Degutiene denies election bribery allegations

VILNIUS - Seimas Speaker Irena Degutiene has denied the Labour Party's allegations that she was bribing voters in Klaipeda to the Central Electoral Commission (VRK) today. Degutiene is not even a candidate in Klaipeda.

"In my today's explanation to the VRK I denied all accusations of the Labour Party's leadership who claims that I bribed voters. These allegations were also denied by the heads of Klaipeda State Music Theater who clearly said that I am in no way related to their project "Theater for Elderly." This is a project to promote art among mature-aged people, they are invited to the theatre free-of-charge," she said.

Degutiene also points out that "it was not the first time when the Labour Party's representatives disseminate false and defamatory information and make a fool of Lithuania's nation."

As reported, yesterday the Labour Party applied the VRK regarding their suspicion that Seimas Speaker, member of the Homeland Union - Lithuanian Christian Democrats (TS-LKD) Irena Degutiene was bribing voters in Klaipeda.

The party says that the Seimas speaker, while responding to a letter from a pensioners' organisation from Klaipeda and Klaipeda district, gave them tickets to several shows at Klaipeda State Music Theatre, which took place before the first round of parliamentary election and before the run-off voting.