STT questions defmin over alleged corruption claims

The Special Investigation Service (STT) on Wednesday interviewed outgoing Defence Minister Arvydas Anušauskas about his recent statements on alleged corruption in the national defence system, the chief of the anti-corruption agency said.

STT Director Linas Pernavas told reporters that the pre-trial investigation has not been launched yet.

“We are checking the information and talking to the persons concerned. (&) Certain procedural steps are being taken. A final decision will be taken once these have been completed,” he told the media after a meeting with President Gitanas Nausėda.

Anušauskas told reporters he clarified his statements to the Special Investigation Service.

“At the request of the Prosecutor General’s Office, the STT had to clarify information from my public political statement. I have clarified that information so that the context is clear,” he told ELTA.

The agency on Tuesday interviewed Liberal MP Raimundas Lopata, member of the Seimas Committee on National Security and Defence.

“Raimundas Lopata wrote a letter to the Ministry of National Defence asking a number of questions. The letter was forwarded to the Special Investigation Service. Since that information was also mentioned over the weekend, the STT is checking it,” Pernavas said.

Asked if the anti-corruption agency intended to speak to more MPs, Pernavas said that this would depend on the information collected during the interviews.