The Special Investigation Service (STT) participated in the Annual Meeting of the Heads of the Diplomatic Missions, Representations to International Organizations, and Consular Institutions of the Republic of Lithuania. During the meeting, STT reviewed last year’s achievements and outlined future objectives. The institution emphasized the vital role of diplomats in strengthening both Lithuania’s national and international anti-corruption reputation, as well as the importance of timely information exchange to identify potential corruption risks.
In recent years, Lithuania’s anti-corruption environment has shown positive trends in international assessments. A country’s success in combating corruption impacts its GDP, ability to attract foreign direct investment, and overall trust in public institutions. STT Director Linas Pernavas, who took part in the meeting, highlighted that diplomats are key representatives of the state, shaping Lithuania’s image on the international stage. Therefore, their role in publicizing the country’s progress in the fight against corruption is particularly significant.
During the meeting, the STT Director stressed the importance of identifying and appropriately responding to signs of potentially non-transparent or corrupt agreements between Lithuanian and foreign representatives. He pointed out that diplomatic staff are often the first to notice such incidents, making their vigilance and information sharing with STT especially valuable.
A concrete example was presented during the session – a recent international corruption case investigated by STT in the energy sector that was referred to court. This highlighted that international corruption is not only a problem for other continents or less transparent countries – it poses a real risk for Lithuania as well.
“The main message to diplomats from STT is: let’s talk. We invite diplomats to be our partners in uncovering potential cases of international corruption, reporting any possibly non-transparent actions carried out abroad by Lithuanian citizens or businesses. Your partnership is essential to ensure that corruption risks do not remain hidden across national borders,” – stated STT Director Linas Pernavas during the meeting.
According to data from the United Nations and the World Bank, corruption causes global losses of around USD 2.6 trillion annually, of which USD 1 trillion is paid in bribes. Ultimately, businesses also bear the cost – corruption accounts for up to 10% of total global business expenses. In this context, the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions is especially relevant in mitigating such risks. One of Lithuania’s commitments is to ensure that Lithuanian businesses operate honestly and transparently when conducting business abroad.
STT can be informed about known corruption cases in various ways: by email at pranesk@stt.lt, via the website www.stt.lt, by post, in person at the nearest STT office, or by calling the “Report to STT” line at (8 5) 266 3333.
More useful information on international bribery is available at: https://stt.lt/en/corruption-investigation/foreign-bribery/7695
