The disciplinary case was brought against the lawyer last September due to the fact that speaking in the public space about the activities of persons who organized support during the COVID-19 pandemic and during the war in Ukraine, he may have misled the public, creating grounds for unreasonably doubting the integrity and transparency of the activities of the specified persons.
In a public comment last year in mid-July, I. Vēgėlė raised doubts about the transparency of the collection of support for doctors during the coronavirus pandemic and Ukrainians attacked by Russia.
“I’m revealing a secret – not a single entity that provided support or charity during the pandemic fulfilled this duty on time (until May 1). Maybe there was no support? The same with aid to Ukraine? An open and public question: has the VMI punished any institution or company, maybe we heard about inspections? No, stop it, why? You got charity and went abroad to play poker. Watch and you will win charitable money…” – said I. Vēgėlė in a comment published on the news portal “Delfi”.
The founder of “Laisvės TV”, social activist Andrius Tapinas wrote a complaint to the Minister of Justice regarding this comment. Although he is not mentioned in I. Vēgėlė’s comment, it was A. Tapinas who organized a fund-raising campaign to buy a combat drone “Bayraktar” for the Ukrainian army and later went to the USA to play poker.
According to the law, a disciplinary case against a lawyer can be initiated either by the Bar Association, as a self-governing institution, or by the Minister of Justice after receiving a complaint. Court of Honor hearings are closed.
Lawyer I. Vēgėlė previously called this case the most shameful in the history of the bar and humiliating both himself and his colleagues.
Last week, the lawyer announced his intention to participate in next year’s presidential election.
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2024-07-30 16:13:58