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15 minutes A letter from a reluctant member of the Kaunas Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Handicrafts (PPA), more precisely his representative, reached the editorial office in 2006. The question is raised whether a person sentenced to 11 years in prison can form the face of the Kaunas business community, represent that community, that is, lead that chamber.
“One of the biggest scandals in the business world was the arrest of the head of the Lithuanian Business Confederation, V. Sutkus. We discuss lobbying and transparency as if that is the problem of this organization. Influential business organizations also have more personalities. colorful in leadership positions, which are avoided at least a little more I mean the head of the Kaunas Chamber of the PPA, Zigmantas Dargevičius, who was sentenced in a criminal case in 1982 to 11 years in prison with confiscation of assets. A man who has been tolerated for corruption, bribery and similar activities in the past, he now heads the Chamber of Entrepreneurs in the country’s second-largest city.
The person and their personal history form the face of all Kaunas entrepreneurs, their attitude towards them, the confidence and the opportunity to effectively represent their interests. Can Z.Dargevičius be considered a person of transparent reputation? In legal terms, perhaps because the prison sentence has already been served, it would be moral, it would be difficult to say unequivocally, but in the context of these times, apparently not much, ”said a member of the Kaunas Chamber of the PPA. .
What is written in the sentence?
15 minutes The transcript sent on December 16, 1982 states that Z.Dargevičius, who at that time was the secretary of the Kaunas Land Building Trust Party Committee, was found guilty of bribery and fraud by a verdict handed down on December 16, 1982 by the Judicial Criminal Chamber of the Supreme Court of the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic. He was sentenced to eleven years in prison with confiscation of property and five years in prison. Z.Dargevičius was acquitted of some of the other charges against him. He was sentenced to serve in a reinforced regime correctional colony.
Of the three prisoners, including Z.Dargevičius, a group of people was ordered jointly and in solidarity to pay 500 rubles each. This sentence is called firm, not subject to cassation or protest in cassation.
Photo by Marius Vizbaras / 15min / Zigmantas Dargevičius
According to Z.Dargevičius, the case was created on the basis of an anonymous complaint.
Awarded on merit to the state
Z.Dargevičius, CEO of UAB Lux, has been the president of the Kaunas Chamber of PPAs, uniting around 550 companies of various sizes from different fields of activity, since 2018, when he was appointed to temporarily manage this institution. At the General Assembly of the House of the PPA of Kaunas held on June 18 of this year, he was elected Permanent Speaker of the House for a period of four years. The Chamber, whose duty is to mediate business dialogue with the government and self-government, employs more than 42,000 people in community businesses. workers.
In 2015, Z.Dargevičius received the Seimas Award of State Merit and the success of his personal business in 2013 received the Lithuanian Export Award. The Z.Dargevičius company operates the hotels of the Best Western and Best Baltic chains in Kaunas, Vilnius, Palanga, Druskininkai and Panemunė Castle. The latter has recently become one of the top ten castle hotels in Europe.
“I was not surprised by your appeal. Material with similar content is being uploaded to many publishers and portals, but they have refused to make it public. It is a pity that even on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the restoration of Lithuanian independence, there are methods of whistleblowers who could not forget the Soviet times ”, 15 minutes Z.Dargevičius responded to the request regarding the previous conviction.
When asked to explain why he was convicted at that time, in 1982, the Speaker of the Kaunas PPA Chamber advised paying attention to the circumstances in which the case, according to him, had been created on the basis of a Anonymous complaint.
“This is J. Andropov, a former KGB commander and later a USSR gene. Secretary, a period of fury in the fight against the alleged waste or crime against the socialist economy. When people had just been arrested and punished on the street for being out of work. Then dozens, if not hundreds, were shot for relations with foreigners, due to the facts of the exchange of rubles for dollars. This seems absurd today, but it was the norm for the political regime at that time. moment.
Or how many were convicted of the so-called “chekhovics” who sewed the Western Wrangler jeans so coveted by people in the basement? By the way, the cult film “Asa”, in which V. Cojus’s song “We demand change” was performed in public for the first time, also very well showed the conditions under which the seedlings of economic freedom developed “Z.Dargevičius began his explanation.
He never admitted the charges
Later in his explanation, the President of the Chamber of the PPA of Kaunas emphasized that he had never admitted the charges, he did not owe him money, which means that, according to the interlocutor, his actions did not harm anyone and nobody You could be harmed by your alleged actions.
“And the fact that the incarceration time was reduced more than twice is clear proof that the absurdity of the accusations was understood when the leaders of the political regime of the USSR changed,” said Z.Dargevičius.
When asked if he did not believe that, given the scandalous context, the arrest and resignation of V. Sutkus, the highest ethical and moral standards should be established for a person representing business interests, Z.Dargevičius said that, in his opinion, only the arrest itself is considered scandalous. Fact: “What do we know about the context of the arrest? Confusing comments from law enforcement? What if the suspicions do not come true? Who will be responsible for the ruined reputation, maybe life?
Z.Dargevičius: “The imprisonment time was reduced by more than two times.”
His company is one of the first in Kaunas.
Z.Dargevičius told more about the business he runs: his company received the second registration number in Kaunas and the 25th in Lithuania. According to him, the beginning of personal business coincides with the restoration of the independence of Lithuania.
“In the 1990s, I decided to start a private company: we started manufacturing pharmaceutical products and offering accommodation services, so this year we celebrate our 30th anniversary. This year’s anniversary and palace membership. We are part of the palatial community since 2000 ”, said the interlocutor.
When asked why he was only planning to run for the presidency of the Kaunas PPA House for the first time this year and why he encountered no competitors in the elections, he replied: “I have been a member of the House Council for five mandates, vice president since 2016 and president of the Chamber since 2018. The office of president is not only a forceful name, it is a free activity that requires a lot of time and work, not for personal interests, but for the interests of the community. Support must be earned.
Due to the proper representation of the palatial community, I was entrusted with the presidency in 2018. The performance clearly showed that I had to continue the work I had started, so I was nominated for another term. And don’t think there are no competitors. Benjaminas Žemaitis had proposed his candidacy, but after the unanimous support of the Chamber Council, he decided not to run again. “
He did not hide the fact that he had disappeared before the elections.
According to Z.Dargevičius, the members of the Kaunas PPA Chamber who participated in the presidential elections and the business community were aware of their past convictions: according to the interlocutor, this fact was circulated on the day of the General Assembly to undermine their reputation.
“The document was allegedly obtained and distributed illegally. However, the authors of that letter failed to reduce the support of the members: I was elected president of the House. Of the 315 mandates issued, 312 voted for me. I saw that only two people They did not support me: B. Žemaitis and Eduardas Jasas.
B. Žemaitis, whose candidacy for the presidency was not supported by the council, is a person elected president of the association, who “appointed” Rimantas Šidlauskas as its general director and wanted to carry out “activities”, which was suspended by STT. A few months later, he was forced to resign as president of the association.
I was also not supported by E. Jasas, a former instructor of the Communist Youth Committee, but I was not elected to the House Council this year and I appealed to the court. Apparently, there are methods of operation of the KGB in Soviet times that cannot be forgotten. They are afraid to make their names public, but want to defame and degrade the authority of others. ” 15 minutes Z.Dargevičius taught the journalist, assuring him that no pre-trial investigation is currently being called into question, it is slander.
The interlocutor said that he had never been criticized for his past, on the contrary, only for support.
“I am proud that the Soviet repressive apparatus did not break me with its psychological and physical violence, that I joined the Lithuanian and Kaunas business community from the first days of Lithuanian independence, contributed and continue to contribute to the development of Lithuania and especially of Kaunas. I work for Kaunas and Lithuania, they don’t pay me. I do not need it. The only reward is to see how the economic situation in the country improves thanks to the work done by me and my team ”, assured Z.Dargevičius.
After the scandal, the new chairman of the Lithuanian Business Confederation established a transparency register, or did the Kaunas PPA Chamber consider creating something similar?
“When transparency is a value of day-to-day operations, then there is no need for records or statements. We constantly publish the activities and positions of the Chamber and prepare reports for our members,” Z.Dargevičius replied to the question.
Z.Dargevičius: “I am proud of myself”.
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