Lithuanian Prime Minister Paluckas Steps Down

RIGA (Latvia), July 31 (Bernama-dpa) - Lithuanian Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas said on Thursday he would step down amid growing pressure arising from allegations of conflicts of interest and nepotism, reported German Press Agency (dpa).

"I have decided to resign from the office of prime minister," Paluckas announced in a statement, adding that he would submit his resignation to President Gitanas Nausėda shortly. 

Paluckas has increasingly come under fire due to allegations of dubious business dealings and faced calls for his resignation, including from one of the two coalition partners in his centre-left government.

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Investigations are ongoing into past and present business dealings involving the 45-year-old, who, up until now, denied any conflicts of interest and dismissed the allegations as deliberate attacks by political opponents.

Lithuanian media reported on Thursday that investigators had searched a company owned by Paluckas' sister-in-law. 

The company is alleged to have used European Union (EU) subsidies to purchase electric batteries from a company which is 49 per cent owned by Paluckas during his term as prime minister.

In his statement, Paluckas said that he did not believe he had committed any serious wrongdoing during his term in office. However, he did not want to make the government and its work hostage to "scandals," he said.

Paluckas, who also resigned as leader of the Social Democrats, had been prime minister of Lithuania since November 2024. 

Nausėda described his resignation as "the right decision."

The head of state had given him two weeks to respond to growing public concerns or reconsider his position. Paluckas, therefore, took a 14-day leave of absence at the beginning of the week.

--BERNAMA-dpa