Venckiene missing, may have fled the country

  • 2013-05-09
  • From wire reports

VILNIUS - The Siauliai county prosecutor’s office on May 9 announced the start of a search for MP Neringa Venckiene, reports ELTA. The police have been ordered to locate the precise place of residency of the suspect.

Venckiene, head of the Lithuanian political party Drasos Kelias (The Way of Courage), lost her legal immunity on April 9. A total of 80 MPs supported the legal immunity lift, 23 were against and 15 abstained. Venckiene did not attend the sitting.
MP Jonas Varkalas was authorized to make a statement on behalf of Venckiene.
Since April 9 Venckiene has been absent from the Seimas sittings. Sources say that she took her teenage son and left for Chicago, USA.

Venckiene faces allegations of 6 crimes: disrespect of the court, failure to carry out a court ruling, hindering the bailiff to carry out her duties, resisting a police officer, bodily harm of a minor, and abusing the status of custodian and psychological of harm a child.

The heaviest punishment for these crimes brings a total of up to 5 years in prison.