Lithuanian prosecutor seeks to strip MP Skvernelis of immunity over €51,000 bribery allegations

Lithuania’s prosecutor general has formally requested that parliament lift the legal immunity of MP Saulius Skvernelis, leader of the Democrats’ Union “For Lithuania” party, amid allegations he received at least €51,000 in bribes, public broadcaster LRT reported on Wednesday.

Prosecutor General Nida Grunskienė submitted the request after a pre-trial investigation linked Skvernelis to a corruption scheme within the State Plant Service, where officials allegedly demanded bribes from businesses in exchange for issuing phytosanitary certificates without inspecting shipments. Each certificate reportedly cost around €250.

Investigators claim Skvernelis, referred to by the codename “Krabas” (Crab), used his position as an MP to ensure favourable treatment for the agency’s director, Jonas Kornijenko, in return for payments. The bribes—totalling some €1.112 million—were allegedly distributed among the scheme’s participants, with Skvernelis receiving monthly cash payments of €5,000–10,000 via an intermediary, former advisor Asta Silickienė, between June and December 2025.

Prosecutors state that Skvernelis, through Silickienė, signalled his willingness to exploit his parliamentary role to secure institutional support for Kornijenko, who in turn orchestrated the bribery system with other officials. The scheme involved waiving cargo inspections at branches in Kaunas and Alytus, with payments funneled through advisor Aurelijus Šapranauskas.

Skvernelis served as Speaker of the Seimas from November 2024 to September 2025 before his party left the ruling coalition. Another figure in the case, former MP Kazys Starkevičius, resigned from parliament in February, eliminating the need for immunity proceedings against him. Authorities searched the homes and offices of both politicians that month.

The prosecutor’s office has not yet disclosed whether additional lawmakers are under investigation, though the request notes that bribes were paid to “politicians” in plural.