Lithuanian Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas resigned Thursday as authorities investigated alleged financial crimes involving companies tied to him.
"I informed the president about an hour ago that I made the decision to resign from my duties as the prime minister," Paluckas said in a statement.
He added that he was also leaving his post as the head of the Social Democratic party.
"Despite my decision to leave my current duties, I will continue to defend my honor and dignity and I'm waiting for the conclusions of the investigations, which I'm sure will separate the facts from insinuations," he said.
Earlier Thursday, local media reported that Lithuania's Financial Crimes Investigation Service (FNTT) searched the offices of Dankora, a company belonging to Paluckas' sister-in-law.
