The Seimas on Thursday stripped former Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas of his legal immunity, allowing prosecutors to bring formal suspicions against him in an investigation into alleged illicit enrichment and abuse of office.
A total of 93 lawmakers voted in favour of lifting the immunity of the ruling Social Democratic Party MP, while two voted against and three abstained.
Under Lithuania’s Constitution, a member of parliament cannot be held criminally liable or have their freedom restricted without the consent of the Seimas. At least 71 votes are required to lift a lawmaker’s immunity.
Mindaugas Sinkevičius, who replaced Paluckas as party chairman, had repeatedly said Social Democratic lawmakers would support the move “without reservations”.
Prosecutors seek to formally bring suspicions against Paluckas of abuse of office and illicit enrichment.
Prosecutor General Nida Grunskienė said Paluckas and his wife may have acquired assets worth nearly 344,600 euros from unexplained income sources.
According to investigators, the couple allegedly accumulated illicit wealth between December 2010 and December 2024, using income of unclear origin to purchase cars, real estate and securities.
Paluckas had previously told reporters he could justify all of his income, but he did not address the allegations directly during Thursday’s parliamentary session.
“Like most people in Lithuania, I also very much enjoy counting other people’s money,” Paluckas told lawmakers from the Seimas podium.
“But in the coming period, it seems I will have to count my own – and not alone, but together with a prosecutor. This matter, this dance, this tango is danced by two people, so I certainly will not need the Seimas’ help,” he added.
Ignas Vėgėlė, a member of the mixed parliamentary group, questioned whether the statute of limitations may have expired for some of the alleged offenses.
According to Vėgėlė, Paluckas is suspected of medium-gravity crimes subject to a 12-year limitation period.
“In my assessment, the Seimas is making a mistake. This should have been examined in a commission,” he said.
The Prosecutor General’s Office on April 24 seized apartments in Vilnius belonging to Paluckas and his wife, Ilma Paluckė.
Last week, BNS reported that the politician sold his 51% stake in Vilnius-based electronics manufacturing company Emus to the firm’s co-owner and CEO, Mindaugas Milašauskas.
Grunskienė confirmed Tuesday that Ilma Paluckė has also been formally suspected of illicit enrichment.
After prosecutors asked parliament to lift his immunity, Paluckas suspended his membership in the Social Democratic Party but said he had no plans to resign from the Seimas.
Paluckas stepped down as prime minister last summer following the launch of pre-trial investigations into his business activities and public scrutiny over his involvement in corporate affairs.
Newsletter
Every Friday morning.
