiday from 7–21 August with her family abroad. Health Minister Arūnas Dulkys will be on leave for almost a month, from 7 August to 1 September.
During this period, the Minister does not plan any trips abroad and will spend the holiday in Lithuania with his family. Arvydas Anušauskas, Minister of National Defence, will be on leave for two weeks in August, but the exact period is not clear – the Minister has indicated that he intends to rest when the other ministers return from their holidays.
The new Minister of Education, Science and Sport, Gintautas Jakštas, will take a one-day holiday on 14 August, after the long weekend. Meanwhile, Dainius Kreivys, Minister of Energy, is going on holiday but has not yet decided on the timing or the plans.
The Minister of Justice, Ewelina Dobrowolska, is planning to take a holiday from 1 to 14 August, as well as from 28 August to 1 September. The Minister has planned to spend her holidays in Lithuania.
