The Lithuanian parliament has voted to strip MP Petras Gražulis of his immunity from prosecution.
The motion was passed on Tuesday in a vote of 97 to six with 26 abstentions.
Read more: Lithuanian MP faces prosecution for pressuring Russian officials
Lithuania's prosecutor general, Evaldas Pašilis, asked the parliament, Seimas, for permission to prosecute Gražulis who is suspected of abuse of office and pressuring public servants in Lithuania and Russia in order to help a private business company.
According to Pašilis, Gražulis abused his political position and influence, undermined the prestige of the parliament and breached his oath, thus causing major damage to the state.
The previous Seimas refused to strip Gražulis of his legal immunity. At least 71 votes in favour are required to pass such a motion.
Law-enforcement officials suspect that Gražulis helped Judex, a Kaunas-based frozen food company, to solve its problems after Russian officials found listeria in its products in 2015.
Gražulis has denied any wrongdoing, describing the case as “political persecution”.
Prosecutors wanted to question Gražulis as a special witness back in 2016, but he refused to testify, using his immunity as a member of parliament.
Previously a member of the Order and Justice party, Gražulis was re-elected this year as an independent candidate from his single-member constituency in Gargždai. In the current parliament, he is a member of the non-attached group of MPs.
Read more: Naked man flashes behind notoriously anti-LGBT Lithuanian MP during online meeting
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