Lithuania proposes new anti-corruption inspector general role

Lithuania’s interior ministry has proposed creating a new inspector general position to oversee anti-corruption efforts across its law enforcement agencies, state broadcaster LRT reported Tuesday.

The move follows a recent anti-corruption operation that led to the detention of police and border guard officers suspected of abuse of power and ties to organised crime. Under the proposal, the inspector general would directly report to the interior minister and supervise corruption prevention units in all agencies under the ministry’s authority.

Interior Minister Vladislav Kondratovič said the new role aims to strengthen oversight and coordination after identifying “ineffective institutional performance and insufficient inter-agency cooperation” in combating corruption. The inspector general would evaluate anti-corruption measures, monitor compliance, and ensure timely information sharing on potential risks.

“We must do everything to prevent situations where officials collaborate with criminals and are detained alongside organised crime groups,” Kondratovič said, stressing the need for proactive detection and prevention of such offences.

The proposal comes after a May operation targeting cigarette smuggling via weather balloons, which resulted in 27 arrests—including 10 Vilnius police officers and three border guards. Prosecutors have named 49 suspects in the ongoing pre-trial investigation, with assets worth €4.2 million seized.