Headline: Services must determine if Skvernelis can work with classified information, says Sinkevičius

Lithuania’s parliamentary National Security and Defence Committee (NSGK) chairman Rimantas Sinkevičius has stated that relevant institutions must assess whether MP Saulius Skvernelis, who is under suspicion of bribery, retains the right to continue working with classified information, LRT reports.

Sinkevičius noted that Skvernelis currently holds a permit to access classified material, issued by the Speaker of the Seimas based on a recommendation from the State Security Department (VSD). Unless this permit is revoked by either the VSD or the Speaker, there is no legal basis to prevent Skvernelis from participating in committee meetings or accessing sensitive information.

“The permit for a Seimas member to work with classified information is issued by the Speaker of the Seimas based on the State Security Department’s assessment. So far, I have not received any notice of revocation from either the VSD or the Speaker. Therefore, I have no legal grounds to bar the Seimas member from attending committee sessions,” Sinkevičius told journalists on Tuesday.

He added that he had not discussed the situation with Skvernelis personally, as decisions should rely on information from responsible institutions, not individual politicians. “We all know he is wearing an electronic monitor—what now? It’s an unusual situation, but I don’t know how the services will react or whether this truly hinders his ability to work with highly classified information. The services will have to answer that,” Sinkevičius said.

The services may respond immediately or after further review, possibly by examining pre-trial investigation materials, though Sinkevičius could not confirm their exact rights in this regard.

Skvernelis was assigned the precautionary measure of wearing an electronic monitor amid an ongoing corruption investigation into the State Plant Service. He has publicly stated his disagreement with the decision and intends to appeal it in court, potentially taking the case to the European Court of Human Rights if necessary.

In April, Skvernelis was formally charged with bribery. The investigation into large-scale corruption at the State Plant Service has so far involved 15 suspects. Authorities allege that representatives of companies transporting plants and plant products systematically demanded and received large bribes in exchange for phytosanitary certificates issued by the service.

During the investigation, over 100 searches were conducted, seizing more than €1.3 million in cash, 8 kg of gold worth approximately €1 million, 11,000 packs of cigarettes, 14,000 litres of alcohol, as well as cocaine and explosives. Earlier this year, searches were also carried out at the home and office of conservative MP Kazys Starkevičius, who later admitted to 15min that he had accepted a bribe of up to €20,000. Starkevičius subsequently resigned his parliamentary mandate and suspended his membership in the TS-LKD party.