Opposition groups in the Lithuanian parliament, Seimas, have collected signatures to set up a temporary commission to look into whether someone leaked information about an investigation against a conservative MP.
MP Kristijonas Bartoševičius, elected with the TS-LKD party, announced he was giving up his seat last month just hours before prosecutors announced he was investigated over suspected sexual abuse against minors. Bartoševičius was on a business trip to Chile when he announced his resignation.
Read more: Lithuanian conservative politician suspected of sexual abuse against 4 minors
Opposition politicians believe Bartoševičius could have been informed about the investigation and resigned in order to avoid publicity.
MP Agnė Širinskienė, a representative of the Lithuanian Regions Party, informed BNS on Monday that 52 MPs from all opposition groups have signed the initiative to set up a parliamentary commission. At least 36 signatures are needed to initiate a temporary parliamentary commission of inquiry.
Several opposition groups are proposing to convene an extraordinary session of the Seimas on Thursday to discuss this and other issues, but the largest opposition group, the Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union, has refused to support the initiative.
Signatures for the extraordinary session are still being collected, with 44 MPs onboard as of Monday afternoon. An extraordinary session requires support from at least 47 MPs.
The parliamentary inquiry will look into whether “there were any preconditions for the disclosure of data on Bartoševičius’ pre-trial investigation before the public announcement by the Prosecutor General's Office”.
According to the proposal, the commission would be composed of MPs authorised to work with classified information and the investigation should be completed by March 30.
The Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union (LVŽS), the biggest opposition group, has announced it will not join the initiative to convene an extraordinary session, although it supports the parliamentary inquiry.
“Politicians who are desperately trying to use the pre-trial investigation of possible paedophilia to grow their political dividends are misleading the public and manipulating two separate issues,” Ramūnas Karbauskis, the head of the LVŽS, was quoted in a statement issued by the party on Monday.
According to the LVŽS, an extraordinary session could undermine prosecutors’ investigation of Bartaševičius’ case. The defendant could then dispute any court ruling in the case, quoting political pressure.
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