Prosecutors take step in charging Paksas

VILNIUS -- The office of the general prosecutor brought impeached president Rolandas Paksas one step closer to a criminal trial on Thursday when it brought suspicion of abuse of power against him.

The suspicions are part of an official pre-trial investigation into the former president related to his role in the property disputes of Zemaitijos keliai, a road construction company.
The Constitutional Court ruled that Paksas had violated his oath of office for his participation in the Zemaitijos keliai affair when he instructed a top adviser to influence the company?s affairs so that its shares would be transferred to some of Paksas? closest friends.
One of the counts on which the Seimas (Lithuania?s parliament) removed Paksas from the office of president on Apr. 6 was that of oath violation related to Zemaitjos keliai.
Speaking to reporters after his interrogation on Thursday with prosecutors, Paksas stated that the charges were a part of the presidential campaign currently underway to fill the vacancy created when he was removed.
Paksas? bid to participate in the election has been temporarily thwarted by the Seimas, which passed a law banning impeached politicians from running for office for five years.