Lithuanian court delays ruling in Nemuno Aušra car rental case

The Lithuanian Supreme Administrative Court (LVAT) has postponed the announcement of its ruling in the case involving the Nemuno Aušra party over car rental expenses, originally scheduled for Wednesday, LRT reports.

In a statement, the court said an expanded panel of judges determined the case was complex, requiring careful interpretation of legal norms, evaluation of evidence, and assessment of legally significant circumstances. The ruling must thoroughly outline all key arguments and justifications, the court noted.

“Given the nature of the case and the need to adopt a well-reasoned final procedural decision, the expanded panel of judges decided to extend the deadline for issuing and announcing the procedural ruling,” the LVAT statement read.

The court now plans to announce its decision on June 16.

The case stems from complaints filed by the Nemuno Aušra party, its leader Remigijus Žemaitaitis, and vice-chair Daiva Petkevičienė, challenging a decision by the Central Electoral Commission (VRK). The VRK ruled that the party committed a gross financial violation by renting cars from two of its members—Žemaitaitis and Petkevičienė—using state funds allocated for the party. The commission found that the party failed to justify expenses of €49,500 and submitted incorrect data in its financial reports.

On April 2, the VRK decided not to allocate a six-month subsidy of over €240,000 to Nemuno Aušra and ordered Žemaitaitis and Petkevičienė to return €26,776 and €15,349, respectively, to the party.

Earlier this year, the civic initiative Viešpirkiai revealed a car rental agreement signed on January 17, 2024, between Nemuno Aušra and Žemaitaitis, worth €31,500. The contract, valid until November 13, 2024, was only published on January 29, 2024. Petkevičienė also rented a car to the party.