V. Padriezas, a former member of the Lithuanian Language and Fundamentals of the Constitution exam commission, remains found guilty of bribery

The Kaunas District Court’s verdict announced last September found the man guilty of accepting bribes from 9 citizens of foreign countries. Not only 30 thousand was allocated to V. Padriez. EUR fine – the court banned him from working as a civil servant or a person equivalent to him for 5 years, the amount of money corresponding to the value of the accepted bribes – 1 thousand will be confiscated from the accused. 550 euros.

After the verdict of the Court of Appeal, the sentence became final.

Currently, V. Padriezas works as a teacher in two educational institutions in the Kaunas district – he works as a geography teacher in the Kaunas district, in the Garliava Jonučių pro-gymnasium and in the Kaunas district Garliava Juoz Lukša gymnasium.

“Until he has established himself, we have no reason to apply restrictions, he has a small burden here,” Vidmantas Vitkauskas, head of the Garliava Juozo Lukša high school in the Kaunas district, told Elta on Wednesday before the verdict was announced.

As announced by the prosecutor’s office, V. Padriezas was accused of creating favorable conditions for checking and evaluating foreigners’ knowledge of the state language and the basics of the Constitution, in 2021. in the months of May-August, he accepted bribes from citizens of foreign countries.

According to the case, citizens of Iran and Sweden, acting in a group of accomplices, met with V. Padriez and paid him 200 euros each, while a Lebanese citizen handed over a bribe of 50 euros. According to the available data, a member of the examination commission helped foreigners fill out the necessary documents, provided advice on how to overcome organizational disturbances and register for exams faster for the bribes received. It is believed that bribes were also paid so that the knowledge of foreigners, despite possible inadequacies, would be evaluated positively and they would receive the relevant certificates.

An Egyptian citizen also sat on the bench, accused not only of bribing V. Padriez, but also of influence peddling. According to the data collected during the investigation, he accepted bribes from two foreigners – a total of 1 thousand. 700 euros and promised to influence the commission member that in the future exam, regardless of their insufficient knowledge of the Lithuanian language and the Constitution, they would be evaluated positively. It was established that during the subsequent face-to-face meeting, this person handed V. Padriez a bribe of at least 700 euros for his assistance to foreigners in taking exams.

At that time, 3 Nigerian and 2 Indian citizens were released from criminal liability on bail by the prosecutor’s decision after pleading guilty to bribing a member of the commission.

After examining the criminal case, the Kaunas District Court found V. Padriezas guilty by the verdict announced on September 20.

An Egyptian citizen was fined 10,000 for bribery and influence peddling. EUR fine, the amount of money corresponding to the value of the accepted bribes – EUR 500 – will be confiscated from him, the Swedish citizen was fined EUR 9,000 for bribery. EUR fine, Lebanese citizen fined EUR 7,000. A fine of 500 euros was imposed, and an Iranian citizen was fined 3,000 euros for bribery. EUR contribution to the Crime Victims Fund. The appellate court upheld the verdict of the first instance court, so the foreigners were also convicted.

in 2020 V. Padriezas participated in the elections to the Seimas on the list of the Lithuanian Green Party, in the questionnaire he indicated that he is the co-author of the geography textbook “Earth 10th grade”.