| The Seimas did not hand over the suspected deputies to the prosecutor's office The Lithuanian Seimas refused to revoke the immunity of three deputies accused by the Prosecutor General's Office of bribery. We are talking about Vytenis Andriukaitis (Social Democratic Party), Vytautas Kvetkauskas (New Union) and Arvydas Vidiūnas (Fatherland Union). Mr. Andriukaitis is Deputy Speaker and Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on European Affairs, Mr. Kvetkauskas is an observer in the European Parliament. According to the Prosecutor General's Office, for lobbying the interests of the Rubikon company, Andriukaitis could receive from it 95 thousand litas, Kvetkauskas - 25 thousand litas and Vidiūnas - 40 thousand litas (1 euro - 3.45 litas). The company was interested in passing bills in the field of heat and gas supply.
The Prosecutor General's Office officially addressed the Sejm last week with a request to hand over the three deputies to her hands. All this time, the suspects swore their innocence and themselves demanded that they be interrogated as soon as possible. Andriukaitis even stated that he was ready to temporarily terminate his membership in the Seimas and the party.
To make a decision, a parliamentary commission was created, which, in the interests of the investigation, recommended depriving all three colleagues of immunity. However, on Tuesday the Seimas voted against it - they say we won’t surrender our own.
Prime Minister Algirdas Brazauskas approved this decision, adhering to the “political order” version. And Speaker Arturas Paulauskas called the Seimas resolution a mistake that will cause misunderstandings and cast a shadow on the government, and its consequences will affect the parliamentary elections in the fall. In his opinion, now people will definitely be sure that the deputies “have their heads in the cannon.” The new president, Valdas Adamkus, also did not approve of the decision of the Sejm. Deputy Prosecutor General Gintaras Jasaitis expressed bewilderment at the Seimas decision and said that he did not intend to stop the case. He will get the deputies currently inaccessible to him after the elections, when they will lose parliamentary protection.
The resolution of the Sejm did not suit the suspects either. Andriukaitis, in protest against the parliament's decision, announced the termination of his parliamentary powers. According to the latest data, apparently having come to their senses, the elders of the Sejm factions on Wednesday discussed the possibility of adopting an addition to the Criminal Code that would allow interrogation of deputies without depriving them of immunity. Vladimir SKRIPOV, Vilnius |
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