Lithuanian MP denies receiving business backing: “No one can dictate who I meet”

Lithuanian MP Remigijus Žemaitaitis, leader of the opposition party Nemuno aušra (Dawn of Nemunas), has dismissed allegations that his political career is financed by certain business figures, stating that his extensive network of contacts is being misrepresented as influence, LRT reports.

Responding to a series of publications by communications expert Karolis Žukauskas—titled “Žemaitaitis and All His Men”—which link the politician to businessmen allegedly involved in fertiliser trade, public procurement, and ties to Russia, Žemaitaitis claimed the reports only prove his growing political weight.

“I’ve been alive and walking this earth for 44 years. I have thousands of contacts—around 6,000 in my phone alone. If they want to write about me, let them publish a book: The Unseen Žemaitaitis in Lithuania, with photos of everyone I know,” he said in an interview with ELTA Savaitė (ELTA Weekly).

Žemaitaitis acknowledged knowing two of the named individuals—Klaipėda businessman Rolandas Šveikauskas, a former classmate, and Panevėžys entrepreneur Eugenijus Gvalda, chairman of the construction firm Dominari—but denied receiving any financial or political support from them. He described Gvalda as an acquaintance from Panevėžys’ Chamber of Crafts, where he frequently attends events.

When pressed on claims that his associates include figures with past criminal ties—such as Arūnas Pukelis-Švinius, a Tauragė businessman formerly linked to the Agurkinių organised crime group—the MP dismissed the connections as baseless. “If writing about me makes them think I’m powerful enough to single-handedly lift sanctions, control fertiliser shipments, or negotiate with [Russian President Vladimir] Putin, then let them keep writing. It only means a leader is rising in Lithuania,” he said.

Žukauskas’ investigation highlights repeated references to fertilisers, public tenders, land plots, sanctions, logistics, Russia, metals, and construction in the circles around Žemaitaitis and his party. The MP countered that the attention merely reflects his influence, joking that even US envoy to Belarus John Coale—who recently urged Lithuania to restore ties with Minsk—could be swayed by his network.

“I am one of Lithuania’s most influential people. If anyone wants to do business with me or seek consultations, message me—I’ll meet with everyone, take photos with everyone. I fear nothing. No one can tell me who to meet or whose hand to shake,” he declared.

Žemaitaitis leads the Nemuno aušra faction in Lithuania’s Seimas (parliament). The party, known for its populist rhetoric and criticism of the ruling coalition, has faced recurring scrutiny over its funding sources and ties to business interests.