The parliamentary Commission on Ethics and Procedures has concluded that MP Petras Gražulis has cast a vote for a fellow MP. He is looking to be sanctioned and possibly impeached.
As established by the Commission, Gražulis, who is a member of the opposition Lithuanian Regions political group, voted instead of Social Democrat Linas in mid-September, violating the Statute of the Seimas and the principle of fairness enshrined in the Code of Conduct for State Politicians.
The MP himself said that “when you vote a hundred of times during the day, you cannot remember” what happened half a year ago.
Andrius Bagdonas, deputy chair of the Commission, told BNS that Gražulis had sent an explanation letter to the Commission, which said that he regretted that he might have voted instead of a fellow MP, and offered an apology.
MP Jonauskas claimed that he had not asked Gražulis to vote in his place.
Jurgis Razma, first deputy speaker of the Seimas, said that such an infringement might lead to impeachment proceedings.
Gražulis may also face impeachment proceedings due to his conviction in a case of abuse of office, in which Lithuania’s Court of Appeals upheld a lower court’s decision to impose a fine of 15,000 euros on the MP earlier this year.
The impeachment motion has not been brought pending a final decision from the Supreme Court.
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