STT has started a pre-trial investigation regarding the members of the Ukmergė District Council
On September 22, on the initiative of publicist Andrias Tapinas, “Skaidrinam” presented an overview of office expenses of Ukmergė district council members.
It turned out that the social democrat Arūnas Dudėnas paid for fuel 450 times in the last term, while the representative of the Labor Party, Valdas Mikalajūnas, stated in the reports that he paid for 117 different bank cards. Also, the social democrat used office allowances to purchase a printer, tablet computer, computer monitor, telephone – although the regulation of the Ukmergė district council states that only postal goods and services, telephone and internet connection services can be compensated.
At that time, another social democrat, a former member of the Seimas Kazys Grybauskas paid for fuel with the same bank card, but the checks presented in the reports indicate that the politician paid for both diesel and gasoline. In addition, the politician from Ukmergė had his car repaired by UAB “Lanžerone” almost every other month.
In turn, a member of the Lithuanian Peasants and Greens Union (LVŽS). Algirdas Kopūstas fuel was paid for by 54 different cards, although the majority of payments were made in cash. The politician refueled at the same gas station and was almost always served by the same cashier.
Another “peasant” Romas Pivoras reimbursed the expenses for both gasoline and diesel. He also paid for fuel at intervals of a few minutes – for example, on March 31. submitted checks printed at 8:51 a.m., 8:53 a.m., 8:54 a.m. In total, the councilor used at least 38 payment cards. In addition, the report indicates 11 fuel spills, but only 7 are based on checks.
Both Ukmergė “peasants” suspended their membership in the Union of Lithuanian Peasants and Greens after this publicized information.
The representatives of the Ukmergė Democratic Union “Vardan Lietuvos” also came under the spotlight of the “Skaidrinam” initiative. Dalius Varnas, Arūnas Civilka and Justas Šakalys. The latter paid with 67 different cards. The submitted receipts show that the politician paid for fuel several times a day.
In addition, J. Šakalys compensated extremely large bills for communication services – in 2022. for this, a member of “Vardan Lietuvos” spent 170 euros per month, of which the equipment alone cost 96.26 euros per month.
Conservative Audronė Augustėnienė also attracted the attention of “Skaidrinam”.
She billed for different fuels, both gasoline and diesel.
The politician presents checks in the report, which show settlements a few minutes apart between embankments. The conservator paid for fuel with 35 different cards. Conservatives Juozas and Janina Galiauskas paid for fuel in cash and 10 different cards. There are cases where J. Galiauskas poured fuel several times a day. However, politicians in 2022 did not provide any fuel receipts proving purchases in the reports in January.
A number of municipalities came under the scrutiny of law enforcement after a scandal broke out in the spring regarding the possible abuse of office funds by politicians. The Special Investigation Service has already started pre-trial investigations regarding the municipalities of Vilnius City, Kaunas City, Šiauliai City, Kaunas District, Neringa, Mažeikiai, Šilutė, Pagėgiai, Ignalina, Jonava, Lazdijai, Alytus District.