Former Lithuanian PM Paluckas refuses to resign from parliament despite corruption allegations

Former Lithuanian prime minister Gintautas Paluckas has stated he will not resign from parliament despite calls to step down following corruption allegations, LRT reports.

“No, I do not plan to. I believe I can still do a great deal of good for Lithuania,” Paluckas told TV3 News on Wednesday. His refusal comes after the Prosecutor General’s Office requested that the Seimas (Lithuanian parliament) lift his legal immunity in connection with a pre-trial investigation into suspected abuse of office and unlawful enrichment.

Prosecutors allege that Paluckas and his wife, Ilma Palucka, may have unlawfully acquired assets worth nearly €345,000 between December 2010 and late 2024. The assets in question include cash deposits, vehicles, real estate, and securities. The request to strip Paluckas of immunity was submitted based on evidence gathered in the ongoing investigation under Article 228 (abuse of office) and Article 189 (unlawful enrichment) of Lithuania’s Criminal Code.

Vytenis Povilas Andriukaitis, honorary chairman of the Social Democratic Party of Lithuania (LSDP), has repeatedly urged Paluckas to resign. Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė declined to comment on whether he should leave the party’s parliamentary faction, stating it was “his personal decision.”

Paluckas previously announced he was suspending his LSDP membership and agreed to a simplified procedure for lifting his immunity. He resigned as prime minister last July following media investigations into his business ties and questionable transactions.

This week, business daily Verslo žinios reported that Paluckas had divested his shares in electronics manufacturer Emus as of April 21, leaving his business partner Mindaugas Milašauskas as the sole shareholder. Meanwhile, the Investigative Journalism Centre Siena revealed that prosecutors had seized real estate owned by the lawmaker.