Something is rotten in a state of Lithuania. A scandal is brewing, that would leave the reputation either a law enforcement institution or owner of biggest media group in taters. Both of these options would be bad news for Lithuania.
Cold war between Lithuanian secret agents and media turned very hot
4th March 2016, 18:17
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It all started as cliché crime movie scene. A Monday afternoon meeting in an Italian restaurant between two unlikely people – Rolandas Paksas and Gedvydas Vainauskas. They were no mafia members, but very well know and controversial people in Lithuania.
The first is a disgraced ex-president of Lithuania, currently MEP. First European leader, who got impeached and ejected from his office in 2004, mr Paksas has since been fighting to regain his influence and reputation. Not very successfully though.
The second member of the meeting is no ordinary man either. Short, hawkish looking man of 60 years old with a cap and gray beard covering his face is ranked as one of the most influential people in Lithuania. Mr Vainauskas heads biggest newspaper in Lithuania, Lietuvos rytas. His little media empire also includes a newsportal, TV and also the basketball club.
Monday conversation was a formal one, business related. Mr Vainauskas even claimed it was a simple conversation about a future tell-all interview at the restaurant nearby the Lietuvos rytas building. A somewhat neutral ground to see former president.
«We are not best friends, we have been enemies before and at the same side of the barricades, such is life,» - he said. But once the meeting was over and they left separate ways, several set of eyes and cameras were following them. Men of Special investigations service (SIS) were following Mr Paksas since the morning, when they questioned him in alleged bribe scheme.
«They were SIS agents. From what they've ordered I knew who they were. It was clear they didn't have enough money on them,» - said mr Vainauskas. Soon he was approached by a few men clad in civilian clothes and politely asked to get into the car. The Editor, as Mr Vainauskas is known in Lithuania, did not resist was brought into a SIS building. Not just for a friendly chat.
He is now a suspect in a case of corruption. The alleged scheme looks rather ridiculous: The Editor is suspected in an attempt to bribe Mr Paksas for 15,000 euros, so the ex-president and head of Law and Order party would use his influence in a small town of Prienai.
There, Dainius Dundulis, head of Lithuanian supermarket chain Norfa wants to build a supermarket, but the ministry of Environment is too slow to provide the necessary permits.
Mr Dundulis is not just a friend of mr Vainauskas, asking his favors – he also financially supports the basketball club, that belongs to mr Vainauskas. And it is a convenient coincidence, that the minister of Environment is a member of Law and Order and known as an obedient «yes» man.
So the alleged scheme is simple: you help my man by pushing your man, I help you. It is unknown, whether 15,000 euros come in cash or in means of political advertisements in the pages of Lietuvos rytas.
Existence of similar schemes is a public secret, yet never proven. Back in 2011 one of the Wikileaks cable mentioned, that an article in Lietuvos rytas costs between 1,400 to 7,200 euros.
But one thing are rumors, and official suspicions over alleged bride is quite another. The fact, that SIS openly moved against mr Vainauskas has been met with polarizing views.
It was, after all, a very public operation – filmed by the journalists, who were tipped off in advance. The very same investigative journalists, who only a year ago worked at Lietuvos rytas, but after conflicts with Vainauskas left for competitor media outlet.
Sweet revenge on the former boss followed by the wave of criticism and ridicule towards mr Vainauskas was spiced up with calls for mr Vainauskas to quit as a head of basketball team. The team is financially supported by Vilnius municipality.
All major newsportals broke the news, except Lietuvos rytas - here the major story was about warm temperature, illustrated with two swimming ducks. Headline backfired and Lietuvos rytas really felt the heat as analogies with «Swan lake» during 1991 coup in Moscow were uncanny.
Reputation of Lietuvos rytas has already suffered some serious blows over the years, but none of them could be compared to such direct challenge. It has become live-or-die situation.
Mr Vainauskas went with «best defense is an offensive» tactics and called the whole event a PR move. He had a point here, since many SIS investigations usually end as a farce.
Over the last years SIS have botched several high profile cases. All too often SIS repeat the pattern: dramatic arrests with masked men bursting through the doors ends quietly – some cases die even before reaching the court. At the same time heads of SIS directors roll faster, than one could count, thus the pressure to fight effectively against corruption grows. No more mistakes are allowed.
Mr Vainauskas used this risky card and made a rare public appearance. During the prime time on national television he called actions of SIS an «assault on democracy».
«This is a PR move to undermine Lietuvos rytas, which does not bend to the president,» - he said, directly accusing president Dalia Grybauskaite of controlling SIS and unleashing unto her opponents. Mr Paksas later suggested, that this whole thing might be related to the birthday of madam Grybauskaite – day after the SIS operation president turned 60.
It wouldn't be Lithuanian affair if the second religion – basketball isn't mentioned at some point. Mr Vainauskas suggested, that this whole investigation started after his club Lietuvos rytas recently won a game against bitter rivals – legendary Žalgiris, team favoured by Grybauskaite.
Furthermore, Vainauskas threatened with retaliation. «From now on we will be angrier,» - he said. A promise was well kept – the next days first page headlines were hysterical. In one story a meeting with SIS agents was compared to be «more horrible than death».
It is too early to predict about where the things will go further. Prosecutors will seek to strike down the immunity of mr Paksas and formulate the case against mr Vainauskas.
Whether they succeed or bust another case is hard to predict, but one thing is clear – an open war between the largest newspaper and SIS has broke out and will last for some time. One might expect casualties or collateral damage. Among them – something, that is already in short supply: reputation and trust in either the law enforcement or media.
From a pilot to impeached president
Rolandas Paksas is one of the most controversial figures in Lithuania. A 59 year old pilot turned businessmen and later politician is a head of populist right-wing Order and Justice party.
Elected to Vilnius city council as member of conservative in 1997 he served as a mayor of Lithuanian capital for two years. He then twice served as a prime minister in1999 and then again from 2000 till 2001.
In 2002 after briliant election campaign he was elected as president of Lithuania. After taking oath in 2003 he served for more than a year. During this time Paksas was involved in several scandals and became known for his authoritarian style of rule, also forming a semi-cult of personality.
Media ran stories about his ties Lena Loloshvili, who claimed to use her magic healing powers with a help of a toilet paper. More importantly, during his term, concerns arose that he had ties to the Russia mafia through russian businessman Yuri Borisov, who donated $400,000 to Paksas campaign. President himself went live on television to admit, that Russian businessman tried to blackmail him, although he granted Lithuanian citizenship to Borisov by a special decree.
This decree was later ruled to be unconstitutional by Constitutional Court of Lithuania. In 2004 Lithuanian parliament voted to remove Paksas from the office – he became the first head of state in Europe to be impeached. Paksas considers the ruling of Constitutional court and parliament illeagal coup. In 2009 He was elected as a member of European parliament, since he was banned to run for parliament for life. Since 2012 election, his party is a member of the government coalition.