Nausėda calls for full investigation into alleged abuse by priests

President Gitanas Nausėda told LRT Television that an investigation must establish whether Church representatives knew about possible cases of child sexual abuse in Lithuania.

“This falls under the state’s jurisdiction. The state must check everything critically, and we cannot simply believe in prayers,” Nausėda said. He added that prayer was important, but must be accompanied by action focused on prevention, stronger safeguards within the Church and the state’s responsibility for legislation and criminal penalties.

“There must be no taboos, regardless of the important role the Church plays,” the president said, describing the alleged crimes as offences against humanity.

The remarks came after prosecutors last week announced that a priest had allegedly raped and sexually abused minors for more than two decades. Vilnius Archbishop Gintaras Grušas invited believers to pray for the victims and for the repentance and conversion of those who committed such crimes.

According to BNS, prosecutors have sent the cases of two priests to court this summer. One priest is accused of sexual offences against 11 minors in 34 alleged criminal episodes committed between 2002 and 2025. The alleged offences range from forcing children to consume alcohol to sexually assaulting them. The case will be heard by the Vilnius Regional Court.

In a separate case sent to the Vilnius City District Court, another priest is accused of possessing child pornography. There are no victims in that case, according to the report.

Social Security and Labour Minister Inga Ruginienė said on Monday that checks of the special QR codes required for working with children would be tightened among priests. Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius said he supported creating a public register of people convicted of sexual offences.

Under current law, people convicted of sexual offences, child exploitation for pornography, profiting from or involving minors in prostitution, possessing child pornography or buying or selling a child are prohibited from working with children. The restriction also applies to people convicted of other intentional serious or very serious crimes, including equivalent offences under the criminal laws of other countries, regardless of whether their criminal record has expired or been annulled.

The ban also covers people who committed sexual offences but were exempted from criminal liability, as well as those exempted from liability for other serious crimes under conditions including a surety agreement, reconciliation with the victim, mitigating circumstances or cooperation in exposing crimes committed by organised criminal groups.