Lithuanian unions demand political accountability after border officials arrested in smuggling probe

Three public sector unions have called for Prime Minister Ingrida Ruginienė and Interior Minister Agne Bilotaite to take responsibility after 13 police officers and border guards were detained in a cigarette smuggling investigation, LRT reports.

The National Union of Public Sector Employees (NPPSS), the Lithuanian Police Employees’ Union (LPDPS), and the Lithuanian Border Guards’ Union (LPPPS) condemned all forms of corruption and collusion with criminal groups in a joint statement on Monday. They demanded not only punishment for offenders but also systemic measures to address the root causes of vulnerability among law enforcement personnel.

“After the events in Šalčininkai, the prime minister rushed to demand accountability from those responsible,” the unions stated. “The question arises: who exactly are these responsible figures? District chiefs? Agency heads? Or does the prime minister not see the interior minister among them? And what of her own personal responsibility for the weakening and impoverishment of state institutions?”

The unions argued that corruption risks stem from “decision-makers’ inaction, lax oversight, and a dismissive attitude toward law enforcement agencies,” as well as a failure to recognise that adequate funding is the most effective tool against smuggling networks. They criticised years of underfunding that forces agencies to “beg for resources like alms,” while politicians ignore their appeals.

Their statement follows the detention of 27 individuals—including 10 Vilnius police officers and three State Border Guard Service personnel—linked to a cigarette smuggling operation using weather balloons. Prosecutors report 49 suspects in the case, with assets worth €4.2 million seized. One municipal employee from Šalčininkai district has also been implicated in abuse of office.

Police Commissioner General Arūnas Paulauskas previously acknowledged systemic corruption within the force but stressed that officers themselves had exposed the misconduct. Prime Minister Ruginienė called the arrests “painful news” but insisted the state had acted decisively against the balloon smuggling threat.

The unions warned that organised crime in border regions has long exerted systemic pressure on law enforcement, and that “repressive measures alone will not solve the problem.” They urged authorities to distinguish between individual criminal liability and the broader assessment of public servants’ integrity, noting that pre-trial investigations demonstrate agencies’ ability to identify and remove corruption.