Prosecutors drop “checkbook” cases against two Šiauliai politicians

Lithuania’s General Prosecutor’s Office has terminated pre-trial investigations into two Šiauliai city council members, Antanas Sireika and Jonas Bartkus, over alleged misuse of public funds, known locally as the “čekiukų” (checkbook) scandal, the BNS news agency reported on Thursday.

A separate case involving Remigijus Špečkauskas, a council member from Pagėgiai municipality, was closed after a court ruled to release him from criminal liability. Špečkauskas had admitted guilt, expressed remorse, and fully compensated the damage caused.

The court confirmed a decision by the Klaipėda Regional Prosecutor’s Office to exempt Špečkauskas from criminal responsibility for charges including fraud, embezzlement, abuse of office, document forgery, and improper financial accounting. He was given a one-year suspended sentence and barred from holding elected or appointed positions in state or municipal institutions, agencies, companies, or non-governmental organizations for the same period. Additionally, he was ordered to pay 5,000 euros into the Victim Compensation Fund.

According to the case files, Špečkauskas, while serving as a Pagėgiai council member between 2019 and 2023, abused his position for personal gain. He falsified 31 expense advance reports, submitting false information about diesel fuel purchases for agricultural and heating purposes, causing 9,200 euros in damages to the Pagėgiai municipality administration. He also attempted to fraudulently obtain 2,700 euros for his council activities but failed due to circumstances beyond his control, as the administration did not disburse the funds for December 2022 to March 2023.

Špečkauskas, as an individual agricultural operator, also failed to properly organize accounting and document retention, making it impossible to fully determine the scale and structure of his activities, assets, and liabilities from May to December 2022.

In the Šiauliai cases, prosecutors dropped investigations after determining that the alleged offenses had not been completed. Bartkus was suspected of submitting false information about fuel expenses, potentially causing 4,300 euros in damages to the Šiauliai municipality administration. However, the unlawfully obtained funds were returned through civil proceedings, leading to the termination of the case.

Similarly, the investigation into Sireika was halted. He was suspected of abusing his official position by submitting false information about fuel expenses, potentially causing over 3,000 euros in damages. The unlawfully obtained funds were also returned, and prosecutors concluded that the intended criminal acts had not been carried out.