(Luxembourg, 24 July 2025) – The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Vilnius (Lithuania) filed an indictment today in the Šiauliai regional court against the mayor of Šiauliai city and two others for attempted subsidy fraud in connection with EU-funded street lighting.
The mayor is charged with abuse of office and attempted fraud in relation to a project to modernise the city’s street lighting, worth over €1.7 million, funded by the Operational Programme of the European Union Funds 2014-2020. He is accused of interfering in the public procurement procedure to benefit his accomplice, a shareholder of the company that was awarded the contract.
The shareholder of the awarded company was also indicted, together with a member of the public procurement committee (a public procurement consultant appointed to perform public administration duties). It is understood that the latter prepared the conditions for the purchase of luminaires in such a way that only the pre-selected company was able to submit a complying bid.
The mayor and his accomplices have been charged with causing damage to the budget of the State of Lithuania and the EU budget, as well as to the participants in the public procurement procedure. By organising the procedure in a fraudulent way, they undermined fair competition.
The mayor is also accused of unlawfully influencing a witness and urging the person not to testify in this case during the pre-trial investigation, when the EPPO carried out searches at Šiauliai’s Municipality and at the suspects' homes and workplaces.
The timely investigation, carried out by the EPPO and the Special Investigation Service of the Republic of Lithuania – Šiauliai board (Lietuvos Respublikos Specialiųjų tyrimų tarnybos Šiaulių valdyba), prevented the disbursement of the funds.
If found guilty, the defendants face up to eight years in prison or a fine.
All persons concerned are presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in the competent Lithuanian courts of law.
The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) is the independent public prosecution office of the European Union. It is responsible for investigating, prosecuting and bringing to judgment crimes against the financial interests of the EU.