Brazauskas went to Moscow accompanied by Bronislovas Lubys, president of the Lithuanian Industrialists' Confederation, and had held negotiations with the Moscow-based Itera gas company. The ex-president later tried to hide the trip from journalists.
On June 20, journalists from the radio station M-1 and daily newspaper Lietuvos Rytas called Brazauskas, who said, "I'm in Kaunas now."
That evening Brazauskas was caught by journalists arriving from Moscow at Kaunas Airport.
On June 21, Brazauskas denied media reports that he had held secret talks with the Russian gas monopoly Gazprom, during his unexpected visit to Moscow. Brazauskas said he went to Moscow on June 20 to "congratulate an old friend on his 70th anniversary."
"His name is Babykin. You don't know him anyway," he said.
In political circles speculation was rife that Brazauskas also met the leadership of Gazprom, which has made no secret of its interest in the privatization of the state-run Lithuanian gas utility Lietuvos Dujos.
The flight to Moscow was arranged by Achema, a company headed by Lubys, which is interested in the privatization of Lietuvos Dujos.
Lietuvos Rytas reported that Brazauskas left for Moscow at 7 a.m. on a Lietuva Airline charter plane and returned at about 8 p.m. local time. The daily said the plane was booked and paid for by Achema.
Lubys, a co-owner of the company, announced plans last week to establish a consortium with the Western Lithuanian Industry and Finance Corporation and Russia's Gazprom for the sell-off of Lietuvos Dujos.
Brazauskas said he had learned about an Achema plane going to Moscow and asked to be taken along. The Lithuanian Embassy in Russia was not officially informed about his visit to the city.
On June 21, 14 MPs of the Liberal, Conservative, Modern Christian Democratic and Social Liberal factions wrote an open letter to Brazauskas demanding explanations about the mysterious trip.
On June 22 Brazauskas went to Sts. Johns Church to congratulate graduates from Vilnius University. After the ceremony, journalists surrounded him and asked about his visit to Moscow.
"I've already said everything I need to say," said Brazauskas.
He added that the trip would not get in the way of him becoming prime minister.
"When MPs approve a prime minister, they can vote against me if they wish. I have proved my loyalty to Lithuania during the last 12 years," Brazauskas said.
Brazauskas later held a press conference and said he was helping Lubys to negotiate with Itera on the establishment of a joint venture Achema, which relies on Itera for gas supplies.
"I didn't want to speak about a commercial secret," Brazauskas said.
Lietuvos Rytas wrote that Brazauskas' confession came only because he found out that the daily was planning to run a story the following day on his meetings with Itera heads.
Parliament Chairman Arturas Paulauskas said that Brazauskas had no official post at the time of his trip, and it was difficult to condemn him.
"He is not even an MP," Paulauskas said.
Others weren't so forgiving.
"I would say that Brazauskas is a free citizen, not an official, and he can travel where he wants. However, he was hiding the tasks of this visit. I'm worried about it," Kazys Bobelis, leader of the Lithuanian Christian Democrats, told The Baltic Times.
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