Court rejects Pocius appeal over disciplinary reprimand

Lithuania’s Supreme Administrative Court has rejected former Public Security Service chief Ričardas Pocius’s appeal and upheld a government reprimand, LRT reported, citing BNS.

The court found that a lower court had properly assessed evidence of misconduct, including improper performance of duties, a breach of the chain of command and inadequate organisation of subordinate employees, court spokesman Paulius Žeimys told BNS.

The Supreme Administrative Court also noted that the Constitutional Court had ruled the government decision to impose the reprimand did not conflict with the Constitution or the law. The ruling cannot be appealed.

Pocius had sought to have the reprimand, issued on June 22, 2022, declared unlawful and overturned. The Regional Administrative Court dismissed his claim in April. Pocius argued that he had not committed misconduct and that the investigation failed to follow legal requirements and did not properly consider whether the alleged violations were minor.

In its ruling, the Regional Administrative Court detailed the conduct underlying the reprimand. It cited Pocius’s absence from a mandatory meeting without arranging adequate cover, submitting proposals on legal regulation without prior coordination, and failing to carry out duties in dealings with the Interior Ministry and in appointing representatives to important meetings. The court also said the investigation had supported each alleged violation with specific facts and legal provisions.

Pocius led the Public Security Service from 2015 until October 2022, when he was dismissed after receiving the reprimand. Former Interior Minister Agnė Bilotaitė said at the time that he had repeatedly refused without justification to attend meetings of statutory service chiefs during a crisis and state of emergency, failed to answer calls, misrepresented his schedule and missed work.