Investigators question Nemuno Aušra board members in car-rental probe

Lithuania’s Financial Crime Investigation Service has questioned as witnesses members of the Nemuno Aušra party board whose homes were searched in an investigation into the party’s car rentals, LRT reported, citing BNS. Some of those questioned have had certain seized items returned.

The news outlet 15min reported that all seven board members whose homes were searched had been questioned, including party leader Remigijus Žemaitaitis. BNS said the report was based on information from board member and MP Lina Šukytė-Korsakė, which a BNS source confirmed.

Šukytė-Korsakė told BNS that her questioning lasted about an hour, although the visit took six hours because investigators typed out her answers. She said she was questioned last week about a January 2024 party board meeting. BNS reported that she returned to the service on Wednesday to collect a computer and phones and undergo further questioning.

The investigation concerns the rental of cars belonging to Žemaitaitis and Daiva Petkevičienė to the party. Searches were conducted at the MPs’ homes in May. In September, investigators searched Žemaitaitis’s home again and the homes of five of the party’s 11 board members: Šukytė-Korsakė, Robertas Puchovičius, Kęstutis Bilius, Daiva Žebelienė and Tadas Sadauskis. Phones and computers were seized.

Puchovičius told BNS he had been questioned after the first searches in May, but not since the search at his home, and had not received his seized items back. Sadauskis also said he was questioned in May; he has received his phone but not his computer. BNS was unable to reach Žemaitaitis, Bilius, Žebelienė or Petkevičienė for comment on questioning or the seized items.

None of those searched has been questioned as a special witness, a status that could indicate they have information about possible offences of their own. No one has been charged in the investigation, which began in March and concerns suspected fraud involving the acquisition of high-value property by deception.

That same month, Lithuania’s Central Electoral Commission found that the party had used state funds improperly when renting cars from Žemaitaitis and Petkevičienė in 2024, and had not substantiated 49,500 euros in expenses. The commission classified the violations as serious, resulting in the party losing its first-half state subsidy of 241,800 euros. It also ordered Žemaitaitis and Petkevičienė to repay the party 26,776 euros and 15,349 euros, respectively.