Prime Minister emphasized that Lithuania sees the value and potential of the establishment of the European Public Prosecutor's Office to ensure independent and effective detection of international financial crimes.
“In principle, we would welcome the possibility of extending the mandate of the European Public Prosecutor's Office so that it could oversee the implementation of the EU sanctions against Russia and Belarus. The sanctions hurt the aggressor Russia and its supporter Belarus, therefore they are and will be looking for ways to illegally circumvent them. In order to prevent these processes, we need not only national efforts but also cross-border mechanisms at the European level,” said Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė.
At the meeting with Ms Kövesi, the parties also discussed national administrative support for the European Public Prosecutor's Office's decentralised activities which are necessary to ensure the conditions for the effective functioning of this institution and the implementation of the responsibilities entrusted to it.
According to Prime Minister's assessment, the European Public Prosecutor's Office, which was launched in June 2021, has lived up to its expectations and Lithuania will continue supporting its activities, as it has done since the establishment of the institution.
The European Public Prosecutor's Office is an independent, decentralised EU agency with competence to investigate the crimes affecting the Community's financial interests. 22 EU Member States currently take part in the European Public Prosecutor's Office activities.
