Nausėda says Skvernelis’ party must prove its integrity to avoid political damage

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda has stated that the Democratic Union “For Lithuania” must clearly demonstrate its independence from the serious corruption allegations facing its leader, former Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis, LRT reports.

Speaking to journalists during a visit to Vilkaviškis district, Nausėda acknowledged that the accusations—linked to a high-profile bribery case—were “disturbing” for both Skvernelis personally and his party. “These are serious charges, and as a person, he is undoubtedly facing immense strain,” the president said. He emphasised that only law enforcement could assess the legal aspects but stressed that the party must “clearly declare and prove” it has no connection to Skvernelis’ alleged wrongdoing if it wishes to preserve its political future.

Nausėda underscored that while such revelations were unwelcome, uncovering potential crimes was essential for societal transparency. “Of course, it’s unpleasant when these things come to light. But if we remain unaware, wrongdoing may continue unchecked,” he said. “The more we know, the greater our chance to cleanse ourselves of corruption.”

The case centres on accusations that Skvernelis, as agriculture minister in 2016, may have received €51,000 in bribes from plant and agricultural product exporters in exchange for phytosanitary certificates—documents required for legal exports. Lithuania’s prosecutor general, Nida Grunskienė, formally requested on Thursday that the Seimas (parliament) strip Skvernelis of his legal immunity, paving the way for formal charges. Skvernelis has denied wrongdoing and announced he will temporarily leave his parliamentary faction while seeking a simplified procedure to address his immunity status.