Sinkevičius on Skvernelis case: allegations based on notebook, testimony may be unreliable

Allegations of bribery against Lithuanian MP Saulius Skvernelis rely on a notebook and testimony from a potentially biased source, European Parliament member Virginijus Sinkevičius told reporters on Friday, as reported by LRT.

Sinkevičius, vice-chair of the Democratic Union “For Lithuania,” acknowledged that corruption claims are politically damaging but stressed that no concrete evidence has been presented. “The very fact that bribery is being discussed is a fatal blow in politics. But this fact itself is not recorded. We rely on a notebook and the testimony of a person who appears to have organised the entire scheme—someone who may have an interest in giving any testimony to lighten their own potential sentence,” he said.

The politician emphasised the presumption of innocence, noting that Skvernelis, like any citizen, has the right to defend himself in court. “As a political party, we are not a court. Justice in Lithuania is administered by the courts,” Sinkevičius said, adding that Skvernelis had already stepped down from party leadership following the allegations.

Asked whether Skvernelis should remain in parliament, Sinkevičius called it the MP’s personal decision, contrasting his approach with that of conservative Kazys Starkevičius, who resigned his seat. “I saw that elegant move where Starkevičius gave up his mandate. I understand why—he wants to avoid publicity. Today we’re discussing Skvernelis, who clearly isn’t afraid of it,” he said.

Regarding claims that Skvernelis used the alias “Krabas” (Crab), Sinkevičius dismissed the notebook entry as insufficient evidence. “I don’t react at all, because it’s just a notebook entry. Was Skvernelis’s name written in brackets there, or is this some presumption? Without any evidence presented, I certainly can’t draw conclusions,” he stated.

The Democratic Union’s board met Friday to elect an interim leader, with plans to hold a party congress by summer to choose a permanent chair. Prosecutor General Nida Grunskienė has requested that Skvernelis’s legal immunity be lifted, alleging he accepted a €51,000 bribe via his former advisor Agnė Silickienė to secure political favours.