Lithuanian prosecutor accuses former PM Paluckas and wife of unlawfully acquiring €345,000 in assets

Lithuania’s prosecutor general has formally requested the removal of MP Gintautas Paluckas’ parliamentary immunity, alleging that he and his wife unlawfully acquired assets worth nearly €345,000 between December 2010 and December 2024, LRT reports, citing a letter from Prosecutor General Nida Grunskienė to the Seimas (parliament).

According to the document, reviewed by the Baltic News Service (BNS), Paluckas and his wife Ilma Paluckė deposited cash into banks, purchased vehicles, real estate, and securities using a total of 800,136 litas (approximately €231,000) and €58,684—funds whose origin remains unexplained and unjustified by lawful income.

The letter further states that a Cyprus-registered company transferred assets worth 186,998 litas (around €54,000) to the couple, also of unknown origin.

The pre-trial investigation follows journalistic reports by Laisvės TV and the Investigative Journalism Centre Siena, which revealed that Paluckas had acquired and led a company, Sagerta, that received €180,000 in unreturned loans of unclear origin. Questions were also raised about his purchase of a Vilnius apartment on Trinapolio Street for €223,000.

Paluckas, who resigned as prime minister and leader of the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (LSDP) in August last year amid the initial probes, was questioned as a special witness in January. The European Public Prosecutor’s Office and Lithuania’s Financial Crime Investigation Service (FNTT) are separately investigating potential credit fraud linked to a state-backed loan granted to his company Garnis, as reported by the same media outlets.

Earlier this month, Delfi reported that charges had been brought against Paluckas’ wife, though it remains unclear whether they stem from the STT or FNTT investigations. Following the prosecutor’s latest announcement, Paluckas has suspended his LSDP membership and stated he will not seek renewal of his parliamentary immunity.