STT finds no signs of crime in parliament hiring process

Lithuania’s Special Investigation Service (STT) has found no signs of criminal activity in the hiring procedures of the Office of the Seimas, the country’s parliament, LRT reported. STT Director Linas Pernavas made the statement after meeting on Thursday with a working group formed by the parliamentary board to discuss information about potentially non-transparent hiring cases.

“In this case, we do not see signs that a criminal act was committed,” Pernavas told reporters. He said the STT had assessed the information and, after finding no indications of criminal activity, forwarded it to the parliamentary board for further evaluation by the relevant institution.

The parliamentary board formed the working group in mid-June after receiving an STT notice about possible systemic risks in hiring at the Office of the Seimas. After receiving a second letter, the board invited the STT director to explain which specific cases had raised concerns.

The working group plans to meet with Seimas Chancellor Algirdas Stončaitis and Office of the Seimas employees next week. Stončaitis has previously told BNS that there was no basis for suspecting non-transparent hiring at the parliamentary office, saying that its selection and competition procedures were transparent and followed.

Stončaitis was appointed chancellor for a five-year term on December 10, 2024. His candidacy was proposed by then-Seimas Speaker Saulius Skvernelis. Before becoming chancellor, Stončaitis suspended his membership in the Democratic Union “For Lithuania” party.