Labour founder Uspaskich to leave party

He said the reason he had decided to leave the party, where he is still seen as the de facto leader, was to protect it from the fallout from fraud charges against him.

In 2013, Uspaskich was sentenced to four years in prison by Vilnius District Court for bookkeeping fraud at the Labour Party, but he has challenged the ruling. The Lithuanian Court of Appeals is expected to deliver its verdict in the case in February.

“I have had the honour to be part of the Lithuanian political life for years. I have been a minister, a Seimas [Lithuanian parliament] member and now I am a European Parliament member. I feel, however, that I’ve accomplished everything that was in my power,” Uspaskich told reporters on Wednesday. He also claimed that the case against him was politically motivated.

Related Post

Uspaskich, a businessman of Russian descent and one of the richest people in Lithuania, founded the Labour Party in 2003 and it became the biggest parliamentary group (with 39 seats in the 141-seat legislature) after the general elections the following year.

He was a Seimas member in 2008-2009 and in 2012-2014 and was elected to the European Parliament in 2009 and 2014. He served briefly as the minister of economy in 2004-2005, resigning from the post after the Seimas Commission on Ethics ruled he had mixed up his private and public interests.

Charges were brought against Uspaskich and several other leaders of the Labour Party in 2011 after an inquiry into suspected trade in political favours and fraud in the party’s bookkeeping. Charges against the Labour Party itself were dropped after it was reorganized in 2013.

Share

Recent Posts

  • Latest

Message from the President’s Office to Paluckas on Žemaitaitis

While Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas does not take issue with the statements made by the…

1 month ago
  • Economy

Surprised by what’s happening in Lithuania: this is what makes us stand out in the EU

Lithuanian economists are surprised to see our country's economic growth: the Estonian economy has been…

1 month ago
  • Politics

Will the coalition shut the door on Žemaitaitis?

"The fate of Nemuno Aušra (Dawn of Nemunas) in the coalition has been decided; they…

1 month ago
  • Tribune

Airvolve has begun the patenting process for an exclusive aircraft

Airvolve, a Lithuanian dual-purpose aeronautics company, has successfully completed its first round of testing and…

2 months ago
  • Latest

Bruveris. The world in 2025: a continuation of last year’s collapses towards new fires

The world is becoming smaller, more intertwined, and increasingly fragmented, with many of the previous…

2 months ago
  • Tribune

Why Fine Dining Is Gaining Popularity in Vilnius?

In recent years, Vilnius, the vibrant capital of Lithuania, has experienced a culinary renaissance. While…

2 months ago