S. Skvernelis: Due to pressure, the Government had not been in contact with V. Sutkus for more than a year

The prime minister said he was pleased that law enforcement had launched a pre-trial investigation into illegal lobbying.

“In this story, it seems, it should not be absolved that all associations behave in some way in violation of the law. We are talking about individuals and the responsibilities of those individuals must be evaluated, ”he said at a press conference. According to the Prime Minister, in general, the Government’s communication with associations, unions and similar organizations should not disappear anywhere.

According to S. Skvernelis, in response to possible illegal lobbying, there will be an opportunity to return to its regulation.

“Apparently, there will again be a good opportunity to return to the amendments to the Lobbying Law and the discussions that were already in the Seimas, when the government’s proposals were not accepted. Apparently, they are re-emerging in a new light today, and perhaps Those arguments will be stronger now ”, the Prime Minister argued.

On Wednesday, the Special Investigation Service announced that the president of the Business Confederation V. Sutkus is suspected of having received a bribe from the president of the Lithuanian Bank Association, Mantas Zalatoris, and from the heads of several construction companies.

It is also believed that he purposely provided biased negative information in exchange for undermining the authority of the then Minister of Transportation and Communications R. Masiulis and seeking to remove him from the post of Minister of Transportation and Communications.

According to the service, V. Sutkus may have accepted and accepted a bribe from the president of the Lithuanian Association of Banks, M. Zalatorius, for his representation in late 2019 when discussing Lithuania’s 2020 budget law package, property laws bank and corporate income taxes.

Furthermore, according to research data, V. Sutkus may have accepted bribes from managers of private road construction companies for his influence on political processes.

S. Skvernelis said he knew that politicians and employees of certain organizations were seeking pressure. Representatives of such organizations, according to the Prime Minister, were not welcome in the Government.

“It was known that not only the Minister of Transport, but also the heads of other institutions, the Employment Service, ministry officials, tried to put pressure on them; I don’t know how to name them here.” They reacted to that. The reaction was mixed, ending in some lawsuits as well.

There have been no contacts with certain people from these organizations for the past more than a year.

We have seen such signs and, as a result, have not had any contact with certain people in these organizations for the past more than a year. And it has been made clear to the Government, and this has been discussed in informal Government meetings, that there can be no contact with those people who are trying to obtain solutions in their favor in this way. I think all the ministers followed him, “explained S. Skvernelis.

He said he had not contacted V. Sutkus for more than a year.

“When it became clear that it was more than a year ago, even more in the composition of that composition, due to the behavior of this man, both towards the Minister and between the individual ministries – agencies to ministries – such decisions were made that I did not contact This person does not mean that it is not possible to have ministerial contacts with the association. We follow this decision, “said S. Skvernelis.

As far as V. Sutkus was contacted, the Prime Minister claimed that he had not experienced undue pressure to make decisions.

“I had to communicate, but in my opinion, I probably know that it is not possible to make such decisions, he did nothing.” One should not judge by these positions today, by the arrest of that man […] he has done it for the rest of his life, “said the prime minister.

When asked what led to the dismissal of the Minister of Transport and Communications R. Masiulis, perhaps he was influenced by V. Sutkus or road construction companies, S. Skvernelis hoped not.

“Due to changes in the government, these are political decisions. Both the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Transport and Communications, these areas of government were transferred to our coalition partners for the Polish Election Campaign of Lithuania, the Union of Christian families, and that was the main thing. I hope that Mr. Sutkus has not influenced any other institution involved in the appointment of the Minister in this process, “said the Prime Minister.

V. Sutkus, who left the court hearing on Wednesday, denied accepting or giving bribes to anyone.

“I have not given or accepted any bribe to anyone,” he said. More about this – here.