Prosecutors seek to lift Skvernelis’s immunity over corruption probe

Lithuania’s Prosecutor General has formally requested that parliament strip MP Saulius Skvernelis of his legal immunity, state broadcaster LRT reported on Wednesday. The move comes as Skvernelis faces allegations tied to a corruption investigation involving former officials at the State Plant Service under the Agriculture Ministry.

Prosecutor General Nida Grunskienė submitted the request to the Seimas (parliament), arguing that the ongoing pre-trial probe—launched in 2025—cannot proceed without lifting Skvernelis’s immunity, which he has held as an MP since November 2024. The investigation targets a suspected organised group of agency heads, employees, and others accused of corrupt and unlawful acts.

Skvernelis, leader of the Democrats’ Union “For Lithuania” party, told LRT he had not yet seen the prosecutor’s request but confirmed that party statutes require any member formally accused of wrongdoing to suspend their membership. “If charges are brought, membership is suspended—that’s our procedure,” he said, adding that this would automatically end his role as party chairman.

The Seimas will now review the prosecutor’s request in a plenary session. Authorities previously searched Skvernelis’s home and office in connection with the case, and he has been questioned as a special witness. Former Conservatory director Kazys Starkevičius is also under investigation in the same probe.