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Vilnius, Lithuania – Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas resigned Thursday amid mounting pressure stemming from investigations into his business dealings. President Gitanas Nausėda confirmed the resignation, stating to the press that Mr.
Paluckas had “made the right choice.” This decision follows a two-week ultimatum issued by President Nausėda for the Prime Minister to address public concerns regarding the allegations.
The pressure on Mr. Paluckas intensified as a minor party within the ruling coalition threatened to withdraw its support if he remained in office. Several media investigations into the Prime Minister’s financial activities prompted anti-corruption agencies and law enforcement to launch their own probes, including revisiting a decade-old case.
Among the allegations are a conviction in 2012 for mishandling a public contract while serving as director of Vilnius’s municipal administration. Reports indicate Mr.
Paluckas failed to pay a significant portion of the resulting fine. More recent scrutiny centers around a substantial subsidized loan received by Garnis, a company co-founded by Mr.
Paluckas, after he assumed the role of Prime Minister. Further questions arose concerning EU funding awarded to Dankora, a company owned by Mr.
Paluckas’ sister-in-law, which was then used to purchase goods from Garnis. While public pressure led Dankora to return the funds, the incident fueled further controversy.
Mr. Paluckas has vehemently denied all wrongdoing, characterizing the accusations as a politically motivated attack.
The resignation throws Lithuanian politics into uncertainty, particularly with upcoming joint military exercises between Russia and Belarus. The entire cabinet is expected to resign alongside Mr.
Paluckas, potentially leaving a governmental vacuum. However, Lithuania’s foreign policy, particularly its staunch support of Ukraine, is unlikely to shift significantly given President Nausėda’s prominent role in international affairs.