As part of the ongoing large-scale pre-trial investigation into suspected corruption at the State Plant Service under the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Lithuania (State Plant Service), procedural actions are being carried out today.
In order to gather information relevant to the investigation, searches have been conducted at the residences and workplaces of Members of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania Saulius Skvernelis and Kazys Starkevičius.
As previously reported in December 2025, the Special Investigation Service (STT) is conducting a large-scale pre-trial investigation into suspected corruption offences allegedly committed by senior officials and employees of the State Plant Service and other individuals. The investigation is being led, organised and supervised by the Prosecutor General’s Office.
According to the information currently available in the pre-trial investigation, representatives of companies transporting plants and plant products were allegedly systematically solicited for and required to pay high-value bribes in exchange for phytosanitary certificates issued by the State Plant Service for such consignments. The total amount of bribes is suspected to have reached EUR 1.5 million.
A total of 14 individuals have currently been formally notified of suspicions of corruption-related offences allegedly committed in complicity or as part of an organised group. They include representatives of the State Plant Service, executives of private companies and other associated individuals.
In accordance with the presumption of innocence, a person is considered innocent until proven guilty in accordance with the procedure established by law and convicted by a final court judgment.
