Protocols of secret records about J. Basanavičius monument opened in MG Baltic case even caused surprise in court

Why did the disputes over the choice of a place for the monument to Jonas Basanavičius become a part of the case that brought famous politicians and businessmen to court? Prosecutors saw the struggle of business groups over construction in Vilnius Old Town, although it puts smiles on businessmen.

Raimondas Kurlianskis, a former member of the board of the concern MG Baltic, did not know whether to be angry or proud of the attempts to influence the Vilnius politicians who had chosen the place for the J. Basanavičius monument.

“I may have the great honor of being accused in this story, but even if I wish, I cannot provide any evidence that I somehow tried to contribute or contributed to the perpetuation of the memory of Dr. J. Basanavičius,” R.Kurlianskis.

The indictment states that R. Kurlianskis asked the then leader of the Liberal Movement Eligijus Masiulis to influence the mayor of Vilnius Remigijus Šimašiai, who belonged to the same party, to remove the issue of choosing a place for the J. Basanavičius monument from the agenda of the Vilnius City Council on December 2, 2015.

R. Kurlianskis categorically denied this: “I did not ask E. Masiulis or anyone else to build, put or demolish it.”

There was nothing to pay for

The case states that the representatives of the concern MG Baltic wanted the monument to J. Basanavičius to stand in K. Sirvydas Square, near Pilies Street, and not in front of the National Philharmonic, where he now stands.

According to the prosecutor’s office, an attempt was made to protect K. Sirvydas Square, where competitors of the concern MG Baltic had planned to build residential houses.

R. Kurlianskis was surprised that the accusation indicated the only reward that E. Masiulis, the then leader of the Liberal Movement, could receive for his influence on R. Šimašis.

It is 106,200 euros and a bottle of Stumbras vodka found in the politician’s car showroom.

According to R. Kurlianskis, such an accusation is illogical. The decision on the monument to J.Basanavičius was made by Vilnius Municipality on March 23, 2016, and the money was found at E.Masiulis on May 10th.

“I paid a month and 17 days after the decision of the Vilnius Council and for the opposite result?” – R. Kurlianskis was surprised.

What he heard, he wrote

According to the businessman, only the accusation regarding the reconstruction of the Vilnius-Utena road exceeded this statement of the prosecutor’s office.

“According to the ingenious logic of the accusation, I gave the same reward (106,200 euros) for the vote of E. Masulis and the Liberal Movement faction” for “when considering this project,” R. Kurlianskis said.

The businessman on trial also paid close attention to the secret record protocols in the case, where, in his view, a number of errors and interpretations.

R.Kurlianskis, R.Raulynaitis, and E.Masiulis recorded the discussion about the place for the J.Basanavičius monument, and then the encrypted officials wrote in the minutes “Union of Travelers and Architects”, although it was clear from the conversation that opinion of artists.

The mayor turned out to be too slow

The phrase told by R. Kurlianskis to E. Masiulis is considered to be a request to influence R. Šimašiai’s accusation: “If you can, customize Remigijus.” It is stated that the mayor of Vilnius was asked to remove the issue of the monument from the agenda.

“I do not know which word here is similar to the word ‘agenda’. I suggested customizing the mayor R.Šimašiai so that he would not be distracted and decide to build a monument because he would not keep up until the celebration of the centenary of Lithuania.

Then the entrepreneurs will be to blame, not the government, which failed to organize the process properly, “R. Kurlianskis explained.

He was surprised that E. Masiulis’ consent to comply with his request was considered a phrase: “I do not pay much attention.

“In order to support this phrase with the consent of E. Masiulis to fulfill the request of R. Kurlianskis, it takes a great deal of experience and proficiency, “the businessman ironized.

“The statement in the indictment that I personally asked E. Masulis to influence R. Šimašiai was simply invented by the accuser,” R. Kurlianskis continued to accuse the prosecutor.

Offered to cut the ribbon

The defendant asserted that the discussion about the monument to J.Basanavičius at the Vilnius restaurant Stebuklai was completely uninteresting to him: Kurlianskis.

According to him, he annoyed E. Masiulis by saying: “After becoming the prime minister, you will be able to cut the ribbon.”

According to the businessman, this is the first case in the history of the country when a person was persecuted and tried for wanting to be a patron – to support the construction of a monument.