Prosecutors seek more than 44,000 euros from four council members

Lithuanian prosecutors are seeking to recover more than 44,000 euros in alleged unjustified payments from four municipal council members, LRT reported on Tuesday.

The latest civil claims concern current or former council members from Marijampolė, Druskininkai, Alytus city and Lazdijai district municipalities. Prosecutors say the money should be returned to the municipalities’ budgets.

A prosecutor has asked the Marijampolė District Court to order former Marijampolė council member Valentina Gataveckienė to repay more than 9,700 euros. Prosecutors say she received more than 16,400 euros in expense reimbursements during the 2019–2023 term for items including transport, phone and communications services, vehicle maintenance, office supplies, publicity and flowers.

Gataveckienė submitted receipts for 3,900 litres of diesel costing 6,408 euros, but investigators found that only 29 euros in fuel expenses were justified. She also repaid 127 euros for fuel bought outside Marijampolė municipality. Prosecutors consider more than 9,700 euros of the payments unrelated to her council duties.

In a separate claim, prosecutors are seeking more than 10,000 euros from Druskininkai council member Algis Bolys. The investigation found that he received 10,166 euros in fuel reimbursements during the previous council term, enough to buy 6,777 litres of fuel. Prosecutors calculated that this amount could cover 73,673 kilometres over the term, or about 50 kilometres a day.

Bolys paid for fuel with seven different payment cards and used at least 106 discount cards, prosecutors said. Investigators also recorded fuel purchases during quarantine periods. Taking into account his actual attendance at council meetings and distances travelled, they consider 10,111 euros of the payments unjustified.

Prosecutors have also asked the Alytus District Court to order former Lazdijai district council member Romas Leščinskas to repay more than 5,600 euros. He received more than 11,700 euros in expense reimbursements during the 2019–2023 term for items including vehicle repairs, insurance, fuel, phone and internet services, and office supplies.

Leščinskas submitted 232 payment receipts for fuel purchases totalling more than 5,600 litres. He paid for fuel 97 times using 10 different payment cards and 135 times in cash. Investigators also recorded fuel purchases during quarantine periods.