Pretrial investigation reopened into alleged illegal logging and wetland destruction in Melkio village

A pretrial investigation into suspected illegal logging and wetland destruction in Melkio village, Vilnius district, has been reopened after prosecutors reversed an earlier decision to terminate the case, the Lithuanian Prosecutor General’s Office announced on Thursday.

The Vilnius Regional Prosecutor’s Office has overruled a 2020 decision by the Vilnius District Prosecutor’s Office to close the investigation, citing insufficient uncontested evidence of criminal or administrative wrongdoing. The State Forest Service, which filed the original complaint, was not properly notified of the termination.

In a review of the case, the chief prosecutor found that not all potential offences had been examined and that key circumstances were overlooked. The State Forest Service was also denied the opportunity to participate fully in the process, as it was not provided with a copy of the termination order and its request to be recognised as a civil claimant was left unresolved.

The investigation will now proceed to determine whether illegal logging or wetland destruction occurred in the area.