Ziemelis' company may face suspension if deemed natl security threat - Lithuanian ministry

VILNIUS - If the Lithuanian government's commission concludes that Skyllence, a company of Gediminas Ziemelis' Avia Solutions Group that helped evacuate Lithuanian citizens from Israel last month, poses a threat to national security, its operations and transactions could be suspended, the Foreign Ministry said.

"The commission's decisions must be approved by the government, which is authorized by law to restrict, suspend or annul transactions, investments or commercial activities. The commission may also make recommendations to the government regarding possible future transactions," the ministry said in a comment to BNS.

Last week, Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys asked the Commission for the Coordination of the Protection of Objects Important for National Security to assess whether Skyllence poses a threat to national security.

According to the minister, if companies or individuals are found to be incompatible with national security interests, they cannot be trusted and should not operate in strategic sectors.

Under the law, the commission reviews investors and transactions that may pose a risk to national security.

An official inquiry is underway into the organization of the mid-June evacuation of Lithuanian citizens from Israel. The government's press office told BNS last week that the investigation had not yet been completed.

The group was transported by bus from Israel to Jordan before boarding a flight home. Marius Laurinavicius, a political commentator who was among the passengers, was ordered to leave the plane before departure.

The exact reasons for the incident remain unclear.

The flight was organized by Chapman Freeborn, a charter company that is part of Avia Solutions Group.

Vilma Vaitiekunaite, CEO of Skyllence, which handles private flights at Vilnius Airport, initially told BNS that the removal was due to issues with data provided by the operator.

Ziemelis wrote on Facebook that the incident was related to an alleged threat by Laurinavicius to blow up the plane, a version later echoed by Vaitiekunaite.

Laurinavicius denies the accusation and says he was removed because of his criticism of Ziemelis

The Defense Ministry ultimately arranged for his return to Lithuania on a Spartan military aircraft.

A few years ago, the State Security Department confirmed that it had intelligence raising doubts about the activities and reliability of Avia Solutions Group.