VILNIUS - The Vilnius District Court discontinued the so-called Mazeikiu Nafta case on Nov. 19 after the expiry of the statute of limitations had run out.
In the case, a group of former government officials were charged with abuse of powers while signing deals on the sale of the state's stake in the refinery with the U.S.-based Williams International in 1999.
Former Minister of Local Governments and Administrative Reforms Sigitas Kaktys, former Transportation Minister Rimantas Didziokas and former Deputy Economy Minister Antanas Bartulis signed the deal on Oct. 29, 1999, while the statute of limitations on the possible crime expired on Oct. 29 this year.
The old Criminal Code, which had been in effect in Lithuania since 1961, stipulated a five-year statute of limitations on crimes that carried a sentence of up to five years in prison. The new Criminal Code, which went into effect in 2003, extended the statute but stipulated a milder penalty for similar crimes.
Prosecutors said provisions of the previous code had to be applied to the case, and upon the expiry of five-year statute on the prosecution the case had to be discontinued.
The defendants and their lawyers asked to discontinue the case as well.
The ministers had faced deprivation of rights to conduct certain work, a fine, arrest or imprisonment for up to four years.
The opposition Homeland Union, which was in power at the time of the deal, accused the ruling majority of the previous Parliament of manipulating the law while investigating the refinery privatization and of seeking political reprisal against opponents.
Calculations by the Economy Ministry suggest that the Lithuanian oil utility incurred some 750 million litas (217 million euros) in losses under Williams' management from 1999 to the fall of 2002. Yet upon the change of the company's owners - to Yukos (see story on Page 6) - it started generating profits.
