Journalist Samoškaitė confirms questioning in probe over recording device found at LSDP meeting

Journalist Eglė Samoškaitė has confirmed she was questioned in a pre-trial investigation concerning a recording device discovered during a meeting of the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (LSDP), LRT reports.

“Yes, naturally, I had to be questioned by the authorities. I answered all the questions put to me. However, I will refrain from further comment and let the law enforcement institutions do their work,” Samoškaitė told ELTA on Tuesday.

Julija Samorokovskaja, head of the Communication Division at the Vilnius County Chief Police Commissariat, also confirmed to ELTA that the journalist had been questioned as part of the pre-trial investigation.

“A pre-trial investigation is being conducted regarding this incident. Yes, these are procedural actions provided for in the course of the investigation,” Samorokovskaja said.

The news was first reported by the Delfi portal. ELTA recalls that in mid-April, social democrats reported finding a covert voice-recording pen in a closed meeting of the party’s council. The party suspected that the device may have belonged to a journalist from the public broadcaster LRT.

The party filed a report with the police over the alleged unauthorised collection of information and unauthorised use of technical means to gather information. The document, reviewed by ELTA, stated that the recording pen may have been left by LRT journalist E. Samoškaitė, an allegation she has denied.

The Vilnius District Police launched a pre-trial investigation into the incident. Following the allegations, Samoškaitė suspended her membership in the Journalists’ Professional Association (ŽPA), withdrew from the LRT journalists’ protest initiative group, and is currently not covering LSDP-related topics or hosting the LRT programme Dienos tema.

The LSDP council meeting was closed, and politicians were not allowed to bring in their phones.