Lithuanian PM trusts authorities after probe into party meeting recorder is dropped

Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė has expressed confidence in the country's law enforcement agencies following the discontinuation of an investigation into a secret recording device discovered at a Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (LSDP) meeting.

The Vilnius Regional Prosecutor's Office decided to terminate the pre-trial investigation into the alleged illegal installation or use of technical equipment for information gathering. The probe was initiated after the LSDP council meeting in April, where a pen-like device capable of audio recording was found. Prosecutors stated that all investigative avenues were exhausted, but no objective data emerged to confirm the journalist's intention to illegally record the closed-door party meeting.

The device, identified as a black writing instrument with an integrated audio recorder, belonged to a journalist. The LSDP had suspected a journalist from the public broadcaster LRT, identified as Eglė Samoškaitė, of leaving the device. The party subsequently filed a report with the police concerning potential illegal information gathering and the misuse of technical equipment.

Samoškaitė has denied the allegations. Following the accusations, she suspended her membership in the Professional Journalists Association and withdrew from the LRT journalists' protest initiative group. She has also ceased reporting on topics related to the LSDP and no longer hosts the LRT program "Dienos tema." The decision to drop the investigation can be appealed to a higher prosecutor.

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The Prime Minister trusts the work of law enforcement agencies and the decisions they make.