Lithuania: Prime Minister Paluckas Resigns Amid Investigation

Lithuanian Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas has resigned amid an investigation into financial misconduct related to his companies.

Paluckas announced his resignation, stating that he had informed the president and that he was also resigning as head of the Social Democratic Party. He pledged to defend his honor and await the findings of the investigations.

The Financial Crime Investigation Service (FNTT) investigated the offices of Dankora, a business owned by Paluckas' sister-in-law. The company allegedly used European Union funds to purchase battery systems from Garnis, a company partly owned by Paluckas.

Investigative journalists revealed that Garnis had received a subsidized state loan while Paluckas was prime minister. Paluckas had already been convicted of abuse of power when he was head of the Vilnius municipal administration.