Former Marijampolė mayor says he paid for overseas training

Former Marijampolė mayor Povilas Isoda attended training in Czechia and Germany with municipal administration employees and paid his own expenses, LRT reported, citing the Delfi news portal.

Marijampolė Municipality spokeswoman Neringa Tumelienė told Delfi that the municipality covered training costs for 21 employees but did not pay for Isoda’s participation. Isoda said he joined the several-day training after leaving office, when organisers had places available, and paid for the course and related expenses himself.

He provided Delfi with an invoice for 535 euros and a copy of a bank transfer. Isoda said he had paid the organisers directly.

In July, the Court of Appeal overturned a lower court’s acquittal of Isoda in a case involving council-member expense claims and found him guilty. He was fined 10,000 euros and barred from public service for three years. The ruling took effect immediately, and the Central Electoral Commission ended his term as mayor early. Valdas Tumelis was appointed acting mayor.

According to the criminal case, Isoda submitted falsified documents to the municipality’s accounting department, including 26 summaries and 11 reports of council-member expenses, and fraudulently obtained 2,479 euros in municipal funds. Law enforcement said the reports included claims for phone, internet and transport expenses that had not been incurred in connection with his council duties.