LITHUANIAN prime minister Gintautas Paluckas resigned today after investigations into his business dealings prompted protests in the capital Vilnius.

President Gitanas Nauseda announced Mr Paluckas’s resignation to the media on Thursday morning. 

Mr Paluckas, the leader of the Social Democrats, took over late last year after a three-party coalition formed following parliamentary elections in October. 

His entire cabinet is now expected to resign, potentially leaving the country without a government.

Mr Paluckas has been dogged by media investigations into his business and financial dealings. Several media outlets published investigations in July alleging mishandling of business ventures.

The Baltic country’s anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies subsequently launched their own probes.

Media reports revealed Mr Paluckas never paid a significant part of a €16,500 (about £14,185) fine in connection with a 2012 criminal case.

He was also convicted of mishandling the bidding process for Vilnius’s rat extermination services while serving as the capital’s municipality administration director. 

The Social Democratic leader has always denied any wrongdoing regarding his business affairs, labelling the criticism a “co-ordinated attack” by political opponents.

A spokesperson for Mr Paluckas did not immediately respond to a request for comment.