Conservative politician Mindaugas Lingė receives legal threats from construction firm Fegda over critical posts
Conservative politician and Seimas member Mindaugas Lingė has received two legal warnings from lawyers representing construction company Fegda, demanding he remove social media posts they claim unlawfully damage the firm’s reputation, reports LRT</em.
Lingė, a vocal critic of the company, stated he was formally contacted by Fegda’s legal team over a Facebook post questioning the early departures of officials from agencies under the Transport Ministry—suggesting political favoritism toward the firm. The post included the phrase: “The old times return—the mother party must take care of its own, so the fegdos face no obstacles,” using a colloquial derivative of the company’s name.
In their letter, Fegda’s lawyers argued the term was used as a “groundless and unlawful” slur that harmed the company’s professional reputation, demanding immediate removal of the post. Attorney Inga Kostogriz-Vaitkienė warned that failure to comply would force the company to “defend its rights and legitimate interests through legal means.”
Lingė rejected the claims, asserting the term reflected “sharp criticism of a phenomenon, not a statement of fact,” tied to public concerns over Fegda’s work quality and alleged political ties. He cited defects in the company’s projects—such as the Rūdininkai military road, built in 2023 for €6.45 million, which required repairs shortly after completion—as well as its connections to the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (LSDP) leadership.
In an open letter to Fegda on Friday, Lingė called for greater transparency, writing: “Since I am a public figure and your company actively seeks public funds for major projects, our dialogue must be as open as possible. Criticism, even harsh, is a protected value in a 30-year-old democracy.” He added that the company should “focus less on intimidating critics and more on ensuring quality and transparency—ultimately, that builds a positive reputation, not lawyers’ letters.”
Fegda, alongside partners Conres LT and Merko Statyba, won a €1.33 billion (VAT included) contract in January for the second phase of the Rūdininkai military town development, awarded by the Ministry of National Defence.
Lingė’s criticism follows repeated scrutiny of Fegda’s projects, including the Via Baltica highway and municipal works in Vilnius and Kaunas, where defects and political influence allegations have surfaced.