The Lithuanian parliament on Tuesday blocked the criminal prosecution of Social Democrat MP Arūnas Dudėnas in the so-called “receipt case”. He was accused of submitting expenses and claiming around €10,500 in reimbursement for fuel costs.
A total of 69 MPs voted in favour of holding Dudėnas criminally liable, none voted against, and two abstained—falling short of the 71 votes required to pass the motion in the 141-seat parliament, the Seimas.
Dudėnas avoided criminal liability with the support of most members of the Social Democratic Party political group, as well as MPs from the Nemunas Dawn group and the Farmers and Greens’ group.
Thirty Social Democrats did not take part in the vote, despite the group’s decision to back the removal of immunity.
Further reading
Under the constitution, MPs “may not be held criminally liable or be detained, or have their liberty restricted otherwise, without the consent of the Seimas”.
Before the vote, Dudėnas said prosecutors were being selective in deciding which politicians to charge criminally and which cases to pursue in civil court.
"I don't shy away from responsibility, but I want fair justice," he said.
He said he believed his case could be resolved through civil proceedings.
Dudėnas explained that while serving on the Ukmergė municipal council, he could have spent more than €12,000 on expenses related to his duties as a councillor, but he did not use all the funds. The majority of the money was spent on fuel, as he lives outside Ukmergė and had to travel to meetings.
The politician did not deny submitting receipts for fuel that were not his, but said he wondered why prosecutors did not bring formal suspicions against him last year, when he did not yet have legal immunity.
Previously, the MP also opposed discussing his immunity issue under a simplified procedure—without forming a commission—even though such a commitment was included in the ruling coalition’s agreement.
Prosecutors suspect Dudėnas of fraud, document forgery, use of a forged document and abuse of office while serving on the Ukmergė municipal council between 2019 and 2023.
Later on Tuesday, the Prosecutor General's Office told BNS that the investigation will have to be closed.
"This is not the first time that the Seimas has refused to grant a request from the prosecutor general, allowing an MP to retain immunity from criminal prosecution," the office said in a comment.
The Prosecutor General's Office emphasised, however, that the closed pre-trial investigation may be reopened once the MP leaves office, or loses their political immunity.
Newsletter
Every Friday morning.
