Lithuanian prosecutors decline to investigate lawmaker’s claims of impending coup

Lithuania’s Prosecutor General’s Office will not launch a pre-trial investigation into statements by MP Remigijus Žemaitaitis, leader of the Nemuno Aušra party, regarding an alleged future coup, LRT reports.

The Vilnius Regional Prosecutor’s Office confirmed the decision by Vilnius County’s chief police commissioner to refuse opening a probe, stating that Žemaitaitis had expressed a personal opinion about a potential coup rather than presenting concrete evidence or calls to violent action.

Police reviewed footage of Žemaitaitis’ remarks at a public event, interviewed witnesses, and analysed available data before concluding no criminal offence had occurred. The prosecutor’s office noted that the lawmaker “had no information or facts suggesting specific individuals or groups were planning a coup” and that his comments were made in the context of broader political discussion.

“No objective evidence was found that the MP was organising a coup or participating in a conspiracy to carry one out,” the statement read. It added that Žemaitaitis’ remarks did not constitute public incitement to violently undermine Lithuania’s sovereignty or constitutional order.

In May, Žemaitaitis claimed during a live-streamed funeral that Lithuania could face an “internal state coup” in autumn, suggesting it might involve “physical confrontations.” However, he later clarified he possessed no direct knowledge of such plans.

A separate pre-trial investigation remains underway into other statements by Žemaitaitis, including his characterisation of Lithuania’s March 11, 1990, Act of Independence signatories as “rebels.” Prosecutors are examining whether these remarks violate laws against glorifying Soviet or Nazi crimes.