Lithuanian MP Virginijus Sinkevičius apologises after corruption allegations shake party

Virginijus Sinkevičius, a member of Lithuania’s Democratic Union “For Lithuania” party, has issued a public apology to supporters after prosecutors moved to strip fellow MP and former party leader Saulius Skvernelis of legal immunity amid bribery allegations, LRT reports.

“I know words offer little comfort, but I sincerely apologise to everyone whose faith in our democratic community has been shaken by today’s news,” Sinkevičius wrote on Facebook Thursday evening. “Now is not the time for hesitation—we must stand firm for our party members, voters, and all Lithuanians who expect constructive politics.”

Prosecutor General Nida Grunskienė formally requested on Thursday that the Seimas (parliament) lift Skvernelis’s immunity, a procedural step required to charge him. Investigators allege that through his former advisor Agnė Silickienė, Skvernelis accepted a €51,000 bribe in exchange for political favours. Court documents refer to Skvernelis by the code name “Krabas” (Crab).

Skvernelis, who has suspended his party membership, stated he would decide on waiving immunity but did not intend to resign his parliamentary seat. He previously denied wrongdoing when his office and home were raided in 2025 as part of a sweeping corruption probe into the State Plant Service.

The investigation, led by the Special Investigation Service (STT), has so far implicated 14 individuals, including the former director of the State Plant Service, Jurijus Kornijenko, and seven private company executives. Authorities seized over €1.3 million in cash, 8 kg of gold (worth ~€1 million), 11,000 cigarette packs, 14,000 litres of alcohol, cocaine, and explosives during more than 100 searches. The scheme allegedly involved systematic extortion of bribes from agricultural transport firms in exchange for phytosanitary certificates.

Conservative MP Kaziys Starkevičius, whose office was also raided, temporarily suspended his membership in the Homeland Union party and resigned his seat in 2025. The State Plant Service scandal first surfaced in December 2024 with 13 arrests; charges now include organised bribery, influence peddling, and trading in influence.