Prime minister calls for trust in law enforcement amid corruption probes

Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė has urged patience and restraint in commenting on ongoing corruption investigations into former political leaders, stating that premature judgments could hinder the process, LRT reports.

“I believe we must trust law enforcement institutions and allow them to work,” Ruginienė told journalists on Saturday. “Our current assessments and excessive haste to evaluate could disrupt the investigation. I want it completed as quickly as possible so we can receive answers—and only then make political judgments.”

Her remarks follow corruption probes into two former prime ministers: Saulius Skvernelis, accused of soliciting bribes for political favours, and Gintautas Paluckas, suspected of illicit enrichment. Prosecutors allege Paluckas and his wife acquired assets worth nearly €344,578 through unexplained income between December 2010 and December 2024, including vehicles, real estate, and securities.

On Friday, prosecutors formally requested that the Seimas (parliament) lift Paluckas’ legal immunity. He denies wrongdoing and has pledged to contest the allegations through legal means. The investigations stem from journalistic reports last year about preferential loans granted to his company, Garnis, by the national development bank ILTE.

Paluckas resigned as prime minister and leader of the Social Democratic Party in August 2025 but remains a party member and MP. The European Public Prosecutor’s Office and Lithuania’s Financial Crime Investigation Service are also examining potential credit fraud linked to the case.