Social Democrats surprised by corruption allegations against Paluckas but will allow prosecution

Lithuania’s ruling Social Democratic Party (LSDP) has expressed surprise over corruption allegations against former leader and ex-prime minister Gintautas Paluckas but will not block his potential prosecution, party officials said Saturday.

Speaker of the Seimas (parliament) Juozas Olekas, a Social Democrat, told reporters in Šakiai district that prosecutors’ claims against Paluckas were unexpected but stressed the need to await a final investigation. “It really surprised me. I was very surprised to see that text [the prosecutor general’s request to parliament], but we must wait for the final answer,” he said.

Prosecutors seek to charge Paluckas with suspected illicit enrichment, alleging that he and his wife acquired assets worth nearly €344,600 from unexplained income between December 2010 and December 2024. Investigators claim the funds were used to purchase vehicles, real estate, and securities.

Olekas declined to assess the reputational damage to the party but noted that while the allegations were “unpleasant,” the legal process must run its course. “On one hand, there may have been unlawful actions—we don’t know, we must presume innocence. On the other, we can be glad that law enforcement is doing its job,” he said.

The speaker predicted the Social Democratic faction in the Seimas would support the prosecutor’s request to lift Paluckas’ immunity, which requires approval from at least 71 of the 141 MPs. “We’ll see, but I think everyone should vote to allow law enforcement to carry out its actions,” Olekas said.

Paluckas, who resigned as prime minister and LSDP chairman last August amid the initial investigations, denies wrongdoing. On Friday, he told the BNS news agency that neither he nor his wife had committed any crimes and vowed to prove his innocence in court. He also confirmed he had suspended his party membership and would waive his parliamentary immunity through a simplified procedure.

The probes stem from investigative reports by Laisvės TV and the Siena Center for Investigative Journalism, which revealed that Paluckas had acquired a company, Sagerta, funded by €180,000 in unrepaid loans of unclear origin. Questions were also raised over his purchase of a €223,000 apartment in Vilnius. Separately, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office and Lithuania’s Financial Crime Investigation Service are examining a state-backed loan granted to another of his firms, Garnis, following media reports of potential credit fraud.

LSDP leader Mindaugas Sinkevičius has not commented on the latest developments.