Amid discussions of a possible resignation of Lithuania's Minister of Defense Dovilė Šakalienė, the public's attention in the neighboring country was drawn to her behavior — in particular, the story about the bag, Lithuanian public media reports.
A photo has circulated on social media showing the minister's adjutant walking behind her with a bag in hand. Anonymous testimonies from ministry employees have also emerged in the media, claiming that Šakalienė allegedly humiliates her subordinates. The photo was perceived as evidence that the minister forces a subordinate to carry her personal bag.
According to the 15min portal, sources in the Ministry of Defense reported that the minister's adjutant, Major Marius Dziancavicius, is allegedly required to carry the minister's bag, iron her clothes, and perform other personal tasks. Journalists reported that some of Šakalienė's subordinates complained about bullying and provocation of conflicts.
However, the bag became the center of public discussion about Šakalienė's competence. Debates began on whether the subordinate indeed carries her belongings, and soon a photo confirming this appeared online. The shot was taken by a photographer and operator from LRT on October 20 in the government building.
Nevertheless, the Ministry of Defense officially stated to LRT.lt that the adjutant is not carrying the minister's bag in the photo.
"Such a function is not included in the adjutant's job responsibilities. The photo shows him carrying not the personal bag of former minister D. Šakalienė," the ministry's comment reads.
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