VILNIUS – The Prosecutor General's office asked Parliament on Thursday for permission to prosecute three MPs – Deputy Parliamentary Speaker Vytenis Andriukaitis (Social Democrat), Vytautas Kvietkauskas (Social Liberal) and Arvydas Vidziunas (Conservative ) – suspected of corruption.
"I am asking for Parliament for permission to prosecute members of Parliament Andriukaitis, Kvietkauskas and Vidziunas and restrict their freedom in other ways," Deputy Prosecutor General Gintaras Jasaitis said in his address to Parliament.
According to Jasaitis, Andriukaitis accepted a 95,000 litas (27,500 euro) bribe from the Rubicon Group, while Kvietkauskas accepted 25,000 litas and Vidziunas 40,000 litas for bringing influence over adoption of various acts at the parliament and municipalities.
The prosecutor's office also asked for permission to question the mentioned lawmakers as suspects in the case on bribery.
The three MPs denied any wrongdoing.
"I have taken not a single centas. I have not voted for money, and I am not related with any business structure," Vidziunas said on Thursday. In March the Special Investigation Service launched an investigation into large-scale fraud, money-laundering, submission of false data and bribery of public officials in relation to the Rubicon Group.
Prosecutor General Antanas Klimavicius has earlier told the Seimas (Lithuania's parliament) that five MPs might be suspected of taking bribes from Andrius Janukonis, the head of Rubicon Group, for adoption of laws favorable to the company.
Suspicions of bribery have been brought against Janukonis.
Parliament planned to form a 12-person commission on Thursday that would provide a response to the prosecutor's office.
Parliament will give permission to prosecute the abovementioned lawmakers if it is approved by at least 71 lawmakers, or half the Seimas' total membership.
The Seimas may vote on the issue on Friday.
