Lithuanian Court says president breached Constitution

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, April 01, 2004

Lithuanian Court says president breached Constitution

The Lithuanian Constitutional Court on Wednesday ruled that President Rolandas Paksas "violated the fundamental law" on five counts.

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The Lithuanian Constitutional Court on Wednesday ruled that President Rolandas Paksas "violated the fundamental law" on five counts.

The ruling empowers the Seimas, the parliament, to continue the impeachment process.

On February 19, the parliament asked the Constitutional Court to confirm the conclusions made by its special commission that the president had violated the Constitution.

Paksas has been accused of connections with international criminal organisations.

The Constitutional Court also said that Paksas had "grossly violated the Constitution" by granting Lithuanian citizenship to businessman Yuri Borisov for a second time while he had Russian citizenship.

Besides, the court said the president had "humiliated the parliament, ordered his advisers to collect incriminating evidence against prominent people in Lithuania, and interfered in the activities of commercial structures in favour of his friends."

Earlier Paksas appointed Borisov hid adviser but later backtracked on his decision under the heavy public pressure.

Businessman Borisov gave up Lithuanian citizenship for Russian citizenship. However the inauguration of President Paksas, Borisov applied for Lithuanian citizenship again.

In his decree of April 11, 2003, Paksas granted Lithuanian citizenship to Borisov a second time for his "reat service to Lithuania".

Borisov was the main sponsor of Paksas' presidential campaign. He was said to have donated about 400,000 U.S. dollars for it. In return, he supposedly demanded a high government position for himself.

The impeachment process may last from two to six months. Paksas took office on February 26, 2003.

Source: agencies

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