In 1993, Karbauskis launched a company Agrokoncernas, acting as its CEO.[2] Over the following two decades, Agrokoncernas grew to become one of the largest agricultural groups in Lithuania, employing more than 800 people.[3] Karbauskis retained full ownership of the company, making him one of the richest men in Lithuania.[4]
Political career
Participating in politics since mid-1990s, Karbauskis has been elected to the national parliament, the Seimas, on three occasions.
Since 2009, Karbauskis has been the Chairman of Lithuanian Peasant Popular Union, renamed to Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union in 2012.[5] The party won 2016 parliamentary elections in Lithuania.[6] Karbauskis himself won a seat in the parliament in the single-member constituency of Šilainiai (in Kaunas).
Karbauskis was one of the organizers of the 2014 Lithuanian constitutional referendum, which sought to prohibit the ownership of land in Lithuania to foreign citizens, in violation of Lithuania's terms of membership in the European Union.[7]
Philanthropy and social engagement
Karbauskis has launched Naisiai family festival (an alcohol-free, outdoor summer entertainment festival). He is also a writer and producer of TV series The Summer of Naisiai (Lithuanian: Naisių vasara), based on stories from Naisiai village where Karbauskis was born.[8]
In 2013, Karbauskis co-founded the charity Let's Educate Children (Lithuanian: Švieskime vaikus), in cooperation with Lithuanian singer and producer Andrius Mamontovas.[8]
Karbauskis has been the President of Lithuanian Draughts Federation since 2006 and the Vice-President of the Lithuanian Žemaitukas (a historic horse breed from Lithuania) Association from 2009.[8]
Allegations of illicit business practices
A media investigation into Ramūnas Karbauskis's company Agrokoncernas revealed that Karbauskis and his family have been using shell companies to circumvent an anti-monopoly regulatory restriction on how much land one entity can own. Furthermore, it is asserted that Agrokoncernas has exploited this to receive additional funding from the EU.[9]
The investigation also shows that Karbauskis has used company finances to build his personal residence (instead of taking dividends from his company, for which he would have had to pay taxes).[9]
Karbauskis is divorced from his first wife Jūratė.[11]
Karbauskis supports Lithuanian paganism and has invited the neo-pagan movement Romuva to Naisiai to host events and celebrations, although he is not a member of the movement.[12] The movement's high priestess Inija Trinkūnienė endorsed Karbauskis and his political party.[13]
