News2021.01.12 17:37

MP Guoga resigns after conflict with party leader who advertised Covid-19 ‘cure’

BNS, LRT.lt 2021.01.12 17:37

Antanas Guoga is resigning as a member of the Lithuanian parliament, the head of Lithuania's Central Electoral Commission confirmed on Tuesday. 

"We received MP Guoga's request to cancel his mandate as a member of the Seimas" as of January 14, Laura Matjosaityte told BNS.

The MP said he was resigning "of his own free will" and asked the election watchdog to convene a meeting so that he could read out his request, according to her.

Guoga is a former member of the European Parliament who ran for parliament with Viktor Uspaskich’s Labour Party. After the latter came under fire for advertising a Covid-19 ‘cure’, Guoga called for him to step down. The party then said they would consider asking Guoga to resign.

Read more: Lithuanian MEP under fire for advertising Covid-19 ‘cure’

The MP would be replaced in the Seimas by Artūras Skardžius, the next-in-line candidate on the opposition Labour Party's list in last autumn's parliamentary election.

Skardžius was named in a number of corruption scandals during the previous parliamentary term.

Read more: Lithuania's Labour Party makes a comeback despite dark past

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