Lithuania seeks extradition from Belarus, soldier dismissed after reporting violations

Lithuania is pursuing the extradition of Antanas Kandrotas, known by the alias 'Celofanas,' from Belarus, according to a statement from the Justice Ministry. The ministry confirmed it received a court request regarding Kandrotas, who was convicted in Lithuania. The specifics of the charges or the reasons for his presence in Belarus were not detailed.

In a separate development, a soldier who reported alleged irregularities in public procurement within the Ministry of National Defence has been dismissed from his post. The soldier, Audrius Beinoras, who served for three decades, claims his dismissal was retaliation after he reported potential violations concerning the procurement of website updates and SMS services. He had approached the ministry's corruption prevention unit and later the Prosecutor General's Office, receiving whistleblower status. However, the Special Investigation Service (STT) did not initiate a pre-trial investigation, citing that the estimated damage did not meet the threshold for criminal liability.

The Ministry of National Defence acknowledged that Beinoras was the only one of seven soldiers whose service contract was not extended but denied any connection to retaliation. The Minister of National Defence, Arvydas Anušauskas, stated he could not comment extensively but indicated that, to his knowledge, the soldier's appeals to law enforcement and other institutions were rejected.

Meanwhile, in economic news, Hungarian bank OTP Bank, in the process of acquiring Luminor bank in Lithuania, continues its operations in Russia. This development adds another layer to the ongoing financial and political landscape concerning Lithuania and its regional partners.