Crop Production Authority case: K.Starkevičius admits taking a bribe
Kazys Starkevičius, a conservative who is suspected in a corruption case at the State Plant Breeding Service (SPB), has admitted to taking a bribe, writes the portal „15min“.
„I am greatly relieved, I have freed myself from the burden that was weighing me down. It was the biggest mistake of my life, a blackout of my mind“, – K. Starkevičius revealed to the portal.
Based on sources, the portal reports that the former Agriculture Minister was given up to €20,000 in cash in October last year by businessman Daniel Krinicki, who is linked to former VAT chief Igor Kornijenko.
The envelope containing the money may have been left in the Seimas dormitory. According to "15min“ sources, the politician brought the money to the investigators himself.
ELTA recalls that in December last year, officials detained 13 people during an investigation into a major corruption case at the State Duma.According to the prosecutor's office, the number of suspects later increased to 15.
According to the law enforcement authorities, according to the data gathered during the investigation, representatives of companies transporting plants and plant products systematically demanded and received bribes of a high value for phytosanitary certificates issued by the VAT to transporters of goods.
At the time, the suspended head of the VAT, Mr Kornijenko, his deputy, Mr Mantas Butas, his adviser, Ms Agnė Silickienė, the head of the Alytus Regional Division, Mr Giedrius Urbelionis, and the interim head of the Kaunas Regional Division, Ms Dalia Šubonienė, had already been named as suspects.
A. Silickienė is a former advisor to Sauliaus Skvernelis, a former member of the Chief Electoral Commission, and a former Chancellor of the Vilnius District Court.
More than 100 searches led to the seizure of more than €1.3 million in cash, 8 kilograms of gold worth about €1 million, 11,000 packs of cigarettes, 14,000 litres of alcohol, cocaine and explosives.
In February, searches were carried out in the homes and offices of MPs Skvernelis and Starkevičius.
K. Starkevičius was a long-standing member of the Seimas, having served in the parliament since 2004. Starkevičius has also declared that he was a participant of Sąjūdis.
