There was no job in the municipality, there was a municipal company

Tomas Raulinavičius, who once worked as a journalist in the media of the district, wrote about possible cases of corruption and was even awarded by the Special Investigation Service for his journalistic investigations in the competition “Media against corruption”, now Tomas Raulinavičius, who held the position of deputy director of the Tauragė district municipality administration for the past term, has to explain himself about possible nepotism. A few months ago, T. Raulinavičius, who is a member of the Fatherland Union and started working in the Wastewater Treatment Service at the company managed by the municipality, is a librarian by education.

The librarian became a sewage treatment specialist

The persons who contacted “Tauragės Kurjeris” asked to find out under what circumstances a member of the conservative party belonging to the ruling coalition of the district was employed by the municipality-controlled company “Tauragės Vandenys”. According to the informants, the man works in the company’s Wastewater Treatment Service in Ližiai.

– As far as we know, his education is a librarian, he has never worked in anything related to plumbing. At least as we imagine, an employee of a different specialty should work in the wastewater treatment service. It would be very interesting to know the competences of Tomas Raulinavičius in this field and whether more serious specialists have not really appeared in Taurage, – asked “Taurage Kurjeri” several citizens of Taurage (their names are known to the editors).

For the speakers, the employment of T. Raulinavičius in “Tauragė vandenyse” resembles a case of nepotism, where the official position is used to patronize friends and relatives. Because the head of the company “Tauragės Vandenys” Tadas Pauparis is also a member of the party that belongs to the ruling coalition of Tauragės district, but another one, the Union of Lithuanian Peasants and Greens.

Denies any nepotism

T. Raulinavičius is not mentioned in the contacts of the company “Tauragės vandenys”. A total of 94 employees currently work in this municipality-controlled company.

After contacting the head of “Tauragės vandenų” T. Pauparis, he informed that T. Raulinavičius was hired as a specialist of the Wastewater Treatment Service a few months ago after passing the announced competition. In addition to T. Raulinavičius, two other candidates participated in the competition. When asked about the specialties of the other contestants, T. Pauparis did not remember, but he strictly denied any shadow of nepotism and assured that the new employee will also perform the work of publicizing the company’s activities, as he has experience in this field. When asked whether, in his opinion, the qualification of T. Raulinavičius, that is, the librarianship specialty, is suitable for the position of wastewater treatment specialist, T. Pauparis answered:

– What makes this person stumble, what makes him different from others? I do not really understand. The bottom line is that we need a specialist with publicity work, we are waiting for huge publicity for both the wastewater treatment plant and sludge treatment plant projects, as well as website and Facebook work, – said T. Pauparis.

We reminded the head of the company that T. Raulinavičius’s position is not a public relations specialist, but T. Pauparis informed that the new employee is responsible for the wastewater information system. According to T. Pauparis, it was optional to announce a competition for these positions. But in order to select employees, plumbers always announce selections, T. Raulinavičius’s candidacy was chosen during this competition.

When asked if he can guarantee that in this case no one really asked to help T. Raulinavičius find a job, perhaps members of the coalition parties mediated, T. Pauparis assured:

– Stop, what are you talking about? I don’t understand what the parties have to do with it. No, not related, – guaranteed the head of the company “Tauragės vandenys”, assuring that he is always open with the media.

Working since January

The new specialist of the Sewage Treatment Service of “Tauragės vandenų” refused to talk to the author of these lines, asked to send questions by e-mail. They were answered very quickly.

TK When did you start working for UAB “Tauragės vandenys” and what exactly is the title of your position (since it is not specified in the contacts)?

T. Raulinavičius. I started working in 2024. on January 8, the job title is specialist. I am responsible for the wastewater treatment information system, the documentation of the Wastewater Treatment Service, as well as the publicity, excursions, educational activities, etc. of UAB “Tauragės vandenys”. area.

TK Did you volunteer for this position yourself, or was it suggested by the director?

TR I applied when “Tauragė Vandenys” announced the on-site selection in 2023. of the person who left this position in December.

TK Remind us of your exact education (specialty, which institution of higher education you graduated from).

TR Klaipėda University, Lithuanian Philology and Librarianship.

TK Do you have experience in sewage treatment system maintenance?

TR I have work experience with documentation, information systematization, public procurement, communication, i.e. the responsibilities required in this job.

TK Do you still belong to the Homeland Union?

TR Yes, I am a member of TS-LKD.

T. Raulinavičius did not answer the question of whether he still worked somewhere after he was dismissed from the position of deputy director of Tauragė municipality administration.

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During the term of 2019-2023, T. Raulinavičius held the position of Deputy Director of Tauragė District Municipality Administration. in 2023 as a member of the Homeland Union, he ran for the municipal council, but after the voters’ ranking, he fell from the first place on the election list to the third place and did not enter the council. Conservatives have two mandates in the municipal council. At the same time, T. Raulinavičius sought to be elected mayor. However, among the six candidates, the fifth remained. During this term, the position of deputy director in the municipal administration was abolished.

Until 2019, T. Raulinavičius worked as a journalist in several media outlets in the district, he even headed one of them for a short time, and was an assistant to the member of the Seimas, Stasios Šedbar.