Lithuanian party deputy leader says Skvernelis will not be rushed to judgment over bribery allegations

The deputy leader of Lithuania’s Democratic Union “For Lithuania” has stated the party will not “rush to convict” its chairman, Saulius Skvernelis, after prosecutors accused him of accepting large bribes, national broadcaster LRT reports.

Virginijus Sinkevičius, the party’s deputy chairman, told Dienos tema that the allegations—presented in a prosecutor’s letter to parliament—came as a “surprise.” He noted that earlier statements from the Prosecutor General’s Office had suggested the investigation was unrelated to political actions, leading the party to expect a different outcome.

“We, as a party, have always stated that we respect institutions and their work,” Sinkevičius said in an interview with LRT Television. “Saulius Skvernelis, like any citizen of Lithuania, is first and foremost entitled to the presumption of innocence. We will certainly not rush to convict him. He will be a participant in this process and will have the opportunity to defend himself in court.”

On Thursday, Prosecutor General Nida Grunskienė formally requested that parliament strip Skvernelis of his legal immunity as a lawmaker. According to prosecutors, pretrial evidence suggests the party leader accepted a large bribe, with alleged monthly payments potentially totaling around €51,000.

Skvernelis announced he would suspend his party membership following the allegations but stated he would not resign his parliamentary seat.