One and a half hundred millionaires are trying to win parliament elections. Exactly 150 candidates declared to the Central Electoral Commission (CEC) that their assets are more than a million Litas. The Labor Party, Social Democrats and Union Yes have 19 millionaires each, writes delfi.lt referring to Lithuanian News.
Seven-digit sums were not declared by candidates from Young Lithuania, Union of Fighters for Lithuania, the Pensioners’ Party, Lithuanian Greens Party, Samogitian Party and the National Party “Lithuania’s Way.”
Compulsory registration of property, securities, works of art, jewelry, cash and loans worth more than 60 million Litas was declared by the leader of the Labor Party Viktor Uspaskich. There are 18 more millionaires on the list of Labour Party.
According to CEC they are Vilija Filipoviciene (9.45 MM), Aidas Gedvilas (5.12 MM), Valerijus Legatas (3.58 MM), Jonas Pinskus (2.04 MM), Zivile Pinskuviene (1.67 MM), Vydas Gedvilas (1.65 MM), Kestutis Dauksys (1.47 MM), Saulius Girdauskas (1.5 MM), Romas Venclovas (1.31 MM), Nijole Jagelaviciene (1.3 MM), Antanas Makarevicius (1.19 MM), Arturas Paulauskas (1.15 MM), Benas Simkus (1.11 MM), Odeta Zerlauskiene (1.11 MM), Edmundas Vaitekunas (1.1 MM), Dangute Mikutiene (1.06 MM) and Sergejus Ursulas (1.05 MM).
Among the richest Social Democrat candidates are old-timer Bronius Bradauskas. His assets are valued at 24.91 MM Litas. Following Bradauskas stands Steponas Vaicikauskas (4.6 MM), Kestutis Virbickas (3.01 MM), Vaclovas Karbauskis (1.78 MM), Algirdas Balcytis (1.75 MM), Pranas Petrosius (1.69 MM), Darius Petrosius (1.65 MM), Jonas Budrevicius (1.49 MM), Violeta Gembutiene (1.41 MM), Arvydas Mockus (1.35 MM), Egidijus Gaidamavicius (1.33 MM), Arturas Skardzius (1.24 MM), Aloyzas Kazdailevicius (1.21 MM), Marija Ausrine Pavilioniene (1.19 MM), Vilija Blinkeviciute (1.17 MM), Vytenis Povilas Andriukaitis (1.17 MM), Alvydas Vaicekauskas (1.13 MM) and Giedre Purvaneckiene (1.09 MM).
The richest man on the list of Union Yes, with 19 millionaires in total – A.Zuokas. He has assets of 6.42 MM Litas. Next on the list are Vaidotas Vaitkevicius (6.13 MM), Snaige Valentukeviciene (3.84 MM), Danute Budreikaite (3.57 MM), Algimantas Liubinskas (3.08 MM), Mecislovas Subelis (2.92 MM), Kestutis Nenius (1.93 MM), Zilvinas Silgalis (1.91 MM), Ruslanas Kovaliovas (1.86 MM), Gintautas Sivickas (1.77 MM), Vilma Venslovaitiene (1.41 MM), Zydrunas Garsva (1.41 MM), Arvydas Jakas (1.35 MM), Darius Maskoliunas (1.33 MM), Nerijus Dunauskas (1.29 mln), Zydrunas Savickas (1.23 MM), Martynas Nagevicius (1.19 MM), Nijole Dirsiene (1.06 MM) and Andrejus Zadneprovskis (1.03 MM).
Laimonas Paura is the first on the list of richest people in Liberal and Central Union, which has 15 millionaires. His declared assets reach 2.96 MM Litas. Second on the list is Saulius Grinkevicius (2.93 MM), followed by Arunas Valinskas (2.8 MM).
There are 14 millionaires among the candidates from Liberal Union. Biggest properties were declared by Vidmantas Martikonis (47.54 MM), Kestutis Macionis (5.31 MM) and Kestutis Glaveckas (3.69 MM).
The Order and Justice party has 12 millionaires on the list. The three richest candidates are Vidas Anilionis (6.99 MM), Vytautas Galvonas (6.65 MM) and Vidmantas Japertas (3.89 MM).
The same number of millionaires is among the members of Lithuanian Peasant and Greens Party. The biggest amounts were declared by leader Ramunas Karbauskis (37.42 MM), Romas Majauskas (6.05 MM) and Remigijus Kelneris (3.5 MM).
Eleven people from Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrat Political Group declared seven digit numbers as well. The richest are Arturas Listavicius (6.34 MM), Jonas Jurgeliunas (4.15 MM) and Egidijus Cernius (2.52 MM).
People’s party, created by businessman Vladimiras Romanovas, has 6 millionaires on the list without the leader himself, who declared 180.67 MM Litas. Second biggest amounts were declared by basketball players Lavrinovicz brothers. Darjusas’ assets amount to 4.32 MM Litas, while Ksystofas’ assets amount to 5.99 MM Litas.
One of the five people from the Republican party with more than a million Litas of assets, is their leader Valdemaras Valkiunas with an estate reaching 35.22 MM Litas.
The National Association “For Lithuania in Lithuania” has 4 millionaires on the list, with its richest candidate being Rytas Kaminskas, who possesses 2.73 MM Litas.
The same number of rich people on the list of the Path of Courage party. The wealthiest is Stasys Brundza, who declared assets for 10.45 MM Litas.
Democratic labor and unity party, founded by Kristinas Brazauskiene, has three millionaire candidates. K.Brazauskiene herself declared 3.08 MM Litas. The same number of rich candidates are from the Christian party; the richest on the list is Antanas Jasas, who declared 7.17 MM Litas.
Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania has one millionaire – Teresa Solovjova (2.03 MM), Socialist People’s Front – Vytautas Bernatonis (1.22 MM), Party of Emigrants – Virginija Andrijevskiene (1.2 MM) and one independent candidate with assets of 9.28 MM – Andrius Sedzius.
Translated by Dovilė Rokaitė
Edited by Tara Edelen
Lithuania or elsewhere, it seems that if you’re not a millionaire when you go into parliament you can be pretty much certain of being one when you come out. Anyone who thinks politicians enter politics for other than their own reasons must believe in the tooth fairy, bless them.