Lithuania’s ethics watchdog rules on party leader’s car lease conflict of interest

The Lithuanian Chief Official Ethics Commission (VTEK) has ruled whether Remigijus Žemaitaitis, leader of the political party Nemuno aušra, violated conflict-of-interest rules by leasing a car to his own party, public broadcaster LRT reports.

The investigation was launched after ethics officials reviewed complaints and public reports that Žemaitaitis, in his capacity as party chairman, had signed a car lease agreement with himself as a private individual. The probe expanded after it emerged the lease had been discussed at a party board meeting.

VTEK Chairman Gediminas Sakalauskas clarified that the commission assessed Žemaitaitis’ actions solely as party leader—not as a lawmaker, as parliamentary ethics fall under a separate Seimas committee. Earlier reports by the BNS news agency revealed that Žemaitaitis had leased the vehicle to Nemuno aušra for €31,500 under an agreement signed on January 17, 2024, with monthly payments exceeding €3,100. The contract, valid until November 13, 2024, was only disclosed publicly on January 29, 2026.

Žemaitaitis previously acknowledged the lease, stating the party had no alternative providers and justified the cost by high fuel and maintenance demands. He claimed to have driven 70,000–80,000 km personally and noted the arrangement was terminated after the party secured state funding—receiving €483,700 in subsidies last year.

The Liberal Movement had urged authorities, including VTEK, the State Tax Inspectorate, and the Central Electoral Commission, to investigate potential violations of political financing laws. While the Seimas Ethics Committee declined to probe the matter in February, a pre-trial fraud investigation was launched in Vilnius in early March. Meanwhile, the Central Electoral Commission withheld state funding from Nemuno aušra over accounting irregularities; the party has appealed the decision in court.