Lithuania's eccentric President impeached as EU accession nears

A flamboyant president who wooed voters with aerobatics and motorcycle stunts was removed from office by the Lithuanian parliament yesterday, after an investigation into his relations with a Russian businessman.

A flamboyant president who wooed voters with aerobatics and motorcycle stunts was removed from office by the Lithuanian parliament yesterday, after an investigation into his relations with a Russian businessman.

Rolandas Paksas, 47, was accused of leaking classified material and giving citizenship to the businessman in return for financial support. Parliamentarians voted to impeach the President for violating the constitution.

The affair has proved a major embarrassment for the Baltic state as it prepares to join the European Union and delivered a serious blow to one of the continent's most audacious political campaigners.

A man with a passion for speed, Mr Paksas is regularly seen cruising the streets of Vilnius on a motorcycle. During the presidential election last year, he took the controls of his campaign helicopter and piloted it across the country. A qualified stunt pilot, he even performed tricks and flew underneath bridges in his bid for power.

It paid off with the electorate, but his slick style was not enough to save Mr Paksas from impeachment. The charges against him involved his dealings with Yuri Borisov. After the election, Mr Paksas gave Mr Borisov Lithuanian citizenship at his request. Mr Borisov has been accused of involvement in illicit arms deals with Sudan, and is forbidden to leave Lithuania while investigations continue. The businessman, who denies any impropriety, was the largest financial donor to the president's election campaign. The case has raised fears in some quarters in Lithuania of Russian influence in the former Soviet state's affairs.

Lithuania won independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. The largest of the Baltic states in terms of population - with 3.6 million people - it has the smallest Russian-speaking minority, being more than 80 per cent ethnic Lithuanian.

Opponents have claimed Mr Paksas had circumvented normal procedures and Mr Borisov's citizenship was later revoked. And Lithuanian security services have said secret recordings demonstrated that Mr Borisov was trying to force the president to make him an adviser and that he exerted influence over some of Mr Paksas's closest associates.

The president was accused of granting citizenship to Mr Borisov as a reward for campaign funding, breaching official secrets by telling Mr Borisov he was being monitored by Lithuanian intelligence and influencing the outcome of building contract in favour of his associates.

The 141-strong parliament's verdict came a week after Lithuania's constitutional court upheld the charges against Paksas. The court said Mr Paksas had "grossly violated the constitution".

It is the first time a European leader has been ousted through impeachment. The scandal, which has mesmerised Lithuanians for months, comes just weeks before the Baltic country becomes one of 10 new EU members on 1 May.

Mr Paksas's critics said Russian organised crime planned to use Lithuania, which joined Nato last week, as a gateway for its activities in the EU.

Under the constitution, Mr Paksas is replaced by Arturas Paulauskas, the parliamentary speaker and his main political rival.. Fresh presidential elections must be held within 10 weeks.

But impeachment may not spell the end of Mr Paksas's political career. Before yesterday's hearing he said that if impeached he would stand again for office. Opinion polls suggest he has a chance of winning.