Skvernelis: convicted MPs should lose seats immediately after court rulings

MP Saulius Skvernelis, chair of the opposition Democrats For Lithuania group, is convinced that mandates of the convicted members of parliament should be annulled together with the court’s decision.

His statement comes after the Seimas failed to impeach MP Vytautas Gapšys due to the lack of votes last week.

“The key message this situation is signalling is that we are ready for change. If there is a final decision of the Supreme Court and a person working in the Seimas is sentenced for a crime, the Seimas should not be holding any vote. The VRK [Central Electoral Commission] should cancel the mandates of those MPs,” said the politician, who was prime minister from 2016 to 2020.

He added that the same decisions should be taken in response to conclusions of the Constitutional Court as well.

Skvernelis was critical of Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė’s proposal to vote openly during impeachment proceedings. An MP may be persecuted for his voting choice, he said.

“The whole point of secret voting is that it is objective and expresses a will that is not influenced by anyone,” said Skvernelis.

“It is sheer populism to talk about this. Decisions are needed to prevent such situations from arising again,” he added.