Lithuanian prosecution drops pre-trial investigation into Eduardas Vaitkus’ Belarus visit

The Lithuanian Prosecutor General’s Office has terminated a pre-trial investigation into former presidential candidate Eduardas Vaitkus over his 2025 visit to Belarus, where he allegedly made statements supporting a foreign state’s actions against Lithuania, LRT reports, citing a June 5 prosecutorial document.

The decision, confirmed by the Prosecutor General’s Office on Tuesday, states that no criminal or misdemeanour offence was committed. Vaitkus had been questioned as a special witness, and authorities monitored his electronic communications under the Criminal Procedure Code.

The investigation was launched after Vaitkus, during a press conference in Minsk, declared Lithuania’s 2024 presidential election “illegitimate” and accused the country of “destroying Lithuanian statehood.” His remarks were published by Belarus’ state news agency Belta and other outlets, which also reported his meeting with the leader of the pro-government BelayaRus party.

Prosecutors acknowledged that Vaitkus’ statements “exclusively formed a negative image of the Lithuanian state” and aligned with “hostile narratives” promoted by Russia and Belarus. However, the investigation found no evidence his comments gained significant traction in Belarusian or Russian media, nor that he received financial compensation for the visit or his interviews with state propaganda outlets.

The Prosecutor General’s Office concluded that while Vaitkus’ behaviour was “morally and ethically reprehensible” and “denied the essence of civic duty and patriotism,” it did not meet the threshold for criminal liability. Pursuing charges would violate constitutional principles of proportionality and reasonableness, the office stated.

Following the Belarus trip, President Gitanas Nausėda stripped Vaitkus of his Officer’s Cross of the Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas, acting on a recommendation from the State Awards Council, which ruled that Vaitkus’ actions had “diminished the honour of the awardee.”

Vaitkus, a physician, placed fifth in Lithuania’s 2024 presidential election with 7.31% of the vote. His Lithuanian People’s Party failed to clear the 5% parliamentary threshold in the Seimas elections, receiving 2.64% support.