Skvernelis plans European court appeal over politicians’ statements

Saulius Skvernelis, a member of Lithuania’s parliament facing bribery allegations, plans to apply to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg over public statements by senior politicians concerning his case, LRT reported, citing the Delfi news portal.

Skvernelis, a former leader of the Democratic Union “For Lithuania”, said he did not consider the case political but believed it had acquired political aspects that would be examined in the appeal.

He singled out public comments by President Gitanas Nausėda about searches and information provided to him by officials. Skvernelis said such remarks could be viewed as pressure on the public and law enforcement.

“To bring charges against someone like me, you do not need courage and civic-mindedness. You need evidence,” Skvernelis told Delfi.

He also criticised the president’s reported statement that he had seen operational information related to the case. Skvernelis said that neither the president, the speaker of parliament nor the prime minister had the right to access criminal intelligence or operational information, including in summarised form.

Skvernelis said his relationship with the president had been excellent before the case.

Courts have ordered Skvernelis, who is suspected of bribery, to wear an electronic ankle monitor. The Kaunas Regional Court ruled in late July that the measure was lawful and justified, saying he had violated a less restrictive measure by communicating with another suspect in the case, Agnė Silickienė.

Skvernelis said his contact with Silickienė amounted only to mutual emotional support. He said both had been subjected to intense public and emotional pressure after being portrayed as central figures in a major corruption scandal.

Corruption investigation

The investigation concerns possible corruption at the Plant Protection Service. Searches were carried out at Skvernelis’s home and office in February, and he was charged with bribery in April.

In December, officials detained 13 people while investigating alleged large-scale corruption at the service. The number of suspects later increased.

According to law enforcement authorities, companies transporting plants and plant products were systematically demanded and paid large bribes in exchange for phytosanitary certificates issued to cargo carriers.

More than 100 searches yielded over 1.3 million euros in cash, eight kilograms of gold worth about 1 million euros, 11,000 packs of cigarettes, 14,000 litres of alcohol, cocaine and explosives.

Among those identified as suspects were suspended service director Jurijus Kornijenko, his deputy Mantas Butas, adviser Silickienė, Alytus regional office head Giedrius Urbelionis and acting head of the Kaunas regional office Dalia Šubonienė.

Searches were also conducted at the home and office of conservative lawmaker Kazys Starkevičius in February. He was later charged, resigned his parliamentary mandate and announced that he was suspending his membership in the Homeland Union.