VILNIUS - After nearly two months of investigation, Vilnius prosecutors closed a probe into the privatization of Crowne Plaza Hotel, owned by Prime Minister Algirdas Brazauskas' wife, after failing to prove criminal action. According to a press release issued on Jan. 11, the investigation found no trace of criminal or penal violations carried out during the privatization of Crowne Plaza, formerly known as Draugyste.
Witness evidence and expert conclusions showed that the state incurred no damages in the Draugyste sell-off. The final price paid for the hotel was 2.06 million litas (0.6 mln euros) higher than the facility's determined balance value.
The investigation found that Brazauskas, who was president at the time, was not involved in the privatization and had no influence on the process.
Prosecutors questioned Brazauskas, his wife Kristina Brazauskiene and her first husband Antanas Butrimas during the pre-trial investigation.
