The atmosphere between political corruption investigators heats up: accusations fly

With the investigation of illegal relations between politicians and business nearing its conclusion in the Seimas National Security and Defence Committee (NSGK), the atmosphere is turning red hot – opposition and majority investigators have spoken up about efforts to influence the committee’s conclusions.

Such comments appeared after the Wednesday afternoon closed NSGK session, where former prime ministers Gediminas Kirkilas and Andrius Kubilius were discussed, however during a vote it was not chosen to invite current opposition Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats (TS-LKD) leader Gabrielius Landsbergis and signatory Jonas Tamulis to serve as witnesses.

This request was presented by the three “Farmers” in the NSGK – Audrius Šimas, Jonas Jarutis and Dainius Gaižauskas.

After the hearing, TS-LKD member Arvydas Anušauskas, who also serves in the committee, declared in the name of all Conservatives in the committee that “public pressure”, which is being done by the Lithuanian Farmer and Greens Union (LVŽS) leader Ramūnas Karbauskis, is unacceptable to them.

“An individual, who acted so that a commission is not formed in order to investigate the circumstances of the agricultural sector, the one whose companies continue to trade in fertiliser and some agricultural equipment, is making declarations due to which the impression arises that these are efforts to influence our party members by casting baseless accusations on them and the party,” A. Anušauskas said.

According to him, since the NSGK investigation is not yet complete and the conclusions will likely appear next week, the Conservatives believe that there is “open and public pressure” on the investigative commission’s members.

This was the opposition’s response to Wednseday comments on Facebook by R. Karbauskis, where the LVŽS leader levied accusations at the Conservatives, traditionally accusing them of being pro-Russian and pandering to Russian president Vladimir Putin, as well as levying complaints at President Dalia Grybauskaitė.

R. Karbauskis levied accusations at A. Kubilius over apparently belated declaration of interests, Rasa Juknevičienė due to her brother, according to R. Karbauskis, potentially having links to strategic Russian companies. The “Farmer” leader, as a number of times before, accused the Conservatives of employing V. Putin’s political standards.

“In this case I believe that such declarations are open pressure, seeking to perhaps cover his own interests and, truth be told, interaction with V. Putin’s oligarchs. We did not discuss these matters in this commission,” A. Anušauskas stated.

Speaking up after A. Anušauskas, “Farmer” D. Gaižauskas claimed that what the conservative spoke of the TS-LKD could be evaluated after the NSGK conclusions are finalised.

“Then you will see where he is stating the truth and where he is lying. The point is that during the questioning and today A. Kubilius was questioned, if afterward all the questioning material is published, you will also understand why A. Anušauskas says that supposedly there are efforts to besmirch the TS-LKD,” the “Farmer” assured journalists.

D. Gaižauskas stated that the decision to not invite G. Landsbergis to the next committee meeting was made in a close vote, though his testimony “is very necessary”, seeking to thus clarify circumstances and influences so that “questions would not arise later over them.”

When asked what influences there could have been, the “Farmer” stated that it was toward “The Homeland Union, perhaps as a party or toward political processes from a certain business group.”

As NSGK chairman Vytautas Bakas stated after the meeting, the committee decided that the conclusions will be released next Wednesday.