Criminal case of Varėna district council member Saulynas referred to court

The General Prosecutor’s Office has referred a criminal case against Audrius Saulynas, a member of the Varėna District Municipal Council, to Alytus District Court, LRT reports.

Saulynas is accused of fraud, abuse of office, falsification of documents, and manipulation of documents. According to prosecutors, between 2019 and 2023, while serving as a council member, he allegedly falsified 36 expense reports, submitting false information about fuel purchase costs unrelated to his official duties but claiming them as work-related expenses.

A pre-trial investigation found that by submitting the falsified reports to the municipality’s accounting department, Saulynas may have fraudulently obtained €2,224 for personal gain. He also faces allegations of abusing his official position for financial benefit.

Prosecutors state that Saulynas intentionally violated legal requirements governing council members’ activities, engaging in repeated, systematic, and long-term unlawful actions. These allegedly distorted the essence of his rights as a public servant, undermined his authority and public trust, and damaged the reputation of both the Varėna District Municipality and its council.

The investigation was conducted by the Kaunas Regional Prosecutor’s Office Organised Crime and Corruption Investigation Division, with support from the Police Department’s Corruption Investigation Division under the Immunity Board.