Lithuanian environment minister questioned in court over disputed property deal

Lithuania’s Environment Minister Kastytis Žuromskas was questioned as a witness on Wednesday in a Vilnius court case involving a disputed 2020 property acquisition in the capital’s Antakalnis district, LRT.lt reports.

The criminal case centres on allegations of fraud and document forgery by a former business associate of the minister, identified only as A.Z., and his father. Prosecutors claim the pair falsified corporate seals and contracts to unlawfully seize high-value real estate—now estimated to be worth around €400,000—from its rightful owner.

Žuromskas told reporters before the hearing that the case relates to his prior work in real estate around 2020, before he entered government, and is unrelated to his current ministerial role. “I cannot comment, as judicial proceedings are ongoing, but I was summoned as a witness. This is an old matter, completely unrelated to my official duties,” he said.

In testimony, the minister confirmed he had initially planned to jointly purchase the derelict property on Kairėnų Street with the accused, intending to convert it into apartments or offices. However, he stated he was later excluded from the deal and had no further contact with the individual. “We were not business partners; we provided consulting services through the company Profitus,” Žuromskas clarified in court.

After the session, he reiterated that he would not discuss details but acknowledged being removed from the transaction roughly six years ago. “There was an attempt to participate in the property deal, but afterward—I’ll put it plainly—I was pushed out. It didn’t go well, to say the least,” he told journalists, suggesting financial disputes may have led to his exclusion.

Prosecutor Darius Maleckas stressed that Žuromskas is not suspected of wrongdoing. The case hinges on claims that the accused exploited the trust of the elderly original owner, then forged documents to transfer the unregistered building into their names against his will. The victim, an 80-year-old Vilnius resident who sold the property in a €80,000 deal, is now seeking its return through the courts.

The Vilnius District Court received the case in January. Five hearings have been held to date, with further proceedings expected.