Politicians suggest Meilutis rejection may be retaliation from convicted officials

The Lithuanian parliament’s decision to reject Judge Nerijus Meilutis’ candidacy for a second term as president of the Lithuanian Court of Appeal—despite no public criticism of his work—has raised concerns among politicians and legal experts, LRT reports.

MP Agnė Širinskienė of the Democratic Union “For Lithuania” said the vote could be retaliation from politicians convicted in the so-called “čekutininkai” (checkbook) corruption cases. Under Meilutis’ leadership, most defendants in these cases saw their convictions upheld on appeal, losing their municipal council positions, with only a few acquitted.

Legal experts Egidijus Kūris and Skirmantas Bikelis echoed these concerns, warning that the rejection may signal an attempt to undermine judicial independence. Širinskienė called the decision a “sad” message to judges, suggesting it implies their careers could suffer if rulings displease politicians.

She stressed that a court president has limited influence over case outcomes, as judges follow established legal practice. The parliament’s vote, she argued, reflects a misunderstanding of judicial independence and sends a damaging signal to the judiciary.

Since 2024, the Court of Appeal has handled 24 “čekutininkai” cases, with 15 already decided and 9 still under review. Many of these cases involve local politicians convicted of corruption, including former mayors and council members from Jonava, Lazdijai, Marijampolė, and Alytus districts.