Lithuania ends Embraer procurement investigation with no wrongdoing found

Lithuania’s prosecution service has closed a pre-trial investigation into the procurement of Embraer military transport aircraft, finding no evidence of criminal misconduct, **LRT** reports.

The Special Investigation Service (STT) concluded that no abuse of office or procedural violations occurred during the €800 million purchase process. Prosecutors stated that interviews with witnesses and analysis of documents from the Lithuanian Armed Forces, the Ministry of National Defence, and other institutions revealed no irregularities in the tender or decision-making.

The investigation was launched in late August last year after opposition politicians—including Homeland Union–Lithuanian Christian Democrats leader Laurynas Kasčiūnas and National Security and Defence Committee chair Giedrimas Jeglinskas—raised concerns. They questioned whether the decision to buy new Embraer C-390 Millennium jets instead of modernising existing Spartan aircraft complied with procurement laws and whether officials had acted impartially.

The lawmakers also suggested former Defence Minister Dovilė Šakalienė may have held undisclosed meetings with potential manufacturers, raising doubts about potential conflicts of interest. Šakalienė denied the allegations, insisting the military had justified the need for the new jets and that the procurement was transparent.

In a statement following the investigation’s closure, Šakalienė reiterated that the process was conducted openly but criticised political interference for damaging national security. The State Defence Council had initially announced plans to acquire three Embraer C-390 Millennium aircraft in June 2023, though the purchase was later postponed in January.