VILNIUS, Jan. 10 (Xinhua) -- Criminal procedures will be initiated next week in the environmental pollution case in Lithuania's port city of Klaipeda allegedly caused by cardboard producer Grigeo Klaipeda, Klaipeda's prosecutor Gina Skersinskyte said on Friday.

"I believe there will be more suspects, not just one or two," Skersinskyte told reporters after visiting the affected site in Klaipeda.

According to the prosecutor, it is suspected that untreated wastewater from Grigeo Klaipeda's factory was released into the Curonian Lagoon intentionally and with the awareness of the company's management.

"The dampers were being opened, and we believe they were being opened intentionally every night, in order to spill the sewage," Skersinskyte said.

Meanwhile, Gintautas Pangonis, the Grigeo paper and wood industry group's president and biggest shareholder, said on Thursday that some wastewater was spilled through an emergency pipe after mechanical treatment but prior to biological treatment.

He said he did not know yet how much biologically untreated wastewater had been discharged. He publicly apologized for the incident and promised that the company would cooperate with law enforcement and compensate damages.

Back on Tuesday, Pangonis told the local broadcaster LNK that the wastewater could be released into the lagoon due to a "one-time breakdown", not intentionally.

Also on Tuesday, the Lithuanian prosecutors announced that an investigation into the environmental pollution case had been launched.

According to the prosecutors, "tens of millions" of euros in damage might have been caused.

Lithuanian retail chains Iki, Senukai and Norfa have suspended the sale of Grigeo goods in reaction to the pollution scandal. Enditem

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