“A pre-trial investigation has been initiated into a
possible criminal act committed during the implementation of public
procurement, the Ministry of National Defence (MND) announced on Monday. At a
press conference on Monday, Minister of National Defence Dovilė Šakalienė
clarified that the possible criminal acts were committed during the initiation
and implementation of the purchase of unmanned aerial vehicles in the autumn of
2024.
“I applied to the Prosecutor
General’s Office with a request to initiate a pre-trial investigation into
possible criminal acts committed during the initiation and implementation of
the purchase of unmanned aerial vehicles in the autumn of 2024. I took such
action after receiving a letter from the Second Department of Operational
Services, which indicated that, according to available data, there are
reasonable suspicions that the equipment delivered by the supplier, which was
marked as manufactured in Lithuania, was possibly manufactured and assembled
outside the European Union or NATO countries. And to put it bluntly, – in
countries that are not friendly to us,” said D. Šakalienė.
“The same suspicions arise regarding
the origin of the data transmission infrastructure, which, according to the
requirements applied in Lithuania, should have been created only in NATO and/or
European Union countries. Again, there are reasonable suspicions, based on
military intelligence data, that this is not the case,” added the Minister of
National Defence.
The Minister: this will look negative in the context of the
defence industry
She emphasised that, according to the
requirements in force in Lithuania, aircraft control software must be
programmed or adapted in Lithuania so that the cloud service infrastructure
required to store and transmit data collected by unmanned aircraft is only in
NATO and/or European Union countries.
According to D. Šakalienė, these
unmanned aircraft were purchased for the activities of the Lithuanian
Riflemen’s Union and the National Defence System, national defence structures,
and specifically – for military intelligence.
The politician did not indicate whether they are used: she
assured that this is the data of the pre-trial investigation.
"After identifying that these products are not as they
are presented, a criminal act may have been committed, so I immediately
contacted the prosecutor's office. The pre-trial investigation is organized and
led by the Prosecutor General's Office, and the investigation is being
conducted by the Special Investigation Service," the minister explained.
If the suspicions of a criminal act are confirmed, then, in
D. Šakalienė's opinion, it will look negative in the context of the developing
Lithuanian defense industry.
"If the information provided by
military intelligence is confirmed and, after the law enforcement
investigation, those data are confirmed, then I view this as a very negative
thing in the context of our defense industry. Because with such purchases from
resellers cooperating with states hostile to us, financing is essentially taken
away from the Lithuanian defense industry, from Lithuanian manufacturers, and
they are demotivated. Because while some are trying impossibly hard to produce
a Lithuanian product, with Lithuanian parts, others manage to bring things from
countries hostile to us and resell them in Lithuania.
This is the transparency of the national defense system and
the development of the Lithuanian defense industry, I think it is clear to
everyone why it is important," said D. Šakalienė.
An official inspection has been initiated
She also reported on an official inspection: they are
investigating how have been purchased other unmanned aerial vehicles.
"So
that we really have a clear picture of how such purchases are made, I have
instructed the Inspector General to conduct an official inspection of all drone
acquisitions made in 2023-2024, assessing whether any of them also show signs
of criminal activity. Of course, we have now strengthened control when it comes
to the implementation of such purchases," commented D. Šakalienė.
When asked to what extent mid-level officials are involved
in organizing such purchases, and to what extent politicians occupying the
highest positions, the Minister of National Defense stated that she did not
want to speculate.
"I wouldn't like to speculate on that. In principle, we
probably all understand that there are quite a few links in such purchases and
decision-making takes place at various levels <...>. It is in all of our
interests to find out as soon as possible whether a criminal act was committed
in this case, and if so, who was involved in it, so that we can resolve it as
quickly as possible. Because speed is very important to us simply because of
the need to strengthen our defense capabilities," the politician
emphasized.
Grunskienė: Investigation launched into possible abuse of
office
The fact that a pre-trial investigation has been launched
was confirmed by Prosecutor General Nida Grunskienė. The investigation is being
conducted into possible abuse of office.
“At the end of March, on the 24th, at the Prosecutor
General’s Office, upon receiving a statement from the Minister of National
Defense, we initiated a pre-trial investigation under Article 228 of the
Criminal Code (abuse of office) in order to determine whether a criminal act
had been committed,” the Prosecutor General commented at a press conference.
During the investigation, searches were conducted, she said.
“Since the start of the pre-trial investigation, searches
have been conducted, seizures have been made, items have been seized, and other
pre-trial investigation actions are currently being carried out – I will repeat
– in order to determine whether a criminal act was possibly committed,” noted
N. Grunskienė.
She stated that currently there are no persons who would be
charged with suspicion or who would be questioned as special witnesses.
The Prosecutor General did not answer which company the
drones were purchased from or how much they cost: she said that this
information is data from the pre-trial investigation.
Jablonskas: We can be happy that leadership is being demonstrated
"National security and public procurement are,
apparently, not only a priority of the Special Investigation Service, but also
of the state. We can only be happy that the national defense system is taking
the lead and is able to recognize, assess risks, and not be afraid to make them
public. We are happy about that and are cooperating in all possible
areas," said Elanas Jablonskas, Deputy Director of the Special
Investigation Service, at a press conference.
According to the Criminal Code, a civil servant or a person
equated to him who has abused his official position or exceeded his authority,
if this has caused significant damage to the state, the European Union, an
international public organization, a legal entity or a natural person, is
punishable by a fine or arrest, or imprisonment for up to five years.
Anyone who misuses it for financial or other personal gain,
if there were no signs of bribery, is punished by a fine or imprisonment for up
to seven years.
A legal entity is also liable for misuse.
More information at the press conference:
Paluckas: Attempts to earn money in a way that is not
permitted by law
On Monday, Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas, interviewed by
journalists after a meeting with the president, stated that he was aware of the
situation regarding the pre-trial investigation launched into a possible
criminal act in the implementation of public procurement in the field of
national defense. He did not want to comment further, only noting that the
situation is quite serious.
“Someone sometimes tries to take and
earn money even in the defense sector in a way that is not permitted by law,”
noted G. Paluckas.
Commenting on the law enforcement
news, former Minister of National Defense Laurynas Kasčiūnas assured that he
had no indications of possible non-transparent drone acquisitions. He also
assured that he had not received any military intelligence information that it
was planned to acquire equipment assembled outside of NATO and the European
Union.”
In ex-Soviet
Georgia, the police also massively tried with help of bribes to live off the
Georgians, as the power agencies are now doing in Lithuania.
Saakashvili came from New York to rule Georgia and fired all the police
officers. This is a good idea. And we need to fire all the workers of power agencies.
These eaters with golden spoons and thieves of golden dental implants are incorrigible.
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