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01-08-2025
- Politics
- Morocco World
Lithuanian Prime Minister Resigns Following Anti-Corruption Protests
Rabat – Lithuania's Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas resigned on Thursday, following investigations into his business dealings, which sparked widespread protests. The Baltic nation has, in recent weeks, been rocked by a series of anti-government and anti-corruption protests as the revelations have been released. The nation's President Gitanas Nauseda announced on television yesterday that Prime Minister Paluckas had decided to resign . Paluckas confirmed the news himself in a news statement released by his Social Democrat Party, which has been in power since the October 2024 elections. His resignation is likely to bring down the entire government, with his cabinet also expected to resign shortly. New coalition talks and negotiations will be initiated to try and find a new government in this Baltic republic. Paluckas has been facing allegations over his fraudulent and corrupt business dealings, including accusations that took place more than a decade ago. One of the most important investigations is that he never paid a €16,500 fine that was given to him after a mishandling of a bidding process for rat extermination services. This was after Paluckas gave benefits and incentives to the company that paid the highest bid within the corruption probe. For this, he received a sentence of two years in prison but was ultimately not imprisoned; this has, however, not stopped further anticorruption investigations from being called. In Lithuania, corruption is taken very seriously, and protests often occur when a politician is seen to overstep the mark, and several prominent officials have been removed in recent years. This comes at a consequential time for Lithuania, while Belarus and Russia have been leading military exercises near the border of the country. In May, Lithuania was central to legal proceedings being brought against Belarus at the International Court of Justice for 'illegal actions' by President Lukashenko. This has the potential to destabilise the country and could lead to a seismic change within the Baltic region .
News18
31-07-2025
- Politics
- News18
Lithuanian PM Gintautas Paluckas Resigns Amid Corruption Allegations
Paluckas' departure comes after he was issued an ultimatum on July 30. Lithuania's Prime Minister, Gintautas Paluckas, has officially stepped down from his position following intense pressure from within the ruling coalition. The announcement was made on Thursday in an official statement released by the Social Democrat Party. President Gitanas Nausėda later confirmed the resignation to the media. Paluckas' departure comes after he was issued an ultimatum on July 30 by a junior coalition party, For Lithuania, one of the three parties forming the current government. The party warned that it would withdraw its support unless Paluckas resigned. Despite stepping down, the Prime Minister has firmly denied any wrongdoing or involvement in corrupt practices. 'Despite my decision to leave my current duties, I will continue to defend my honour and dignity and I'm waiting for the conclusions of the investigations, which I'm sure will separate the facts from insinuations," Paluckas said in a statement, standing by his position. The demand for his resignation intensified in recent days following media reports highlighting his links to a private company owned by his sister-in-law. Allegations over potentially improper business connections triggered widespread protests across the Baltic nation, with demonstrators calling for his removal from office. Paluckas had only recently assumed the role of Prime Minister after being elected leader of the Social Democrat Party and guiding them to success in the October parliamentary elections last year. Though not yet confirmed, it is widely speculated that his resignation may lead to the dissolution of the entire cabinet. The allegations revolve around claims that Paluckas' affiliated businesses improperly managed contracts and deals, prompting official investigations by Lithuania's anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies. The company owned by his sister-in-law has denied any wrongdoing, asserting that all contracts were secured through legitimate tendering procedures. According to Mazvydas Jastramskis, a political analyst at the Vilnius Institute of International Relations and Political Science, the next prime minister will likely be chosen from within the Social Democrat Party, which currently holds 52 out of 141 seats in Lithuania's Parliament. Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from geopolitics to diplomacy and global trends. Stay informed with the latest world news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! view comments First Published: July 31, 2025, 23:46 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Al Jazeera
31-07-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Lithuanian Prime Minister Paluckas resigns following protests
Lithuania's Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas has stepped down following investigations into his business dealings that prompted protests in the Baltic country's capital calling for his resignation. The country's president, Gitanas Nauseda, announced Paluckas' resignation to the media on Thursday morning. Paluckas confirmed the news in a statement sent by his Social Democrat Party. Paluckas ascended to the role late last year after a three-party coalition formed following parliamentary elections in October. His resignation is now likely to bring down the whole government, with his cabinet expected to also resign. New coalition talks are expected to start soon. Paluckas has faced scandals over his business dealings, including some that occurred more than a decade ago. Media investigations revealed that he had never paid a significant part of a 16,500-euro ($19,000) fine after he was convicted in 2012 of mishandling the bidding process for the capital Vilnius's rat extermination services. Paluckas, at the time, was Vilnius's municipal administration director, and judges ruled that he had abused his official position by illegally granting privileges to the company that offered the highest bid. He was sentenced to two years in prison but was ultimately not imprisoned. Since the media investigations, Lithuania's anticorruption and law enforcement agencies have also launched their probes into Paluckas. He has denied any wrongdoing and instead called the attacks on his business dealings parts of a 'coordinated attack' by political opponents. The resignation of the prime minister comes only weeks before a planned joint military exercise between Lithuania's neighbours, Russia and Belarus, highlighting the precarious position the country finds itself in. In May, Lithuania initiated legal proceedings against Belarus at the International Court of Justice, after it accused the latter of being behind a wave of 'illegal migration' into the country. Lithuania is a member of NATO and was formerly part of the Soviet Union, becoming the first republic to declare independence in 1990, before the world power's collapse the following year. Nauseda, Lithuania's president, has been a strong supporter of Ukraine, and the Baltic country has long been fearful of Russian expansionism.
Al Jazeera
31-07-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Lithuania Prime Minister Paluckas resigns following protests
Lithuania Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas has stepped down following investigations into his business dealings that prompted protests in the Baltic country's capital calling for his resignation. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda announced Paluckas' resignation to the media on Thursday morning. Paluckas confirmed the news in a statement sent by his Social Democrat Party. Paluckas ascended to the role late last year after a three-party coalition formed following parliamentary elections in October. More to come…
Reuters
31-07-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Lithuania's prime minister resigns
VILNIUS, July 31 (Reuters) - Lithuania's Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas has decided to resign from his post, he said in a statement sent by his Social Democrat Party on Thursday. A junior party in Lithuania's government on Wednesday threatened to quit the ruling coalition unless Paluckas resigned over business ties to a company owned by his sister-in-law.
