Lithuanian prosecutors seize former prime minister Paluckas’ real estate

Lithuania’s Prosecutor General’s Office has placed an asset freeze on two properties linked to former prime minister Gintautas Paluckas and his wife, public broadcaster LRT reports, citing investigative outlet Siena.

The seized assets include an apartment in Vilnius’ elite Verkių Park district and a second property on Lvivo Street, both acquired under circumstances previously scrutinised in a 2025 joint investigation by Siena and Laisvės TV. The move follows a request by Prosecutor General Nida Grunskienė to lift Paluckas’ parliamentary immunity, allowing further legal action.

Records show the Verkių Park apartment—purchased in 2012 for €223,000 from a company linked to businessman Darijus Vilčinskas—was transferred to Paluckas’ wife, Ilma, via a firm that also funded Paluckas’ own business, Sagerta. A separate Lvivo Street flat, acquired from Cypriot firm Grafdec Limited for €16,500 (around €90,000 below market value), sits on state land Paluckas himself rezoned during his tenure as Vilnius city administration director.

Paluckas has previously defended the transactions as lawful, attributing them to personal savings and a failed investment. Prosecutors, however, allege the couple acquired over €344,000 in assets of unclear origin. The former prime minister has pledged to contest the allegations through legal channels while supporting reforms to simplify immunity waivers for lawmakers.

The asset freeze marks an escalation in a long-running probe into Paluckas’ financial dealings, first exposed by the 2025 investigative series “Premjeras ir partneriai” (“The Premier and His Partners”).