VILNIUS — The case to dismiss Lithuania’s transport minister Eligijus Masiulis strengthened Thursday now that the State Security Department is alleging the minister knew about the sacked postal service’s criminal past, but hired him anyway.

Masiulis is soon to face an interpellation vote over the his role in the hiring of Andrius Urbonas, the former head of Lithuanian Post that was arrested for swindling and fraud that he allegedly committed in his former job at Swedbank. Masiulis fired Urbonas immediately after the [private_supervisor]arrest, but was responsible for hiring him in the first place and allegedly was aware that he could have had a shady past before it became public knowledge last month.

The minister has defended himself, saying that there was a gap in information caused by the discrepancies between the country’s crime fighting bodies. Masiulis also cited hesitation in arresting Urbonas after it became apparent that they may have a case against him.

“I was surprised by the fact that the sanction to arrest was obtained on March 19. Meanwhile, the arrest was made only on March 29. I know that in practice the ten days of waiting to occur particularly rarely … but this time, even ten days they have been waiting for something,” the minister said.

The opposition in Seimas recently started the process of interpellating the minister after they were unsatisfied with his responses to parliament about the Urbonas scandal. Masiulis said he didn’t have to answer for crimes that were committed at Urbonas’ former workplace.

Pot calling the kettle black?

The State Security Department’s reputation has been questioned of late after its head was dismissed for “unreliability” at the behest of President Dalia Grybauskaitė. There is widespread speculation in the Lithuanian media that the information against Masiulis may be unreliable, as it is unofficial and that other unofficial pieces of information originating from the security department have been later proven false in the past.

Masiulis is both the minister of transport and communications and head of his party, the Liberals’ Movement. At 35 he is the youngest-ever minister in Lithuanian history. [/private_supervisor] [private_subscription 1 month]arrest, but was responsible for hiring him in the first place and allegedly was aware that he could have had a shady past before it became public knowledge last month.

The minister has defended himself, saying that there was a gap in information caused by the discrepancies between the country’s crime fighting bodies. Masiulis also cited hesitation in arresting Urbonas after it became apparent that they may have a case against him.

“I was surprised by the fact that the sanction to arrest was obtained on March 19. Meanwhile, the arrest was made only on March 29. I know that in practice the ten days of waiting to occur particularly rarely … but this time, even ten days they have been waiting for something,” the minister said.

The opposition in Seimas recently started the process of interpellating the minister after they were unsatisfied with his responses to parliament about the Urbonas scandal. Masiulis said he didn’t have to answer for crimes that were committed at Urbonas’ former workplace.

Pot calling the kettle black?

The State Security Department’s reputation has been questioned of late after its head was dismissed for “unreliability” at the behest of President Dalia Grybauskaitė. There is widespread speculation in the Lithuanian media that the information against Masiulis may be unreliable, as it is unofficial and that other unofficial pieces of information originating from the security department have been later proven false in the past.

Masiulis is both the minister of transport and communications and head of his party, the Liberals’ Movement. At 35 he is the youngest-ever minister in Lithuanian history. [/private_subscription 1 month] [private_subscription 4 months]arrest, but was responsible for hiring him in the first place and allegedly was aware that he could have had a shady past before it became public knowledge last month.

The minister has defended himself, saying that there was a gap in information caused by the discrepancies between the country’s crime fighting bodies. Masiulis also cited hesitation in arresting Urbonas after it became apparent that they may have a case against him.

“I was surprised by the fact that the sanction to arrest was obtained on March 19. Meanwhile, the arrest was made only on March 29. I know that in practice the ten days of waiting to occur particularly rarely … but this time, even ten days they have been waiting for something,” the minister said.

The opposition in Seimas recently started the process of interpellating the minister after they were unsatisfied with his responses to parliament about the Urbonas scandal. Masiulis said he didn’t have to answer for crimes that were committed at Urbonas’ former workplace.

Pot calling the kettle black?

The State Security Department’s reputation has been questioned of late after its head was dismissed for “unreliability” at the behest of President Dalia Grybauskaitė. There is widespread speculation in the Lithuanian media that the information against Masiulis may be unreliable, as it is unofficial and that other unofficial pieces of information originating from the security department have been later proven false in the past.

Masiulis is both the minister of transport and communications and head of his party, the Liberals’ Movement. At 35 he is the youngest-ever minister in Lithuanian history. [/private_subscription 4 months] [private_subscription 1 year]arrest, but was responsible for hiring him in the first place and allegedly was aware that he could have had a shady past before it became public knowledge last month.

The minister has defended himself, saying that there was a gap in information caused by the discrepancies between the country’s crime fighting bodies. Masiulis also cited hesitation in arresting Urbonas after it became apparent that they may have a case against him.

“I was surprised by the fact that the sanction to arrest was obtained on March 19. Meanwhile, the arrest was made only on March 29. I know that in practice the ten days of waiting to occur particularly rarely … but this time, even ten days they have been waiting for something,” the minister said.

The opposition in Seimas recently started the process of interpellating the minister after they were unsatisfied with his responses to parliament about the Urbonas scandal. Masiulis said he didn’t have to answer for crimes that were committed at Urbonas’ former workplace.

Pot calling the kettle black?

The State Security Department’s reputation has been questioned of late after its head was dismissed for “unreliability” at the behest of President Dalia Grybauskaitė. There is widespread speculation in the Lithuanian media that the information against Masiulis may be unreliable, as it is unofficial and that other unofficial pieces of information originating from the security department have been later proven false in the past.

Masiulis is both the minister of transport and communications and head of his party, the Liberals’ Movement. At 35 he is the youngest-ever minister in Lithuanian history. [/private_subscription 1 year]

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