Masiulis: The proposed punishment is a political crackdown and abuse by the prosecutor

 "Eligijus Masiulis, the former chairman of the Liberal Movement, who is being sentenced to seven years in prison for corruption offenses, says the proposed punishment is a political crackdown.

 

"I would not call it any other way than a certain political deal and some kind of subjective attitude of the prosecutor towards me," is the naming of such a punishment. I think that this is, in a sense, an abuse of power and a desire to show how powerful I am,” - E. Masiulis told reporters after the Vilnius Regional Court hearing on Friday.

 

Prosecutor Justas Laučius asks the former member of the Seimas and the former chairman of the Liberal Movement E. Masiulis to be found guilty of bribery, trading in influence and illegal enrichment. In addition to the imprisonment, he asked to receive 37.6 thousands fine and to confiscate EUR 106.2 thousand received from Raimondas Kurlianskis, former Vice President of MG Baltic as a bribe.

 

The prosecutor also asked for the confiscation and recovery from the former politician of 137.7 thousands assets acquired through illicit enrichment.

 

It is also proposed to deprive a former member of the Seimas of the right to be elected or appointed to all positions elected or appointed by state or municipal institutions and establishments, enterprises or non-governmental organizations for seven years.

 

Prosecutor J. Laučius also asked the court to arrest R. Kurlianskis and E. Masiulis in the courtroom after the sentence is announced.

 

"Of course, it is unpleasant to hear such suggestions from the prosecutor, there is certainly not much to enjoy here, but I want to say that the whole trial and how prosecutor J. Laučius behaves in it from the first hearing is a personal show of the prosecutor, in which he completely ignores the case. existing facts. More than 100 witnesses have been summoned, they are ignoring the testimony of witnesses, they are ignoring the fact that part of the intelligence, as it turned out, was collected illegally, and we will say that in the closing speeches,” - E. Masiulis told reporters.

 

He claimed to seek recognition of complete innocence.

 

"I really haven't done these things that I am accused of, I can say a thousand times that it was not a bribe, it was a loan, the agreement was shown in court," - said the former member of the Seimas.

 

Masiulis was accused of taking 106 thousand Euros from R. Kurlianskis as a bribe for making decisions beneficial to the group. E. Masiulis denies guilt and assures that from R. Kurlianskis 90 thousand Euros he took out as a loan.

 

E. Masiulis was the chairman of the Liberal Movement in 2008–2016, and a member of the Seimas in 2000–2016. From 2008 to 2012, he served as Minister of Transport."

When E. Masiulis was caught with this bribe, Landsbergis' grandson immediately left a warm place in Brussels and flew to Lithuania. After all, the place of the most important liberal and business bribe taker has become vacant. Now the Conservatives cannot believe that they are led by the Landsbergis' grandson - the most important Lithuanian liberal and the biggest bribe taker of Lithuania.