The Lithuanian Prosecutor General’s Office has filed charges in the Lithuania corruption scandal against two former prime ministers, Saulius Skvernelis and Gintautas Paluckas.
These independent criminal cases follow a series of high-profile investigations into political corruption in Lithuania involving the widespread misappropriation of budget funds by lawmakers.
The Saulius Skvernelis Case: Lithuania Corruption Scandal Bribes
Saulius Skvernelis, who led the government from 2016 to 2020, is suspected of bribery. According to investigators, while serving as the Speaker of the Seimas, the politician received at least €51,000 in cash in exchange for patronage of the State Plant Service.
The bribes were allegedly collected from transport companies in exchange for the issuance of phytosanitary certificates. The total criminal income of the group is estimated at €1.112 million. Clandestine records seized during the investigation identified Skvernelis by the pseudonym “Crab.” The parliamentarian denies the allegations, stating he was unaware of the scheme. Nevertheless, the Seimas stripped him of his immunity through a simplified procedure, and he resigned as chairman of his political party. A total of 16 suspects are named in the case.
The Gintautas Paluckas Case: Fictitious Loans
On the same day, prosecutors formalized charges against Gintautas Paluckas, who served as prime minister from 2024 to 2025. He is accused of illicit enrichment exceeding €45,000.
The criminal case was prompted by media investigations that uncovered questionable financial flows surrounding the company Sagerta. The firm, managed by Paluckas, received €180,000 in non-refundable loans of unclear origin. Additionally, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office is investigating a preferential loan from the national development bank ILTE to another of the former prime minister’s companies, Garnis. Investigators have also raised questions regarding the purchase of expensive real estate on Trinapolio Street in Vilnius. These investigations forced Paluckas to resign from the post of prime minister in August of last year.
The “Receipt Scandal”
The prosecution of the former leaders coincides with the ongoing “receipt scandal” (čekiukų skandalas). While unrelated to the prime ministers’ cases, the Skaidrinam journalistic investigation revealed systemic theft of office and transport allowances by municipal councilors across the country.
Officials reportedly submitted fuel receipts, sometimes paid for with dozens of different bank cards, and used budget funds to pay for nightclub visits, gaming laptops, and bulk purchases of 65 USB flash drives. Member of Parliament Andrius Bagdonas became a symbol of the scandal; according to his records, he claimed to have driven tens of thousands of kilometers at the height of the pandemic. While ordinary citizens faced heavy fines for attempting to travel to neighboring cities, the politician cashed in receipts for continuous travel. When questioned, he claimed he was engaged in “intensive work with voters” and suggested he had “accidentally taken someone else’s receipts at the gas station.”
The scandal has triggered a wave of resignations and damaged the reputation of the Lithuanian political establishment, leading to a policy of zero tolerance for financial misconduct in government.