Mažeika lacks evidence searches involve agency deputy

Lithuanian Agriculture Minister Kęstutis Mažeika told LRT that he has no confirmed information linking searches at the National Paying Agency, a body subordinate to the Agriculture Ministry, to the agency’s deputy director Tomas Orlickas.

Mažeika said he was waiting for explanations from the agency’s director and the findings of the Financial Crime Investigation Service (FNTT).

According to the FNTT, the criminal investigation concerns suspected abuse of official powers to provide unlawful advantages to people involved in European Union-funded projects.

“I assess this situation negatively because such events undermine trust in the institution,” Mažeika told the ELTA news agency on Tuesday. He said the head of the agency was directly responsible for the effectiveness of its anti-corruption system.

“After assessing all the information, we will make decisions. At this moment, I do not have confirmed information that this morning’s search is related to the NMA deputy,” the minister said.

The agency launched an internal investigation on August 5 after suspicions that Orlickas may have confused public and private interests while carrying out international projects. The NMA said he had immediately been removed from duties where a conflict could arise and had not performed any work functions since the investigation began. He is on leave.

The investigation suspects that civil servants deliberately failed to perform their duties and may have caused significant material and non-material damage to Lithuania’s and the EU’s financial interests. European delegated prosecutors in Lithuania are coordinating the pre-trial investigation.