Lithuanian MPs reject impeachment bid against ex-PM Paluckas

VILNIUS - The Lithuanian parliament on Tuesday voted down an opposition proposal to launch impeachment proceedings against former Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas, a Social Democrat, for engaging in business activities while serving as an MP.

Lawmakers rejected a motion to set up a special commission to investigate the case and determine whether there were grounds to initiate impeachment proceedings, effectively ending the initiative.

Forty-one MPs voted in favor of forming the commission, 68 were against, and seven abstained.

"Although Gintautas Paluckas resigned as prime minister, his constitutional responsibility as a member of the parliament has not disappeared," conservative MP Mindaugas Linge said when presenting the proposal.

Linge said the impeachment issue is unrelated to ongoing pre-trial investigations by law enforcement into the activities of companies linked to Paluckas and his relatives.

"Regardless of whether there is criminal liability or not, there are sufficient grounds for constitutional responsibility to initiate impeachment over a possible serious breach of the Constitution and violation of the oath," the opposition MP said.

The conservative Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats (HU-LCD) collected the required number of MPs' signatures in August to propose setting up a parliamentary commission for Paluckas' impeachment.

The initiative was supported by members of the political groups of the HU-LCD and the Liberal Movement, as well as MP Agne Sirinskiene of the Democrats "For Lithuania". At least 36 MPs' signatures are required to initiate impeachment proceedings.

According to the proposal, while serving as both an MP and prime minister, Paluckas allegedly managed the affairs of his companies Garnis and Emus, took part in business decisions, and acted in their interests.

The initiators claimed that certain facts suggest the politician used his parliamentary status for personal gain and that of his business partner.

"Holding shares is not the problem; the problem is systematically using one's position for personal gain, which is incompatible with the oath and the Constitution," Linge said.

The initiators argued that Paluckas may have had seriously violated the Constitution, which states that an MP's duties are incompatible with any other position in state institutions or organizations, as well as with work in business, commerce, or other private entities.

As BNS previously reported, Paluckas stepped down as prime minister and as leader of the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party in August after law enforcement launched two pre-trial investigations linked to his business activities and as questions mounted over his past ties and actions.

He remains a member of the parliament.