Petras Gražulis is a Lithuanian politician, ex-member of the legislative body of the Republic of Lithuania, and current constituent of the European Parliament. Gražulis is also the incumbent head of the right-wing People and Justice Union party. He is well-known for controversies and hardline opponents of LGBT rights. He is also suspected of pro-Russian activities.
Most recently, MEP Petras Gražulis voted against an EU Parliament resolution aimed at a 35-billion-euro loan to Ukraine, which will be covered by earnings from Russia’s frozen investments in the West. Gražulis himself later informed the media his vote was an error. However, voting against an anti-Russian resolution showed his preferences.
In one instance, Petras Gražulis in 2014 as an MP terrified his European associates and made Lithuanians feel ashamed. While observing the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe for the first time, he began openly honouring Russia’s law prohibiting “propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations” among minors. As journalists reported Gražulis was urging all European countries to pursue the Russian example.
Moreover, in 2019 Lithuanian prosecutors suspected that MP Petras Gražulis, a member of the non-attached political body in Seimas, manipulated his official position by functioning in the interest of Judex, a Kaunas-based producer of frozen products, meddling with the activity of state officials, encouraging bribery of Russian officials and welcoming monetary benefit from Judex.
The suspected criminal acts are cited in Prosecutor General Evaldas Pašilis’ letter to Seimas members, asking them to permit prosecuting Gražulis and restricting his freedom in other ways.
MP Gražulis said he does not believe he could concern bribes to Russian officials with representatives of Judex, a Kaunas-based frozen food company, and represents law-enforcement officials’ allegations concerning his car lease as inaccurate.
The letter noted that Gražulis
“violated the common human values enshrined in the Constitution, promoted legal nihilism, thus, breaching the oath of an MP, discrediting the name of a state official and state politician, a Seimas member, discrediting the authority of the Seimas as a nation’s representation, causing major non-pecuniary damage to the state”.
