The Supreme Court considered 12 cassation appeals. The convicted defendants sought to be acquitted.
Although the defendants remain to be convicted but some custodial sentences were amended. Kurlianskis will be imprisoned for 5 and a half years instead of 6, while Gapšys will serve an imprisonment sentence of 4 years and 3 months instead of 4 and a half years.
However, Masiulis’ cassation appeal was rejected and the same 5 and a half year custodial sentence is in effect. He is also barred from being elected or appointed to state or municipal institutions, companies or NGOs and EUR 241,490 of assets remain to be seized.
As reported, on 22 November 2023 the Court of Appeal found Kurlianskis, Masiuls and Gapšys guilty of corruption. All of them are carrying out custodial sentences in Kaunas Prison.
Other defendants, former MPs Šarūnas Gustainis and Gintaras Steponavičius, were fined by the Court of Appeal.
The Court of Appeal also found MG Baltic, the Liberal Movement and the Labour Party guilty of corruption and imposes fines.
The politicians were accused of taking bribes from MG Baltic in return for supporting or initiating decisions in parliament that favoured the company group, as well as for influencing decisions on winners of public tenders.
The Labour Party was suspected of bribery and trading in influence, the Liberal Movement – of bribery, trading in influence and abuse of office, MG Baltic – of bribing these parties and trading in influence.