Lithuania’s Prosecutor General’s Office on Friday charged lawmaker and former prime minister Saulius Skvernelis in a bribery case involving the State Plant Service.
According to the Prosecutor General's Office and the Special Investigation Service, the politician is suspected of bribery.
Prosecutors said there is sufficient evidence to suspect that while serving as Speaker of the Seimas, Skvernelis accepted at least 51,000 euros in cash bribes on several occasions in exchange for political favouritism.
"It is suspected that Skvernelis may have known that the illegal monetary reward would be paid to him from illicit income obtained by accomplices during the bribery scheme," the statement said.
The bribes were allegedly handed over to the politician by his advisor Agnė Silickienė, who worked at the State Plant Service.
The Seimas has authorised the prosecution of the MP, and his legal immunity was stripped under a simplified procedure.
According to the Prosecutor General's Office, the total amount of bribes in this case could reach at least 1.112 million euros.
Officials said that from June 2025, the former head of the service, Jurijus Kornijenko, his advisor Aurelijus Saprauskas and others distributed monthly bribes received from representatives of companies transporting plants and plant products for phytosanitary certificates.
The money was allegedly split among members of the criminal group and other individuals, including Skvernelis.
Authorities said these circumstances were recorded in accounting documents in which Skvernelis was assigned the nickname Krabas (Crab).
Prosecutor General Nida Grunskiene said the charges against the politician are based on testimony from witnesses and suspects, evidence found during searches and other pre-trial investigation documents.
Skvernelis denies the allegations. He told reporters he neither knew about the criminal scheme nor accepted any money.
In total, 16 individuals have been charged in this pre-trial investigation, including former Agriculture Minister Kazys Starkevičius.
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