Vilnius court acquits defendants in MG Group’s political corruption case

VILNIUS – Vilnius Regional Court has on Tuesday acquitted defendants in a political corruption case involving MG Group, one of Lithuania’s biggest business groups formerly known as MG Baltic, Nijole Zimkiene, rapporteur for the judicial panel, has announced.

In this high-profile case, Raimondas Kurlianskis, former vice-president of MG Group, was indicted on charges of bribery and influence peddling.

Meanwhile, Eligijus Masiulis, a former leader of the Liberal Movement, Sarunas Gustainis, a former member of that party, and Labor Party MP Vytautas Gapsys were charged with receiving bribes.

Gintaras Steponavicius, a former Liberal parliamentarian, was charged with abuse of power.

The court also acquitted MG Group, the Liberal Movement and the Labor Party, which had been charged as legal entities, after finding no traces of criminal activities in their actions.