LITHUANIA DAILY NEWS BULLETIN

IN THIS ISSUE:

1. Lithuania takes Belarus to Hague court over migrant crisis triggered by Lukashenko regime
2. Lithuania records no illegal border crossings from Belarus
3. Lithuanian, Finnish PMs to discuss regional security, Ukraine in Helsinki
4. Rheinmetall Defence Lithuania headed by Villa
5. Lithuania's top diplomat to meet Czech foreign minister, Senate members
6. President congratulates new pope in Vatican, invites him to Lithuania
7. Lithuanian Social Democrats confirm PM Paluckas as leader 
8. Two more WW II-era mines found in Baltic Sea during minesweeping operation
9. Lithuanian FM calls for expanded NATO mission in Baltic Sea
10. Malta's Betway to block gambling access under deal with Lithuanian regulator
11. Lithuanian ambassadors to Estonia, South Korea to end their terms in July
12. Majority of Lithuanians have no trust in US mediation in Ukraine peace talks
13. One cannot forget social security when talking about defense – Lithuanian PM
14. Lithuanian politicians slam former Israeli ambassador's Eurovision remarks
15. Lithuanian MEP Blinkeviciute to end political career after EP term
16. Lithuania plans to buy warships from Norway – minister (further expands)
17. EU should sanction entire shadow fleet, not just part of it – Lithuanian minister
18. Lithuania takes Belarus to Hague court over migrant crisis triggered by Lukashenko regime (expands)
19. Lithuanian justmin calls Hague court action over Belarus migrant push 'a historic step'
20. Zemaitaitis pleads not guilty: I was talking about Israel, not Jews
21. Lithuania, allies still weighing steps to curb Russian activity in Baltic Sea – president
22. Lithuania's Presidential Office to consider stripping Vaitkus of state award
23. Lithuania records highest death toll on record as flu season officially ends
24. Upcoming events in Lithuania for Tuesday, May 20, 2025

Lithuania takes Belarus to Hague court over migrant crisis triggered by Lukashenko regime

VILNIUS, May 19, BNS – Lithuania has taken Belarus to the International Court of Justice in The Hague over a migrant crisis triggered by the regime of Alexander Lukashenko, accusing it of violating international law, the Foreign Ministry said on Monday.

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Lithuania records no illegal border crossings from Belarus

VILNIUS, May 19, BNS – Lithuanian border guards have recorded no attempts to cross into the country from Belarus illegally in the past 24 hours, the State Border Guard Service (SBGS) said on Monday morning.

Latvia reported 65 illegal border crossing attempts on Sunday. Poland denied entry to 223 irregular migrants on Saturday, according to the latest available information.

Some 712 irregular migrants have been barred from entering Lithuania from Belarus at non-designated places so far this year.  A total of 1,002 irregular migrants were denied entry in 2024. 

The influx of irregular migrants into the EU's eastern member states from Belarus began in 2021 and is blamed by the West on the Minsk regime.

Lithuanian border guards have prevented a total of 23,600 people from crossing illegally from Belarus since the start of the migration crisis triggered by the neighboring country. The number includes repeated attempts by the same people to cross the border.

 

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Lithuanian, Finnish PMs to discuss regional security, Ukraine in Helsinki

VILNIUS, May 19, BNS –  Lithuanian Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas is visiting Helsinki on Monday to meet with his Finnish counterpart, Petteri Orpo, for talks on European security and the war in Ukraine.

Paluckas is being accompanied on his visit by officials from the Government Office and the Foreign Ministry, as well as Lithuania's ambassador to Finland, Edvilas Raudonikis.

Finland's Government Communications Department said last week that the two prime ministers will also discuss bilateral relations and the European Union's 2028-2034 multiannual financial framework.

"Lithuania and Finland have a lot of common interests, especially when it comes to developing European security and defense," Orpo was quoted as saying in the press release. 

"Finland's comprehensive security model, preparedness and security of supply have been generating particular attention lately," he said.

While in Helsinki, Paluckas is also scheduled to meet with Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Jussi Halla-aho, the speaker of the parliament. 

Finland joined NATO in April 2023.

 

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Rheinmetall Defence Lithuania headed by Villa

VILNIUS, May 19, BNS – Alejandro Alvarez Villa, a Spanish national, is the chief executive officer of Rheinmetall Defence Lietuva, a joint venture between Lithuania and Germany's defense giant Rheinmetall that is implementing the Baisogala artillery ammunition factory project.

Villa took over as CEO in mid-March, replacing Roman Kohne, who had led the company since last June. Villa was also elected chairman of the management board for a four-year term starting April 10, according to data from the Center of Registers.  

For the past six years, Villa has been responsible for Rheinmetall's sales and contract management in Europe and NATO countries.

The management board also includes Patrick Simon Schepelmann, Rheinmetall's treasury manager, and Irmantas Butkauskas, who became chief project officer (CPO) of Rheinmetall Defence Lietuva in April.

State-owned energy group Epso-G controls 51 percent of Epso-G Invest, which, together with Giraites Ginkluotes Gamykla (Giraite Armament Plant, GGG) and Rheinmetall, is implementing the project to build a 155 mm artillery ammunition factory in Baisogala, a small town in the northern district of Radviliskis.

The factory is estimated to cost between 260 million and 300 million euros, with completion planned for early 2027.

Under a management agreement signed last December, Rheinmetall holds a 51 percent stake in Rheinmetall Defence Lietuva, Epso-G Invest owns 48 percent, and GGG holds the remaining 1 percent.

In early February, shareholders also approved a capital increase from 0.42 million to 76.52 million euros.

 

Editor: Roma Pakėnienė

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Lithuania's top diplomat to meet Czech foreign minister, Senate members

VILNIUS, May 19, BNS – Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys is heading to the Czech Republic on Monday for a working visit.

In Prague, he will meet with Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky and members of the Senate, the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry said.

The meetings will focus on support for Ukraine, and Russia's aggression, as well as efforts to bolster European security and defense, and bilateral cooperation between Lithuania and the Czech Republic.

 

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President congratulates new pope in Vatican, invites him to Lithuania

VILNIUS, May 19, BNS – President Gitanas Nauseda congratulated newly elected Pope Leo XIV during his trip to the Vatican and invited him to visit Lithuania.

"All people of goodwill await the Apostolic visit with deep reverence and faith," Nauseda's office quoted the president as saying during his meeting with Leo XIV.

"We very much hope to see the new pope in our country. I understand that probably 160 states have done so, but I see that Lithuania holds a special place in his heart," the president added.

The president said he told the pope that Lithuania would never forget that the Holy See did not recognize the Soviet occupation.

"(This is) a historical truth that gave strength to our nation under Soviet oppression," he said. 

Nauseda also thanked the pontiff for his support for Ukraine.

"Thank you for your words of support for Ukraine in its pursuit of a just and lasting peace. We see Ukraine as a shield against Russian aggression," the president said.

"Today, your message of encouragement and hope is more important than ever for the people of Ukraine and others suffering the devastation of war," he added.  

 

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Lithuanian Social Democrats confirm PM Paluckas as leader 

VILNIUS, May 19, BNS – The Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (LSDP) on Saturday confirmed Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas as the ruling party's leader. 

In March, Paluckas won the LSDP leadership election in the first round, securing 5,065 out of 6,418 votes and defeating MP Juozas Olekas and Akmene District Mayor Vitalijus Mitrofanovas.

MEP Vilija Blinkeviciute, the outgoing LSDP leader, decided not to seek re-election to the post she had held since spring 2021.

Paluckas had led the party earlier but resigned after its poor showing in the 2020 parliamentary election.

Last fall, the LSDP won the parliamentary election, securing 52 out of 141 seats, and formed a ruling coalition with the Nemunas Dawn party and the Democrats "For Lithuania".

 

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Two more WW II-era mines found in Baltic Sea during minesweeping operation

VILNIUS, May 19, BNS - Two more World War II-era mines were found on Sunday in the Baltic Sea as part of Open Spirit 2025, an international unexploded ammunition hunting and sweeping operation, the Lithuanian army said on Monday.

On May 18, the Estonian warship Sakala found a German EMC-type naval anchor mine, usually laid from ships, about 30 nautical miles from the gates of the port of Klaipeda. On the same day, the Norwegian warship Maaloey discovered a 1940s Russian AMD 500 bottom mine about 27 nautical miles off the coast. These mines were dropped into the sea from planes.

The first mine was found in the Baltic Sea at the beginning of last week. The explosive was found by the French warship Andromede (M643) about 38 nautical miles from the entry to the port of Klaipeda.

According to the Lithuanian army, all three explosives were destroyed at sea.

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Lithuanian FM calls for expanded NATO mission in Baltic Sea

VILNIUS, May 19, BNS – Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys has said that last week's incident off Estonia's coast involving a tanker from Russia's shadow fleet shows the need to step up NATO's presence in the Baltic Sea.

"We must not only continue NATO's Baltic Sentry mission, but also expand it. The growing activity of the shadow fleet also means an increased military risk," the Foreign Ministry quoted Budrys as saying at the Lennart Meri Conference in Tallinn on Saturday.  

He said the incident, in which Russian fighter jets escorted the Jaguar tanker and prevented Estonian authorities from carrying out an inspection, showed that Russia is ready to use military force to shield civilian vessels.

According to Lithuania's top diplomat, most tankers in the shadow fleet lack proper registration, insurance or qualified crews, posing serious threats to both the environment and maritime infrastructure.

"If international law allows us to act, we must define that clearly and apply it. Uncertainty only emboldens violators," the minister said.

"We must not only expand the list of sanctioned vessels but also harmonize the application of sanctions across the EU, the US and the UK. Currently, fewer than half of the sanctioned vessels are blacklisted by all three jurisdictions, a weak point that Russia is exploiting," he added.

 

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Malta's Betway to block gambling access under deal with Lithuanian regulator

VILNIUS, May 19, BNS – The Gaming Control Authority (GCA) is expected to remove Betway Limited from its public list of illegal gambling operators after the Malta-based company, which does not hold a license in Lithuania, agreed to block access to its online gambling services for users in the country. 

On May 13, the Regional Administrative Court approved an amicable settlement between Betway and the GCA and closed the case.

Betway had asked the court to annul the GCA's March 18 document regarding the company's request to restore access to its blocked Internet domain, remove it from the list of illegal gambling operators, and order the regulator to reconsider the request.

Under the settlement, Betway agreed to block gambling access on its site, betway.com, for users in Lithuania and to ensure that no mirror sites are available – unless the company obtains a license to operate in the country.

In exchange, the GCA committed to revoking, within seven days, its January 2016 decision to block the website and to remove Betway from the list of illegal operators.

The court's ruling may be appealed to the Lithuanian Supreme Administrative Court within seven days.

Betway's website was blocked in early 2016 after Lithuania tightened oversight of online gambling operators and authorized the GCA to instruct Internet providers to block websites of companies without a local license.

 

Editor: Roma Pakėnienė

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Lithuanian ambassadors to Estonia, South Korea to end their terms in July

VILNIUS, May 19, BNS – Lithuania's ambassadors to Estonia and South Korea will finish their terms in July.

Raimonda Murmokaite is likely to be recalled from Tallinn on July 17, while Ricardas Slepavicius is set to leave his post in Seoul on July 31.

The recalls still require approval from the government and the president.

Murmokaite has been serving in Estonia since September 2022.

Lithuania officially established its embassy in South Korea in 2021. Slepavicius, the country's first ambassador to Seoul, began his term in May 2022.

In Lithuania, ambassadors are appointed and dismissed by the president, with the approval of the government and the parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs.

 

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Majority of Lithuanians have no trust in US mediation in Ukraine peace talks

VILNIUS, May 19, BNS - More than half of Lithuanians have no trust in Washington's mediation as the United States presses Ukraine and Russia to agree on the outcome of the war, according to new Vilmorus survey for the BNS news agency.

23.3 percent trust or rather trust the role of the United States, while 52.3 percent do not trust or rather do not trust. The rest had no opinion.

Remigijus Motuzas, the social democratic chair of the the Seimas Committee on Foreign Affairs, says that this lack of trust stems from set but unfulfilled expectations.

"The people of Lithuania would, of course, like to see faster action, results, because they were promised that the Russian war against Ukraine would be over in a hundred days, then they were promised that negotiations would take place and so on. On the other hand, with the latest negotiations in Istanbul (...),we can see now that all of this is producing such results and is causing distrust among the people," the lawmaker said.

According to Professor Dovile Jakniunaite, of the Institute of International Relations and Political Science at Vilnius University, a series of actions by the new US administration has had impacted on the results of this survey.

"The result, I think, has very much been influenced by the overall communication of the US during the first four and a half months and the various decisions, or hints at decisions, the amount of distraction and pressure on Ukraine regarding the negotiations, which probably includes the overall pressure on NATO, the hints that the US would not support, would not defend Europe if European countries did not give funding, and also the threats towards Greenland," she told BNS.

Motuzas doubts that people's distrust in Washington's role in the negotiations has to do with the attitude towards the US in Lithuania.

"Those things are not related, people just don't connect them. Some people think that Lithuania is a member of NATO and the presence of US troops is a necessary or obligatory thing and they don't associate it with goodwill. The US also analyses these sentiments, and each country's attitude towards the US is also important for them," the MP said.

For her part, Jakniunaite assumes that a similar survey asking how much confidence people have in the US as a guarantor of Lithuania's security, the level of distrust would be slightly lower.

"Lithuanians have had the strongest pro-American stance in European surveys for many years. In this context, this survey is also very interesting because that attitude has obviously dropped, there is a slight shift in sentiment and the general awareness of what reliable strategic partners are all about," the professor said.

The detailed survey results:

The Vilmorus survey asked respondents: Do you trust or distrust the US mediation in the Ukraine peace talks?

The answers:

I have trust - 16.4 percent;
I rather have trust - 22.4 percent;
I don't trust - 29.9 percent;
No opinion - 24.4 percent.

1,000 people took part in the Vilmorus survey on May 2-12.

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One cannot forget social security when talking about defense – Lithuanian PM

VILNIUS, May 19, BNS – Lithuania's Social Democratic Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas on Saturday urged politicians not to forget social security when talking about defense.

"National security cannot be based only on narrow defense issues. This is the way the right-wing is leading us, the prime minister told during his party's congress over the weekend. "There is certainly no need to worship weapons. They will not solve the issue of national security."

According to the prime minister, the times are forcing the Social Democrats to fundamentally address national security issues, but "national security has two legs".

"To be resilient, our society cannot have marginalized groups. We cannot have people doubting the security of their jobs, that their income will not allow them to pay their bank loans," the prime minister said. "This component is forgotten today. If we forget this second component of national security, we will lose the public trust and faith in our institutions that they are improving our lives, that they are making honest efforts to solve our problems, and thus we will create an environment for manipulation, lies and disinformation."

Lithuania intends to spend 5-6 percent of its GDP on national defense in 2026-2030 in order to set up an army division faster. Last week, ministers put forwards tax amendments to the Seimas in order to raise more revenue for the state budget.

Paluckas says that the proposed tax increases would not increase the financial burden on the most vulnerable groups of people, adding that the need to raise more money for the state budget is necessary in order to improve the quality of public services.

"The submitted proposals do not increase the tax burden on the weakest, economically and financially weakest groups of society," Paluckas said, adding that all politicians want to be popular and higher taxes do not increase popularity, but today "we are choosing between the cheap concept of a low-tax country and balanced finances".

For her part, Vilija Blinkeviciute, the outgoing Social Democratic leader, also argued that more taxes should be collected for the country's budget, and called on people and the ruling majority to support the government's proposed tax changes.

"Nobody wants to pay taxes. (...) However, it's inevitable, it's necessary," she said. "Yes, it is unpopular, but we said before the election that we would do it (increase taxes - BNS) because we have to do it."

Seeking the ruling bloc's compromise on real estate tax, the Lithuanian government has proposed allowing local municipalities to set the tax-free value of the first home, and anything above the set threshold would be taxed 0.1-1 percent. Second and subsequent properties would be taxed in accordance with a procedure laid down by the parliament.

Ministers are also proposing setting three progressive personal income tax rates of 20-32 percent, including a new rate of 25 percent.

In addition, the government wants to increase the corporate income tax rate by 1 percentage point to 17 percent, to tax all non-life insurance contracts, except for third party liability insurance for private cars, and to introduce a "sugar tax".

The amendments are to be adopted by July to come into force from next year.

The proposed package of tax changes is expected to raise an additional 278.8 million euros for the state coffers in 2026 and 551.9 million euros in 2027. The bulk of these funds will be earmarked for national defense.

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Lithuanian politicians slam former Israeli ambassador's Eurovision remarks

VILNIUS, May 19, BNS – Some Lithuanian politicians expressed outrage on Sunday over a comment by Yossef Levy, a former Israeli ambassador to Vilnius, about how Lithuania's national jury voted in the Eurovision Song Contest.

Lithuania's jury gave no points to Israel's contestant, Yuval Raphael, who ultimately finished second in the competition. In response, Levy accused the jury of having a "Soviet" mindset.

"Since when does Israel give instructions to the independent state of Lithuania on how Lithuanian citizens should vote in Eurovision, what they should say and how they should express themselves, so that Israel is satisfied?" Remigijus Zemaitaitis, leader of the ruling Nemunas Dawn party, posted on Facebook.

"I wonder if tomorrow Lithuanian politicians will instruct the Prosecutor General's Office to launch a pre-trial investigation against the Eurovision jury for inciting hatred and defying the Israeli government by not awarding points to Israel's representative, whose country's leaders are carrying out criminal military actions in Gaza that fit the definition of a Holocaust-genocide," he added.

According to the MP, Levy's comments mark "just the beginning of the growing global hatred toward Israel's government."

Zemaitaitis has previously been found by the Constitutional Court to have broken his oath as an MP over anti-Semitic comments. He is currently on trial for inciting hatred against Jews.

Tomas Vytautas Raskevicius, leader of the non-parliamentary Freedom Party, called the former diplomat's comment "direct proof that Israel sees Eurovision not as a song contest, but as a tool for political brainwashing."

"That's exactly what the ruSSians used to do, sending songs about world peace. The Europeans kicked them out of Eurovision without blinking," Raskevicius, who chaired the parliamentary Committee on Human Rights during the previous term, posted on Facebook.

Conservative MP Matas Maldeikis described the former ambassador's comment as "an emotional outburst from someone who forgot that it is not a diplomat's job to dictate musical taste in a sovereign country." 

"Lithuania voted as it chose – both the jury and the viewers, who awarded generous points to Israel's song. In the years when Lithuania's jury supported Israeli entries, we didn't hear any lectures from the former ambassador about 'Politburos'," he posted on Facebook.

The MP added, however, that "it's even sadder to watch our politicos use these remarks to push their cheap anti-Israel stance."

In his Facebook post on Sunday, Levy called jury members in Lithuania, Poland and Serbia – all of whom gave Israel no points – "disgusting cowards and hypocrites," saying they should be ashamed.

"You gave zero points to a song loved by millions at home. You are not judges: you are political commissars glorifying the Soviet Politburo of thought," Levy wrote.

"It is so upsetting and painful!" he added.

In response, the Israeli embassy to Lithuania said Sunday that the former ambassador's comments do not reflect Israel's official stance.

"We strongly oppose any attempt to politicize this contest, from any direction. I deeply appreciate the overwhelming support shown by music lovers across Europe (and the world), including Lithuania, for Israel's representative to Eurovision, the talented singer Yuval Raphael, and her inspiring song 'New day will rise'," Israeli Ambassador Hadas Wittenberg Silverstein said in a Facebook statement.

"Any other posts about the topic are personal and does not represent the official position of the state of Israel in any way," she added.

Levy served as Israel’s ambassador to Lithuania from 2019 to 2022.

Lithuanian viewers awarded three points to Yuval Raphael, who performed the song "New Day Will Rise" on Saturday.

This year's Eurovision was won by Austria's JJ with the song "Wasted Love."

Lithuania's entry, "Tavo Akys" ("Your Eyes") by the band Katarsis, placed 16th.

 

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Lithuanian MEP Blinkeviciute to end political career after EP term

VILNIUS, May 19, BNS – Lithuanian MEP Vilija Blinkeviciute, a former leader of the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party, announced on Saturday she would no longer stand for election for any position after her existing term in the European Parliament.

"Yes, this term is the last," she told reporters on Saturday after the party's congress in Vilnius. Last year, she was re-elected to the European Parliament for a five-year term.

The last four years of leading the party have not been easy, Blinkeviciute said after she was replaced by Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas as the party's leader. Now, she says, the most important task is to ensure that the decisions promised during the Seimas election campaign were adopted.

Blinkeviciute said her decision to refuse to take the post of prime minister, despite the election won last year, and to appoint Paluckas was right. 

"If I had really believed that I had the potential to do the job, I would have done it. Therefore, I have no doubt now that five months, not five days, show that it was indeed a very good choice," she said.

Blinkeviciute has been a member of the LSDP since 2006, and was the party leader' deputy from 2009 until in 2021 when she took over the lead. 

Blinkeviciute has been elected to the Seimas three times, has served as minister of social security and labor, and has been a MEP since 2009. 

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Lithuania plans to buy warships from Norway – minister (further expands)

VILNIUS, May 19, BNS - Lithuania intends to acquire multirole military ships from Norway, Defense Minister Dovile Sakaliene said on Monday after a meeting with her Norwegian counterpart Tore O. Sandvik in Lithuania.

"We are working very intensively, looking into our options to acquire ships from Norway. We are currently looking into certain proposals, and the Norwegian side is also looking into the ship models and how this process could move forward," Sakaliene told a joint press conference after the meeting.

"These are Vanguard-class modular ships, which (...) can be used for various missions. Our aim is to make this the optimal platform. Our fleet is small, so the ships need to be versatile enough to be able to perform different missions, so that our Navy has a ship that is tailored to our needs and at the same time is able to cooperate effectively with our other allies, depending on the type of tasks and the complexity of the missions," the minister said, adding that decisions on the acquisition of such ship are expected by the end of this year.

"(These decisions - BNS) will significantly strengthen our military capabilities, as well as enable our defense industry to cooperate effectively in the context of industrial cooperation," Sakaliene pointed out.

"If a large part of the components could be produced in Lithuania, except, of course, for weapon systems, it would certainly allow our domestic industry to get involved and we would benefit a lot," she added.

The plan is for Lithuania to use the same ship models as Norway, Sakaliene said.

"To avoid situations again where were buy one non-standardized model of some military equipment and then we have a lot of long-term problems with logistics, supply, repairs and so on," the minister explained. "One of the key things is Norway's decision whether they would use the same ship model. Judging from the way all the discussions are going on now, we should definitely have a decision from Norway by the end of the year, and then our decisions would follow."

Air defense

Vilnius has previously agreed with Oslo on the acquisition of NASAMS air defense systems and has also signed a contract with Norway's Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace.

"We are going smoothly through all three phases. Next year, we should receive the second delivery of NASAMS air defense systems and then the third in 2028," Sakaliene said.

The two ministers also discussed Norway's participation in Baltic Air Policing mission and the Sandvik said that Norway would assume greater responsibility for national and regional security over the upcoming years.

"A large part of our increased spending will go to investments in systems, like frigates, submarines, vessels, helicopters, main battle tanks, and weapons," he said.

Speaking of Oslo's contribution to the Baltic states' air defense, Sandvik said that this would be discussed with other Nordic countries.

"We will look at that again when we have full operational capability of the F-35 fleet. Also, I will have a talk with my Nordic colleagues about it because we have now, I think, 250 fighter jets altogether, and we need to coordinate our air policing strategy," the Norwegian defense minister underlined. 

As BNS previously earlier, Lithuania, Norway and eight other European countries last week signed a memorandum aimed at strengthening the protection of critical underwater infrastructure in the Baltic Sea. It provides for enhanced cooperation to increase the resilience of cables and pipelines on the seabed, secure supply chains, conduct underwater monitoring, and expand rapid repair capabilities.

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EU should sanction entire shadow fleet, not just part of it – Lithuanian minister

VILNIUS, May 19, BNS – Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovile Sakaliene said on Monday that the European Union should impose sanctions on all vessels in Russia's so-called shadow fleet.

"It would certainly be a good decision to sanction the entire shadow fleet, because even with the increased number of ships in the 17th sanctions package, it's still not enough," Sakaliene told a press conference after meeting with Norway's defense minister in Vilnius. 

"We're talking about a couple of hundred ships out of, apparently, a thousand vessels. That figure needs to increase," she said.

The EU's 17th package of sanctions, approved last week, includes restrictions on Russia's shadow fleet. The blacklist is to be expanded with around 200 oil tankers used to circumvent restrictions on Russian oil exports.

Previously, about 150 vessels had been sanctioned.

Last week, the Estonian Navy attempted to stop the tanker Jaguar, which is believed to be part of Russia's shadow fleet.

However, the vessel carrying Russian oil defied orders and left Estonia's economic zone.

According to officials, the tanker was escorted by a Russian fighter jet, which briefly entered Estonian airspace for less than a minute.

"This situation shows that Russia is taking new steps. Based on what we saw in Estonia, (...) when a fighter jet was sent to intimidate and apparently carry out an information operation, (...) it shows the same trend: Russia is ramping up pressure. (...) Once again, Russia is testing boundaries, and these tests are becoming more aggressive," Sakaliene said.

In response to such incidents, NATO launched a new surveillance mission, called Baltic Sentry, in the Baltic Sea in January, aimed at preventing attacks on underwater infrastructure in the region.

"Baltic Sentry operates under its current mandate, which doesn't allow for additional action, and only individual nations can take certain actions. What we can do now includes intelligence, information sharing, and coordinating actions. Any move toward a broader mandate would require a separate level of discussion," Sakaliene said.

Last week, Lithuania, Norway and eight other European countries signed a memorandum of understanding on the protection of critical underwater infrastructure in the Baltic Sea.

The document calls for stepping up cooperation to enhance the resilience of seabed cables and pipelines, secure supply chains, conduct underwater monitoring and expand rapid repair capabilities.

 

By Vilmantas Venckūnas

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Lithuania takes Belarus to Hague court over migrant crisis triggered by Lukashenko regime (expands)

VILNIUS, May 19, BNS – Lithuania has taken Belarus to the International Court of Justice in The Hague over a migrant crisis triggered by the regime of Alexander Lukashenko, accusing it of violating international law, the Foreign Ministry said on Monday.

The case concerns alleged breaches of state obligations under the United Nations Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air, the ministry said in a press release.

"Since 2021, Lithuania has been facing an unprecedented surge in illegal migration from Belarus. Evidence collected by Lithuanian authorities confirms the direct involvement of the Belarusian regime in organizing the flow of migrants," it said.

According to the ministry, Belarus' state-owned companies increased flights from the Middle East and other regions, facilitated the issuance of visas and arranged accommodation for arriving migrants.

Once in Belarus, many of the migrants were allegedly escorted to the Lithuanian border by Belarusian security forces and pushed to cross illegally, often in dangerous and life-threatening conditions.

Despite repeated requests for cooperation, Belarusian border officials have refused to work with Lithuanian authorities to stop the illegal crossings, the Foreign Ministry said.

"Lithuania sees these actions as a deliberate attempt by the Belarusian regime to use migration as a tool of political pressure against Lithuania and the European Union in response to their support for Belarusian democracy and sanctions over human rights abuses," it said.

The ministry said that despite intensive bilateral talks, the dispute over the protocol violations had not been resolved, prompting Lithuania to take the matter to the International Court of Justice to hold Belarus accountable under international law.

Lithuania is seeking full compensation for the damage caused, including the cost of constructing border barriers, and guarantees that such violations will not happen again.

According to the State Border Guard Service, Lithuanian border guards have blocked 23,600 attempts by foreign nationals to cross into the country illegally from Belarus since the start of the migration crisis. 

Lithuania last year became the first country to ask the International Criminal Court to investigate alleged crimes against humanity committed by the Lukashenko regime, including forced deportations, persecution and other forms of cruel treatment that violate the core principles of international law.

The Council of Europe's Information Point for the people of Belarus is expected to open soon in Vilnius.

 

By Jūratė Skėrytė

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Lithuanian justmin calls Hague court action over Belarus migrant push 'a historic step'

VILNIUS, May 19, BNS – Justice Minister Rimantas Mockus on Monday called Lithuania's decision to bring a case against Belarus at the International Court of Justice "a historic step," as the country seeks to hold Alexander Lukashenko's regime accountable for orchestrating the flow of migrants, the Justice Ministry said.

According to Mockus, "the state-orchestrated migrant smuggling" put lives at risk and violated international law.

"Lithuania is prepared to demonstrate its legal leadership by asserting its rights under international law through decisive action. This historic step – Lithuania's first-ever interstate case before the International Court of Justice – underscores our commitment to using global legal frameworks to defend national interests and uphold justice," the minister said in a press release. 

"Lithuania's reputation must be safeguarded, and the Belarusian regime must be held legally accountable for orchestrating the wave of illegal migration and the resulting human rights violations," Mockus said.

"Such legal actions not only address the immediate harm but also help establish important interpretations of international law that serve the common interest of the global community, deterring Belarus and other states from committing similar violations in the future," he added.

By taking the case to The Hague, Mockus said, Lithuania is sending a clear message that "no state can use vulnerable people as political pawns without facing consequences under international law."

"An adequate reparation will also be sought, as this hybrid attack resulted in significant financial, institutional, and operational challenges, which will be calculated as damages," he said.

The Foreign Ministry said earlier on Monday that the case filed before the International Court of Justice concerns alleged breaches of state obligations under the United Nations Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air.

"Since 2021, Lithuania has been facing an unprecedented surge in illegal migration from Belarus. Evidence collected by Lithuanian authorities confirms the direct involvement of the Belarusian regime in organizing the flow of migrants," it said in a press release.

According to the ministry, Belarus' state-owned companies increased flights from the Middle East and other regions, facilitated the issuance of visas and arranged accommodation for arriving migrants.

Once in Belarus, many of the migrants were allegedly escorted to the Lithuanian border by Belarusian security forces and pushed to cross illegally, often in dangerous and life-threatening conditions.

Despite repeated requests for cooperation, Belarusian border officials have refused to work with Lithuanian authorities to stop the illegal crossings, the Foreign Ministry said.

"Lithuania sees these actions as a deliberate attempt by the Belarusian regime to use migration as a tool of political pressure against Lithuania and the European Union in response to their support for Belarusian democracy and sanctions over human rights abuses," it said.

The ministry said that despite intensive bilateral talks, the dispute over the protocol violations had not been resolved, prompting Lithuania to take the matter to the International Court of Justice to hold Belarus accountable under international law.

Lithuania is seeking full compensation for the damage caused, including the cost of constructing border barriers, and guarantees that such violations will not happen again.

According to the State Border Guard Service, Lithuanian border guards have blocked 23,600 attempts by foreign nationals to cross into the country illegally from Belarus since the start of the migration crisis. 

Lithuania last year became the first country to ask the International Criminal Court to investigate alleged crimes against humanity committed by the Lukashenko regime, including forced deportations, persecution and other forms of cruel treatment that violate the core principles of international law.

The Council of Europe's Information Point for the people of Belarus is expected to open soon in Vilnius.

 

 

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Zemaitaitis pleads not guilty: I was talking about Israel, not Jews

VILNIUS, May 19, BNS – Remigijus Zemaitaitis, leader of the Nemunas Dawn party, part of the ruling bloc in Lithuania, pleads not guilty as a Vilnius court continues to hear a case in which he is accused of incitement to hatred against Jews and Holocaust denial.

"I do not admit any wrongdoing and I never had the intention to mock, belittle the Jewish people or deny the genocide committed against them," the MP told the court on Monday. "I spoke and wrote about Israel, not about the Jewish people."

Ahead of the court hearing, Zemaitaitis said that one day's hearing would not be enough for him to deliver his speech, despite the fact that had shortened it from 100 to 60 pages.

Zemaitaitis began his speech from current affairs, namely Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's claim that his country would take control of the entire Gaza Strip. This means that Israel will continue to "destroy and kill", he said.

The lawmaker also pointed out that he was not against the Jewish people, but only against individuals. He also repeated the counting-out rhyme that spark public outcry and led to accusations against him.

"Why does no one in Lithuania criticize Israel when there is murder and famine in Gaza?" - Zemaitaitis wondered.

The politician was also annoyed by the fact that people watching the Israeli singer's performance at the arena were whistling and protesting but Lithuania's public broadcaster LRT showed a clapping and smiling audience.

"Just like me, French President Emmanuel Macron was outraged by the destruction of a school in Gaza. He was angry not only about the school, but also about the destruction of the French institute," Zemaitaitis said.

He criticized Lithuanian politicians and the media for talking and writing about Russian atrocities, but staying "silent on the atrocities carried out by the Jews in Gaza".

Zemaitaitis stated that his opinion might be unpleasant or radical, but he has the right to express it.

By Ainis Gurevičius

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Lithuania, allies still weighing steps to curb Russian activity in Baltic Sea – president

ORZYSZ, Pisz County, Poland, May 19, BNS – Lithuania and its allies are still analyzing possible measures to curb Russia's behavior in the Baltic Sea, President Gitanas Nauseda said in Poland on Monday. 

NATO has been running the Baltic Sentry mission since January to step up surveillance of the Baltic Sea.

The mission was set up amid suspicions that Russia's so-called shadow fleet was carrying out sabotage operations at sea. Those security concerns were reignited last week when the sanctioned tanker Jaguar refused to comply with orders from Estonian officials in Estonia's exclusive economic zone, and a Russian fighter jet escorting the vessel violated Estonian airspace.

According to Nauseda, efforts are underway to extend the Baltic Sentry mission, but that alone is not enough.

"The Baltic Sentry mission is purely observational. NATO isn't intervening – it only monitors potential violations and informs the countries closest to the incident," the president told a press conference in Poland. 

"A legal review is currently underway to determine how certain actions could be taken without violating international maritime law, which, as you well know, is rather liberal," he added.

The president said Russia's actions in the Baltic Sea show it continues its policy of escalation.

"It is in our interest that the Baltic countries, NATO, take control of the Baltic Sea and prevent such acts of sabotage from taking place," he said.

On Monday, Nausėda and Polish President Andrzej Duda observed the Gallant Boar 25 joint international military exercise near the Suwalki Corridor and discussed key regional and European security issues.

Both leaders said that NATO's upcoming summit in The Hague must result in an agreement on higher defense spending.

Nauseda said every NATO member should allocate at least 3.5 percent of its gross domestic product to defense.

"Three-point-five percent is the absolute floor for defense funding. We can't afford to go any lower. We don't have the luxury of dragging this process out, because, as we all understand, our adversaries aren't standing still. They're certainly not inclined to grant us a time credit," he said.

Duda noted that Poland and Lithuania are among the Alliance's highest defense spenders relative to GDP.

Nauseda expects the Hague meeting to be one of the most important and interesting NATO summits of the past decade.

"It will show whether NATO, as a collective defense organization, is strong and resilient, or whether we succumb to doubts," he said. "I believe we'll choose the former path, which clearly requires increasing defense spending both by each NATO ally individually and by the organization as a whole."

The Lithuanian and Polish presidents also underlined the need to continue supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression.

"I've no doubt that Ukraine must be supported at least until Russia's aggression against Ukraine is brought to an end," Duda said.

Nauseda also said that Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia must integrate their border fortification projects with Poland's.

"I'm talking about the integration of our fortification lines in the Baltic states and Poland – the Baltic Defense Line project and Poland's East Shield project. It's very important to coordinate these efforts because that's a necessary precondition for greater attention from the European Commission and the European Union to this extremely important project," he said.

Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia have agreed to cooperate in developing counter-mobility measures along their borders with Russia and Belarus. Poland's government has approved a similar project to fortify its borders with Belarus and Russia's Kaliningrad region.

The two-week field tactical exercise Gallant Boar 25, held near the Suwalki Corridor, involves the armed forces of Poland, Lithuania, the United States, the Czech Republic, Sweden and Romania.

 

 

By Jūratė Skėrytė, Paulius Perminas

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Lithuania's Presidential Office to consider stripping Vaitkus of state award

VILNUS, May 19, BNS – Lithuania's Presidential Office will consider stripping Eduardas Vaitkus, a former presidential candidate, of a state award after his recent visit to Belarus and the statements he made there.

"The issue of Vaitkus degrading the name of an awardee will be discussed at the next meeting of the Council for the Awards ," the Presidential Office told BNS on Monday.

Earlier in the day, Mindaugas Linge, the elder of the opposition Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats political group in the Lithuanian Seimas, turned to President Gitanas Nauseda, asking him to strip Vaitkus of his state award.

"Eduardas Vaitkus should be stripped of the state award that President Rolandas Paksas gave him in 2004. In accordance with the Law on State Awards, Vaitkus should be removed from the list of cavaliers of the Order of Gediminas for degrading the name of an awardee. This is why I turned to President Nauseda regarding this today," Linge said in a Facebook post.

Linge believes that Vaitkus's visit to Belarus last week and his statements are in no way compatible with the impeccable reputation necessary for those receiving state awards, also given the fact that this visit led the launch of a pre-trial investigation.

Linge also pointed out that the country's Central Electoral Commission in June found Vaitkas to be in serious breach of the Electoral Code in June, which is also incompatible with an impeccable reputation of an awardee.

As BNS reported earlier, while in Minsk last week, Vaitkus stated that there's no legitimately elected president in Lithuania and that Lithuania is on the path of destruction of the Lithuanian nation and statehood.

The Belarusian news agency BelTA and several news websites widely reported on the politician's meetings and statements made in Minsk where Vaitkus met with the leader of the Belaya Rus party and held a press conference.

In response, Lithuania's police launched a pre-trial investigation into aiding another state to act against Lithuania. Vaitkus declined to comment on the probe, but his lawyer, Mazvydas Misiunas, told BNS later that the purpose of Vaitkus's trip was allegedly to restore "normal cooperation" and dialogue between the two countries and their people.

By Vilmantas Venckūnas

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Lithuania records highest death toll on record as flu season officially ends

VILNIUS, May 19, BNS - The 2024-2025 flu season officially ended in Lithuania last week as 75 people died of flu this season, the highest death toll on record, the National Public Health Center said on Monday.

Before that, the highest number of deaths - 27 - was recorded during the 2023-2024 season.

COVID-19 was behind 59 deaths this season.

"The increase in the number of recorded flu cases, including deaths, can be attributed to changes in diagnostics, such as the use of rapid flu and COVID-19 tests by healthcare facilities since last October, which allow for more accurate diagnosis," the NPHC said.

Specialists say the past season was long and intense as all types of flu viruses, SARS-CoV-2 and other acute upper respiratory tract infections, including respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), circulated at the same time.

Despite that, none of municipalities or the country as a whole had to declare a flu or COVID-19 epidemic this year.

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Upcoming events in Lithuania for Tuesday, May 20, 2025

VILNIUS, May 20, BNS – The following events are scheduled in Lithuania for Tuesday, May 20, 2025:

FOREIGN MINISTER Kestutis Budrys to attend a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels.

INTERIOR MINISTER Vladislav Kondratovic to attend a meeting of ministers in charge of regional policy in Warsaw.

 

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