Ethics commission declines to investigate Pinskuvienė’s mother’s apartment purchase

The Lithuanian Chief Official Ethics Commission (VTEK) has decided not to open an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the purchase of an apartment in Palanga by Marija Gudonienė, the mother of Širvintų District Mayor Živilė Pinskuvienė, as well as public procurement processes in Širvintų, the BNS news agency reports.

VTEK Chair Jolanta Bernotaitė confirmed on Tuesday that the commission had chosen not to pursue the case. The request to investigate had centred on potential conflicts of interest involving Gudonienė, who also serves as a council member in Širvintų District Municipality.

According to VTEK’s findings, Gudonienė did not participate in preparing or discussing decisions related to public procurement wins by the company Vilmstatas during the 2023–2026 period.

Earlier, the Special Investigation Service (STT) launched a pre-trial investigation in June following reports by journalist Tomas Janonis and blogger Skirmantas Malinauskas. They alleged that Gudonienė had purchased the Palanga apartment for an unusually low price of 80,000 euros from businessman Vilmantas Guobys, whose company subsequently won 15 consecutive public tenders in Širvintų District.

The STT probe aims to determine whether favourable conditions were created for a specific bidder in public procurement, potentially in exchange for the transfer of real estate at below-market value. In early July, the STT conducted searches at Gudonienė’s apartment, her home, and the Širvintų District Municipality offices. No charges have been brought so far.

Pinskuvienė has denied any link between her mother’s apartment purchase and Vilmstatas’ procurement wins in the district.