Lithuanian Parliament Removes Country's President . . . | New York Times

[Ediacara]

Lithuanian Parliament Removes Country's President After Casting Votes on Three Charges

By STEVEN LEE MYERS
Published: April 7, 2004


Associated Press
Rolandas Paksas was removed as
president of Lithuania yesterday
while some of his supporters held
his picture outside the Parliament.

MOSCOW, April 6 — The Lithuanian Parliament removed President Rolandas Paksas from office on Tuesday, ending a political scandal that has roiled the country for nearly six months even as it celebrated its new membership in NATO and the European Union.

The Parliament, or Seimas, ousted Mr. Paksas less than 14 months after he took office, voting on three counts that he violated his oath and the Lithuanian Constitution through his dealings with a Lithuanian-Russian businessman suspected of links to Russian organized crime.

Mr. Paksas, 47, became the first European leader to be removed from office by the impeachment process. The Parliament's speaker, Arturas Paulauskas, a political rival, took over as acting president after the voting, pending a new election that by law must be held within two and a half months.

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[Aussie_Hillbilly]

1. Lithuanians

seem to have a better understanding of democracy than we Westerners. I can think of at least three heads of government who have done criminal deals and got away with it (John Howard, Bush/Cheney and Ariel Sharon).

[Citizen Daryl]

2. Lietuva

Been 10 years this year since I was there. I miss the country.