"I would turn to law enforcement institutions, file a lawsuit, and demand full responsibility as these are not some reciprocal accusations by a group of boys and girls. We are talking about party leaders here. These are people who are respected by both voters and a great part of the public," Butkevičius said.
In his words, such rumors cannot be ignored.
Butkevičius also stressed that he did not believe in the rumors about Uspaskich's alleged drug addiction. "Definitely not. (...) This might be another conspiracy theory," he said.
Earlier this week, rumors started circulating that Uspaskich might have a drug addiction, after he was admitted to hospital with suspected heart attack. The diagnosis was later rejected, but the prime minister himself admitted in a TV broadcast that he had received a phone call from Uspaskich on the night of his illness and he sounded heavily intoxicated with alcohol.
The The Labor Party's leader has not commented on the rumors.
