Court refuses to hear conservatives’ complaint over Paluckas ruling

The Regional Administrative Court has refused to accept a complaint from a faction in Lithuania’s parliament, the Seimas, challenging an election commission ruling on former Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas, LRT reported Wednesday.

The Central Electoral Commission had found that Paluckas did not commit a gross violation of the Election Code when he provided information about his criminal record in his candidate questionnaire.

The Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats faction had asked the court to overturn parts of the commission’s September 3 decision and order it to reconsider the faction’s appeal and issue a reasoned decision that complied with legal requirements.

The court said the commission’s decision did not change the faction’s rights or duties, impose obligations on it or otherwise have legal consequences for it. The faction therefore had no legal interest that would allow it to challenge the decision in court. A general interest in addressing a possible breach of the public interest was not enough, the court said.

The court also said the faction had not identified a legal provision authorising it to bring the case to defend the public interest. Under the Seimas statute, parliamentarians may form factions to pursue political aims, but a faction’s status does not make it a legal person or give it an independent right to file a court complaint.

The ruling may be appealed within seven days of receiving a copy.