Prosecutor general asks parliament to strip MP Gapšys of legal immunity

According to the prosecutor general, Gapšys, “acting for his own benefit and the benefit of others, promised, agreed to take and took a bribe of €25,000” which had been given for “… the adoption of two political decisions favourable and beneficial for MG Baltic concern”.

Pašilis did not specify the legislative acts involved in his address to the Seimas. However, a letter, which he sent to the parliament earlier this week, said that those were amendments to the Law on Profit Tax and a resolution on Vilnius-Utena highway project.

The prosecutor general pointed out that a promise to act in exchange for a pecuniary advantage also qualified as a criminal offence, irrespective of further actions, and added that those actions by Gapšys had been confirmed by criminal intelligence reports and witness accounts.

Gapšys has denied all accusations and says that there are no reasons to strip him of legal immunity.

The Special Investigations Service (SIS) has recently questioned Gapšys as a special witness in its bribery and influence-peddling investigation, which is being conducted under the supervision of the Prosecutor General’s Office. The status of a special witness is granted in cases where there is evidence of a crime but a person cannot be prosecuted. As an MP, Gapšys enjoys legal immunity that can only be lifted by the parliament.

As part of the same investigation, bribery suspicions have already been brought against Eligijus Masiulis, ex-leader of the Liberal Movement.