LITHUANIA DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
IN THIS ISSUE:
- Case reaches court as ex-Lithuanian chief of defense is accused of three offenses
- Upcoming events in Lithuania for Wednesday, May 28, 2025
- Lithuania records no illegal border crossings from Belarus
- Agrimin expects EU aid for Lithuanian farmers after devastating frost
- Zelensky, NATO secgen to attend Bucharest Nine summit in Vilnius
- Lithuania records 63 pct more cyber incidents in 2024 – report
- 12 transport ministers in Vilnius commit to strengthening military mobility in Europe
- Four Lithuanian restaurants keep their Michelin stars
- Potentially disloyal politicians in Lithuania are being monitored – parlt speaker
- Four AWACS reconnaissance aircraft deployed in Lithuania for 1st time
- Lithuania ranks 2nd in world for entrepreneurship – report
- Lithuanian cabinet approves recall of ambassadors to Estonia, South Korea
- EU commissioner backs Vilnius' bid to recover damages from Belarus over migrants - BNS INTERVIEW
- Lithuania declares nationwide emergency over spring frost (updates)
- Lithuanian PM sees no way to direct RRF funds to defense as Poland plans to do
- Lithuania to set up cyber security centers in all counties within 3.5 years
- Lithuania may shut down agency that gave EU aid to Russians, Belarusians – minister
- Lithuania will watch how Latvian food price pact works – PM
- Lithuanian PM sees Achema's purchase of Russian ammonia as risk that must be weighed
- Upcoming events in Lithuania for Thursday, May 29, 2025
Case reaches court as ex-Lithuanian chief of defense is accused of three offenses
VILNIUS, May 28, BNS - The Vilnius Regional Prosecutor's Office on Wednesday handed over to the court the criminal case involving Lithuania's former Chief of Defense Valdemaras Rupsys and a former medical officer of the Military Medical Service over allegedly illegally provided health care services.
The Special Investigation Service told BNS that Rupsys is charged with abuse of power, document forgery and fraud. The former medical officer of the MD Jonas Basanavicius Military Medical Service of the Lithuanian Armed Forces is charged with abuse of power, document forgery and aiding and abetting fraud.
The pre-trial investigation was initiated by the STT following a report from the Defense Ministry.
As BNS reported earlier, while serving as the chief of defense, Rupsys underwent a dental implant placement procedure at a cost of around 4,000, paid for by the army. Rupsys claimed at the time that he had suffered a dental injury while visiting troops in 2022, which was deemed as service-related and therefore covered by the national defense system.
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Upcoming events in Lithuania for Wednesday, May 28, 2025
VILNIUS, May 28, BNS – The following events are scheduled in Lithuania for Wednesday, May 28, 2025:
DEFENSE MINISTER Dovile Sakaliene to continue her a visit in Japan.
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Lithuania records no illegal border crossings from Belarus
VILNIUS, May 28, 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 Wednesday morning.
Latvia reported 82 illegal border crossing attempts on Tuesday. Poland denied entry to 115 irregular migrants on Monday, according to the latest available information.
Lithuania has barred 756 irregular migrants from entering from Belarus at non-designated places so far this year. It denied entry to 1,002 irregular migrants 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 blocked around 23,600 attempts by foreign nationals to cross into the country illegally from Belarus since the start of the migration crisis.
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Agrimin expects EU aid for Lithuanian farmers after devastating frost
VILNIUS, May 28, BNS – With the Lithuanian government set to declare a nationwide emergency due to severe damage caused by spring frost, Agriculture Minister Ignas Hofmanas is hopeful that the European Union will provide funding to help compensate affected farmers.
"Compensation could be paid from EU funds (...), from the national crisis fund. Last week, we contacted the European Commission in writing to inform them about the situation. (...) I hope that the Commission will hear us and that funds will be allocated to cover the losses, at least partially," Hofmanas told LRT Radio on Wednesday.
The minister has formally asked the Commission for emergency aid from the EU agricultural reserve to help farmers hit by the spring frost.
Hofmanas said it is still unclear how much money will be needed, as the scale of losses will be determined based on how much income each farm has lost.
The minister believes an emergency declaration should apply nationwide, pointing out that the frost affected the entire country, lasted a long time and brought very low temperatures.
"It's necessary and makes sense to declare it across the whole of Lithuania, to ease the burden on farmers and municipalities and to open the way to potential compensation," he said.
Kipras Sirtautas, CEO of the fruit-growing company Ziezmariu Sodai, said early estimates show that around 90 percent of the crop was damaged, with losses possibly totaling about 500,000 euros.
"Nobody remembers a situation like this year," Sirtautas told LRT Radio.
Vitalija Kuliesiene, head of the Lithuanian Commercial Orchards Association, said the frost affected orchards throughout the country. She added that the exact damage to fruit trees will only become clear in three weeks.
"There are frosts every year – sometimes worse, sometimes milder – but nothing like this. We won't even have enough money to survive," she said.
Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas said on Tuesday that the Cabinet would decide on Wednesday whether to declare a nationwide emergency due to the frost damage.
The frost, which lasted for more than three weeks, is said to have caused enormous damage to blooming orchards and berry fields, some of which had already started forming fruit. Initial estimates show that in some areas, 70 to 80 percent of fruit and berry crops have been destroyed. Losses may be as high as 100 percent in the worst-hit areas.
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Zelensky, NATO secgen to attend Bucharest Nine summit in Vilnius
VILNIUS, May 28, BNS – Ukrainian President Volodymy Zelensky and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte will attend the Vilnius Summit on Monday, June 2, the presidential office said on Wednesday.
President Gitanas Nauseda will host the Vilnius Summit at the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania, inviting heads of state from NATO’s eastern and northern flanks. Representatives from the Bucharest Nine countries (Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia), as well as from the Nordic nations (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) and Ukraine, are arriving in Lithuania. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte will also be attending the summit.
The meeting will focus on strengthening the security and defense of the Alliance’s eastern flank and preparations for the NATO Summit to be held in The Hague on June 24–25 June.
"Further support to Ukraine will be discussed with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky," the presidential office said.
The Bucharest Nine initiative is a nine-country political cooperation platform to strengthen the Euro-Atlantic security of Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia. The format was initiated at the 2015 Bucharest Summit.
It was established in response to Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014.
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Lithuania records 63 pct more cyber incidents in 2024 – report
VILNIUS, May 28, BNS – Lithuania recorded 63 percent more cyber incidents in 2024 than in 2023, according to the 2024 National Cybersecurity Status Report.
"The rise is not due to a heightened threat level, but rather to growing public awareness and a better understanding of the need to report cyber incidents," the report states.
The National Cyber Security Center (NCSC) registered 3,874 cyber incidents in 2024, up from 2,378 in 2023, according to the report prepared by the Defense Ministry along with other national institutions.
The document notes that most incidents were classified as minor or moderate, with three deemed major.
These major incidents were linked to foreign state-backed groups that hacked into organizations' networks in pursuit of long-term goals, such as espionage.
According to the NCSC, malicious social engineering aimed at obtaining sensitive information is the main cause of cyber incidents in Lithuania.
Such attacks made up 59 percent of all incidents recorded by the center in 2024, compared to 38 percent in 2023.
New trend: fearmongering about World War III
According to the Lithuanian Armed Forces' Strategic Communication Department, Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine had the greatest impact on hostile information activities targeting Lithuania in 2024.
The military says the main sources of such threats were officials from the Russian and Belarusian regimes, along with those countries' political and military leadership and state-controlled media.
The report notes that, as Russia's invasion of Ukraine continued, disinformation efforts increasingly focused on Lithuania's support for Ukraine. Narratives portrayed NATO as an aggressive military bloc and Lithuania as a Russophobic state. Hostile actors tied to Russia and Belarus also sought to discredit Lithuania's defense efforts and downplay the importance of the German brigade's deployment.
The military says a new trend also emerged last year: fearmongering and intimidation in the information space. Compared to 2023, there was a noticeable increase in messaging about a possible World War III or nuclear conflict.
It expects information pressure to remain high this year, with state-controlled or state-influenced actors continuing efforts to discredit the Lithuanian Armed Forces and NATO, and using narratives that blame the "collective West" to justify their actions in the physical world.
The National Cybersecurity Status Report is an annual overview of the cybersecurity landscape in Lithuania. It is prepared by the Defense Ministry in cooperation with the NCSC, police, the State Data Protection Inspectorate, the Communications Regulatory Authority and the Lithuanian Armed Forces' Strategic Communication Department.
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12 transport ministers in Vilnius commit to strengthening military mobility in Europe
VILNIUS, May 28, BNS - Transport ministers from 12 Nordic and Eastern European countries have agreed to strengthen military mobility links in Europe and upgrade strategic transport infrastructure during their meeting in Vilnius.
High-level EU and NATO representatives also joint the ministerial statements, the Transport and Communications Ministry said on Wednesday.
The statement underlines that investment in military mobility projects, including roads, railways, ports, airports and other strategic infrastructure, strengthens defense capabilities and improves the quality and resilience of the transport system across Europe.
The EU is urged to consider such projects as strategic and to provide them with significantly increased funding in the forthcoming Multiannual Financial Framework 2028-2034.
Lithuanian Transport Minister Eugenijus Sabutis says that Rail Baltica and other major projects that were previously seen as commercial projects are now an integral part of security.
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Four Lithuanian restaurants keep their Michelin stars
VILNIUS, May 28, BNS – Four Lithuanian restaurants – Demo, Dziaugsmas, Nineteen18 and Pas Mus – have kept their Michelin stars this year, holding onto the recognition they first received in 2024.
This year's Michelin Guide includes 37 Lithuanian restaurants, up from 26 in the previous edition, according to the national tourism agency Travel Lithuania.
Compared to last year, the second edition of the Michelin Guide Lithuania, released on Wednesday, features twice as many restaurants recognized with the Bib Gourmand award for offering the best value for money.
"New additions to the Bib Gourmand list include Augustin, B'ARN Bistro, El Gato Negro, and Kristoforas in Vilnius. Additionally, last year's awardees – 14Horses, Gaspar's, Le Travi in Vilnius and Numan in Kaunas – successfully retained their titles," the agency said in a press release.
Economy and Innovation Minister Lukas Savickas said the latest Michelin results "reflect the maturity and international competitiveness of Lithuania's gastronomy sector."
Olga Goncarova, the head of Travel Lithuania, added that the second edition of the guide "shows that Lithuania is increasingly establishing and strengthening its position on the global culinary map."
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Potentially disloyal politicians in Lithuania are being monitored – parlt speaker
VILNIUS, May 28, BNS - As Lithuanian leaders debate whether a so-called fifth column exists in the country or not, Speaker of the Seimas Saulius Skvernelis says the activities of politicians potentially disloyal to the state are being monitored.
"We have them and we see them. Of course, it is unfortunate that the media are the first to do the monitoring, but the institutions that are working cannot say that today we have opened an investigation into X, Y or Z citizens' possible support for the Russian special services," Skvernelis told the Ziniu Radijas news radio on Wednesday when asked if the state is monitoring the actions of a fifth column.
"The monitoring is ongoing, investigations are ongoing and we will have results," the Seimas speaker said, adding that the Kremlin "buys from lawyers to politicians".
"We have all sorts of politicians, not only those in the Seimas, but also those who aspire to be in the Seimas and in power. That influence is clearly being done and we definitely have that weak link," Skvernelis noted.
A fifth column refers to clandestine groups acting against the state, the nation or any other community, and in Lithuania it usually refers to pro-Russian activists associated with the Kremlin.
Visiting Lithuanian on Tuesday, European Commissioner for Defense and Space Andrius Kubilius said that he would not be surprised by information about Lithuanian politicians or members of the Seimas working directly for the Kremlin.
Lithuania's political leaders, however, disagree on the use of the term.
Skvernelis was the first to mention the formation of a fifth column in the Seimas.
For his part, Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas has said that talking about a fifth column is not conducive to acting together.
He also said that there are people in Lithuania who act against the state, but to call them a fifth column is "too big of an honor" because these people have no influence within society.
"Some people don't like the term, a fifth column. It can be shaped differently, there are people who may be disloyal to the state", Skvernelis told the Ziniu Radijas.
Darius Jauniskis, a former director of the State Security Department, said in April there were no evidence of the existence of a fifth column in the country's parliament.
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Four AWACS reconnaissance aircraft deployed in Lithuania for 1st time
VILNIUS, May 28, BNS - One more NATO Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft landed at the Air Base in Lithuania on Tuesday and will be deployed in Siauliai together with three other similar aircraft, the Lithuanian Armed Forces said on Wednesday.
Three other AWACS reconnaissance aircraft have been deployed in Siauliai since April 23.
AWACS aircraft play a key role in providing airspace monitoring, tactical control and rapid response in a variety of situations. They are capable of detecting targets at long ranges, coordinating air operations and transmitting information to both air and ground forces, the army said.
This, according to the army, allows NATO partner countries to adapt quickly to a dynamic security environment and to strengthen the overall level of security in the region.
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Lithuania ranks 2nd in world for entrepreneurship – report
VILNIUS, May 28, BNS – Lithuania has risen to second place globally in this year's entrepreneurship index, ranking highest among European countries and trailing only the United Arab Emirates, according to the latest Lithuanian Entrepreneurship Monitoring Report.
"We are becoming an increasingly mature nation in terms of business. According to the latest study, Lithuania now ranks second in the world for the quality of its entrepreneurial ecosystem," Economy and Innovation Minister Lukas Savickas said during the report's presentation on Wednesday.
The report shows that 68 percent of newly established businesses in Lithuania's regions expect to create at least 10 jobs and to at least double their revenue within five years.
"That's a very high figure, clearly showing that the regions are becoming not only a good place to start a business but also to grow one," Saule Maciukaite-Zviniene, chairwoman of the Lithuanian Education Council, said during the presentation.
Savickas noted that the report showed that 20 percent of people plan to start a business, but only 3 percent manage to gain a foothold in the market.
"This growth gap shows we still have work to do to support businesses so they can grow," he said.
The Lithuanian study, based on the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM), also found that women establish 50 percent of new businesses, but remain less involved in running mature companies.
Editor: Roma Pakėnienė
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Lithuanian cabinet approves recall of ambassadors to Estonia, South Korea
VILNIUS, May 28, BNS – The government on Wednesday approved the recall of Lithuania's ambassadors to Estonia and South Korea following the end of their terms.
Raimonda Murmokaite is scheduled to be recalled from Tallinn on July 17, while Ricardas Slepavicius is set to leave his post in Seoul on July 31.
These recalls still require President Gitanas Nauseda's approval.
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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EU commissioner backs Vilnius' bid to recover damages from Belarus over migrants - BNS INTERVIEW
VILNIUS, May 28, BNS - EU Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner says he supports Vilnius' bid to claim over 200 million euros in damages from Belarus over the migrant crisis caused by the regime.
"I totally support everything Lithuania and the other member states when it comes to getting back some money. I support the approach Lithuania took on that," the commissioner said in an interview with BNS during his visit to Vilnius.
Last week, Lithuania took Belarus to the International Court of Justice over migrants.
Lithuania, together with eight other EU member states, also published an open letter last week, calling for a rethink on the interpretation of the European Convention on Human Rights, in particular on migration. The countries said they wanted "a new and open debate on the interpretation of the European Convention on Human Rights".
Brunner said he also backed this position of the EU member states.
The European Court of Human Rights, which interprets breaches of the European Convention on Human Rights, has recently heard cases against Lithuania, Latvia and Poland for their allegedly unlawful treatment of migrants.
As BNS reported earlier the EU's eastern members faced an influx of migrants from Belarus in 2021, and the West accuses the Minsk regime of orchestrating it.
Other interview topics:
*Migrant return and pushbacks;
* EU Pact on Migration and Asylum;
*Sabotage and damage to underwater infrastructure in the Baltic Sea;
*Security of Jewish and Muslim communities;
*Digital threats.
Lithuania is seeking over 200 million euros in damages from Belarus in a case filed to the International Court of Justice over the migrant crisis, allegedly orchestrated by the Minsk regime. Do you believe it is realistically possible to receive financial reparations through such legal international mechanisms?
While it is not our role to decide at the end of the day, I totally support everything Lithuania and the other member states are doing when it comes to getting back some money. I support the approach Lithuania took on that. But of course, it's not the Commission who decides at the end of the day, it is the court, but I think it's the right way forward.
According to the Lithuanian authorities, this case may also have implications for the ongoing lawsuits brought by migrants at the European Court of Human Rights. Having in mind that there were over 100,000 pushbacks last year in the EU, including pretty significant numbers in Poland, Latvia, and Lithuania, how should member states, including Lithuania, reconcile the need for robust border security with the adherence to international law?
There are different challenges and different threats at the Eastern border now, of course these have influence on Lithuania, on Poland, on all the Baltic states, Finland – we see that. All these hybrid threats we're seeing, which is a real threat to the security of the EU, and that's why I'm very glad that Lithuania is doing such a good job in protecting the Lithuanian border, but that's not just the Lithuanian border, that's the European border. I saw that on Monday at the border with the interior minister. That was really impressive to see what a good job the border guards and Lithuania all together are doing at the border. My respect and of course support goes to everything Lithuania I doing to protect the EU border, and they are doing a great job. We saw firsthand yesterday and also two weeks ago at the Polish-Belarusian border how the Belarusians and the Russians, of course, are also using migrants, are using people as a weapon, which is just not acceptable. So, everything Lithuania and all the other affected member states are doing has my full support.
Going back to the ICJ case brought by Lithuania, Poland and Latvia are two states that are also considering joining the case. Do you see any role of the EU institutions in encouraging member states to join this case?
Well, that's also not our task as the European Commission, but as I said before, there's a 100 percent understanding and support for the member states. In the end, it is not our job to have a thought on the outcome. What we do as the European Commission is that we try to get the legislation right, and support member states also with legal instruments when there is a need to do so.
Last week, just before you came to Vilnius, there was an open letter released by nine member states, including Lithuania, calling for the reinterpretation of the European Convention of Human Rights in the context of migration. Do you see a need to revisit ECHR rulings and how they are implemented within the EU's migration and asylum framework?
The Commission is not part of the Convention, member states are part of it. But what we can do, and what we are doing, is to bring our "European house" in order when it comes to legislation. And I think it is important that we do everything to support member states, to find rules that work and adapt those that do not through a more realistic and pragmatic approach. And that's what we try to do with the pact implementation, with the migrant return regulation, with the safe third country concept, and maybe speeding up a little bit also, when it comes to the implementation of the pact. Our job is to bring our "European house" in order, to make it easier, more effective, and quicker also for member states to react.
Would the Commission support a stronger, more autonomous EU-level legal and operational mechanism to handle returns, for example, or to handle pushbacks, to handle border procedures?
When it comes to returns, we have put forward an ambitious proposal to make returns easier. It's just not acceptable, for the public and for us, that only one out of five people who are illegally in the EU are being returned. So, that's the situation we have now, and that's not acceptable. With the return regulation, we are proposing making the whole system more effective, and we are concentrating also on the people who pose a security threat. We are also introducing obligations to cooperate for the returnees. That is also important. And what has been missing so far is for one decision from one member state to be accepted in another member state, because so far we have had the situation that, we have return decisions, and then the returnee relocates to another country and the whole asylum procedure starts again, which just doesn't make any sense. So, these are the three main things we are trying to tackle with this regulation.
When it comes to pushbacks, the Commission's position is well known, that border management must always comply with human rights, with fundamental rights. Frontex plays a very important role in that as it looks into any accusations or allegations.
We need to have more understanding in Europe about the situation at the eastern borders. Because the situation is completely different in other member states, like where I come from, where there are no external borders. And, that's where we, as the EU, need to have more understanding for those who actually feel the threat every day at their external borders.
You mentioned that currently one of the five migrants is returned. When would you say EU member states will be able to do five out of five?
Well, with our new legislation, with the return regulation, we want to improve the situation. Everything that is better than now is good. And we have to do everything to make it as effective as possible, but I wouldn't want to tell you any figures because I don't know at the end of the day. It also depends on member states (...) Bringing the "European house" in order in the first thing, doing our job, and then the next step is negotiations and agreements with third countries, otherwise returns don't work. So, that's the next step we're doing, and we have to, in my opinion, put the migration topic more on the table when it comes to negotiations with third countries. We need more migration diplomacy, and put migration on the table in all different negotiations and agreements with third countries.
You mean to put more pressure on Turkey, Albania, and other countries?
It's not about pressure, it's a give and take. All agreements should be a give and take, and many agreements with these countries have to do with economic affairs, of course, trade, but we need them to include migration. That's what the EU needs, and that's what we have to put on the table.
Staying a bit on the topic of EU's Pact on Migration and Asylum. Our interior minister you met with yesterday said that Lithuania may accept some migrants from the migrant quota and pay the solidarity fee. How do you rate this hybrid approach? And if other member states do the same thing, will it ensure fair sharing?
We've got clear rules in the pact on what is possible and what is not possible. And, in the end, it's a member state's choice. The pact has a very good balance between solidarity and responsibility. (…) There is a lot of flexibility also, and we support whatever member states decides, as long as it is within the rules of the pact.
So you would support Lithuania's decision?
If it's within the framework and if it's within the pact, of course, because it's their choice.
Moving to a different topic. There have been recent arson attacks in Europe, linked to Russia's GRU. There have been cases when undersea cables in the Baltic Sea were damaged by vessels linked to Russia's shadow fleet. Do you see the need to expand the current measures to protect infrastructure from hybrid threats?
Yes, definitely. And I think there's always room for improvement when it comes to all these different threats and challenges. The hybrid threats we are facing at the Eastern border are incredible. They are appearing in different ways, be it energy, for instance, used as a weapon in the very beginning of the aggression, now it's human beings even, and attacks on critical infrastructure. We have the EU action plan on critical infrastructure where we fund Lithuania with 34 million euros. But also when it comes to „ProtectEU“, we have our internal security strategy where we address critical infrastructure, especially of course concerning the incidents in the Baltic Sea.
Do you see any additional measures the EU could take on top of what it has done so far regarding such cases?
Definitely, and we have the three strategies: the white paper on defense, the preparedness strategy, which very much goes into being prepared when it comes to infrastructure, and the security strategy, the "ProtectEU". These three strategies go hand in hand, and they're tackling different challenges for infrastructure. There's always room for improvement, and there are different financial support possibilities.
So you mean further financial support?
Definitely, we have to be prepared, and there are different possibilities, of course, which we have to look into.
How big would you say the pot is?
There's no new pot, but this is of course part of the Multiannual Financial Framework negotiations, and we are just discussing it now, and security has to play an important role in the MFF. At the Commission, security is on the top of the list in all different portfolios and files, for example when it comes to infrastructure, or when it comes to energy. Security is the main topic because there's no democracy, no freedom, and no prosperity without security. And that's what the threat on our eastern border means. That's why I came to Lithuania.
One of your responsibilities is Europol's effectiveness. Do you see the need to strengthen Europol's operational capacity in terms of maritime surveillance, cross-border intelligence sharing to prevent such threats in the future?
My answer is yes, definitely. And it's not just Europol; but also Frontex. Frontex, when it comes to border surveillance and supporting member states in protecting the borders. We are working to make Europol more operational. We're just starting to negotiate new mandates both for Europol and for Frontex. They play a very crucial role at the eastern border, especially Frontex. We're trying to triple the people working for Frontex. Both Frontex and Europol are doing a great job in supporting member states. Frontex could play a bigger role when it comes to returns, for instance. So we're looking into that together with member states, and the cooperation between Europol and member states is really great. All member states are actually looking for more support from Europol, which is great to hear. And especially in the online dimension, Europol can play a more important part in the future.
So you would say that intelligence sharing among member states is sufficient enough at the moment?
It's never sufficient, but it's going well. There's always room for improvement, and hat is something we're looking into when it comes to updating the mandate of both Europol and Frontex.
How important it is to get the US on board in terms of intelligence sharing?
That's a very good question. We do have very good cooperation, and we have always had very good cooperation with the US when it came to data sharing and information sharing. And, we have to keep that up for the future. The US is a very important partner when it comes to data sharing and information sharing, so our channels towards the US are open. I have had some meetings with US officials, for example with the attorney general at the Munich Security Conference, so we have had meetings and talks with them. And that is important because we can only fight criminals, organized crime when we work together, and information from the US is beneficial. And they need Europe, of course, as well, as we have external borders with aggressors like Russia and Belarus.
Now moving on to the topic of the safety of the Jewish and Muslim communities and minority protection. Last week, two Israeli Embassy staff members were shot dead in Washington D.C. Also, there's been an increase in far-right incidents in some member states. Do you see the need for the EU to implement enhanced security measures at this current state, specifically aimed at protecting Jewish, Muslim, and other minority communities?
We condemn the tragic murder of the two young Israeli diplomats outside the Jewish Museum in Washington. There's no justification for extremism, for radicalization, and anti-Semitism. I'm in charge of the fight against anti-Semitism for the Commission, and that is something we have to step up because we see that there is more anti-Semitism in the EU. Having an EU strategy on how we can foster Jewish life and how we can fight anti-Semitism is very important. And we must also do everything we can to prevent radicalization and also hatred from spreading. The online dimension, as I mentioned before, is very important. That's something we have to tackle. Also with the ProtectEU, we're taking a stronger approach to tackle terrorist and also violent extremist content online. So, yes, we do see growing anti-Semitism within the EU but we need do everything, together with the Jewish community, to fight anti-Semitism, but also Muslim hatred, of course. That's also important because the radicalization and the extremism towards minorities, as you call it, is growing, and we have to do everything to prevent that.
Do you feel like the existing measures are sufficient? Do you feel like they have to be enhanced in some way?
Enhanced, and also implemented. Most member states have implemented national strategies. Some that are reluctant we have to push them to implement these measures. But we have to be very aware because that's something we can not accept in the European Union.
Do you feel like any strategy would work while the Israel and Hamas war is still ongoing, also having in mind what is happening in Gaza?
We always have to differentiate between anti-Semitism, the religious part and the political part and what Israel is doing and what the Israeli government is doing. It doesn't help, to be honest. It doesn't help at all. So, I think the differentiation and the separation of those two topics, I think, is important. Doing everything we can to fight anti-Semitism. (…) What Israel, the government is doing, is something different, and it doesn't help.
Going back to the online dimension that you mentioned a few times. For example, given TikTok's growing role in Europe and the spread of AI-generated deepfakes on other platforms as well, especially during elections and different crises. Do you see a need for a coordinated EU-level action force to detect, label, and remove such content?
Some of the platforms are willing to engage with us and then there are some that are more reluctant. And I think we have to be strict with those who are not willing to address misinformation and extremist content online. Everyone has the duty to be involved and to prevent radicalization on online platforms. Always think about what you share and what you see – we need more digital literacy. And on legislation, we have the Digital Services Act in place. It is a very good tool to fight online radicalization. Henna Virkkunen, the vice president in charge, is working on sanctioning non-compliant platforms more. This is another area where we, as the EU, must work with the US, and, coming back to your question before, it only works if we work together, the US and EU.
Considering that the biggest companies are from the US, is it possible to push them from Brussels?
Definitely. We have to push and be more confident as Europeans. As the EU, I think we have to do everything to protect our people online and offline. (...) We have to do everything, as the EU, to push them as much as we can. As I said before, at the Munich Security Conference, we had meetings with internet platforms, and some of them are willing to cooperate, and they know that there is a certain need, a great need actually, to tackle that. Some of them are a bit more reluctant, and we have to push more on those who are more reluctant.
Thank you for your time.
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Lithuania declares nationwide emergency over spring frost (updates)
VILNIUS, May 28, BNS – The Lithuanian government on Wednesday decided to declare a state-level nationwide extreme situation due to spring frost that severely affected farmers across the country.
Agriculture Minister Ignas Hofmanas was appointed the state operations manager for the emergency response.
Hofmanas said the National Crisis Management Center (NCMC) supported the need to introduce the special legal regime at the state level.
"Declaring a state-level extreme situation would create better conditions for negotiations with the European Commission about the possibility of compensating for the losses (...) and would also allow agricultural entities to benefit from exemptions from sanctions under applicable laws," the minister said during the Cabinet meeting.
"This is particularly important for fulfilling obligations to creditors and banks, as it would provide more flexibility. (...) It would also open the way to access the national crisis fund," he added.
Preliminary estimates by the Agriculture Ministry and local municipalities suggest that 70 to 80 percent of fruit and berry crops have been destroyed in some regions. Losses may be as high as 100 percent in the worst-hit areas.
Editor: Roma Pakėnienė
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Lithuanian PM sees no way to direct RRF funds to defense as Poland plans to do
VILNIUS, May 28, BNS – As Poland prepares to direct 6 billion euros from the EU's Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) toward defense spending, Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas says Lithuania has no such flexibility due to its earlier commitments.
"During the previous parliamentary cycle and government term, Lithuania (...) signed contracts for more than 87 percent of the allocated RRF funds," Paluckas told reporters on Wednesday.
"So there's no legal way to repurpose the funds, because they have already been committed. Some projects have already been carried out, and the funds are being spent as planned," the prime minister said.
"We simply don't have the room to maneuver that Poland does when it comes to this funding instrument," he added.
According to Paluckas, the remaining RRF funds not yet under contract or tied to projects that have not yet been launched are already being redirected to national defense or to the authorized capital of Lithuania's National Development Bank, ILTE.
The European Commission on Tuesday gave the green light for Poland to repurpose 6 billion euros in RRF funds to defense.
"Poland will be the first to invest billions from the KPO (National Recovery Plan) in security and defense. Successful negotiations paved the way, now other countries are trying to follow in our footsteps," Jan Szyszko, secretary of state at the Ministry of Development Funds and Regional Policy, wrote on X following the Commission's decision.
Poland and the Baltic states began ramping up defense spending after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Lithuania plans to invest an additional 12-13 billion euros in national defense by 2030, which would bring defense spending to 5-6 percent of GDP.
Poland's defense spending is already close to 5 percent of GDP.
To further boost its defense budget, Lithuania also plans to seek funding from the EU's multibillion-euro defense fund.
By Paulius Perminas, Vilmantas Venckūnas
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Lithuania to set up cyber security centers in all counties within 3.5 years
VILNIUS, May 28, BNS – Lithuania plans to set up regional cyber security operations centers in its all counties within the next 3.5 years, says Rokas Jonikas, director of the Cyber Security Operations Department at the National Cyber Security Center.
"We have a rather theoretical, not yet confirmed, plan to cover all municipalities in Lithuania over the next three and a half years," Jonikas told a press conference on Wednesday.
As BNS reported earlier, the local authorities in the northern Siauliai region and the NCSC have agreed on the establishment of a joint regional security operations center. It will be the first such center in Lithuania.
"The Siauliai project can be called a pilot. We want to establish standard procedures so that we can successfully go through all the counties in Lithuania," Jonikas said.
According to the local municipality, in an "optimistic scenario", the regional security operations center in the Siauliai region would be operational by the end of this year. It would have four staff members to serve the administrations of seven municipalities.
The NCSC will provide the regional center with hardware and software, train staff and provide assistance in managing major incidents. The municipalities in the region will provide the necessary premises and staff support.
The new operations center is expected to enable the development and maintenance of an adequate level of operational capability for cyber defense for public sector bodies. The center should detect, record and manage cyber incidents, and identify and strengthen vulnerable areas.
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Lithuania may shut down agency that gave EU aid to Russians, Belarusians – minister
VILNIUS, May 28, BNS – Following the public broadcaster's report that some European Union aid intended for Ukrainian war refugees also reached Russian and Belarusian nationals living in Lithuania, Social Security and Labor Minister Inga Ruginiene said on Wednesday that the agency responsible for distributing the funds may be shut down.
Ruginiene said the agency will be audited "in the near future."
"I want to take a broader look at the agency's activities, not just focus on this specific incident. Starting next week, a working group made up of various specialists will start reviewing not only its activities, but also its finances and structure. They've been tasked with coming up with alternatives for how this structure should function in the future," the minister told reporters.
"I'm not ruling out the possibility (...) that the agency will be disbanded," she added.
According to Ruginiene, the ministry is considering streamlining how EU aid is distributed. If the agency is disbanded, some of its staff and responsibilities could be transferred to the Central Project Management Agency (CPMA), and the rest to the Social Security and Labor Ministry.
LRT reported earlier on Wednesday that the EU provided nearly 17 million euros for the project Support for War Refugees from Ukraine between 2022 and 2023, but some of that money also went to citizens of Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and other countries who hold residence permits in Lithuania.
According to the public broadcaster, the project was overseen by the European Social Fund Agency, which was established by the state and administers some EU investments in Lithuania.
Jolita Petraitiene, head of the agency's Project Development Division, dismissed the criticism in an interview with LRT Radio, saying that the rules at the time allowed the aid to be given to non-Ukrainian nationals.
Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas said on Wednesday that the situation is "absolutely" unacceptable and promised to make a decision on the agency's future soon.
After the National Audit Office found that Lithuania had mishandled more than 235 million euros in EU funding, the Prosecutor General's Office announced on Tuesday that it had launched an investigation into whether the institutions administering EU aid ensured proper oversight of how the money was allocated.
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Lithuania will watch how Latvian food price pact works – PM
VILNIUS, May 28, BNS - Lithuania will look how the new agreement signed by representatives of the Latvian government, food producers and traders to reduce prices of food products works, Lithuanian Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas says.
"We will wait for the effect of such agreements and see whether it is worth following suit in Lithuania," he told reporters on Tuesday, asked whether Lithuania would follow in Latvia's footsteps.
Paluckas reminded that the Food Council had been set up on his initiative to "deal with the transparency of the price chain" and to look into the structure of food prices.
"I think this will boost confidence a bit or will at least clearly show who is responsible for the rising prices in those sectors, who is doing it as we often argue whether it is farmers, processors or traders. And then, based on this, we will be able to decide whether we can reach some kind of an agreement (with traders - BNS), if it's the traders who are doing it, or the processors, and maybe we will look into what is increasing the primary costs of agricultural produce and other things," the prime minister said.
The memorandum signed in Latvia provides for three directions to contain food price inflation: the establishment of a basket of low-priced goods and price comparison measures, and the promotion of trade in locally sourced products.
The Food Council in Lithuania has 27 members, including representatives of ministries, the government, farmers, processors, traders, universities and the State Consumer Rights Protection Authority. It is tasked with monitoring changes in food prices and proposing ways to reduce them.
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Lithuanian PM sees Achema's purchase of Russian ammonia as risk that must be weighed
VILNIUS, May 28, BNS – As the Lithuanian government weighs potential cooperation with Achema Group on explosives production, Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas said on Wednesday that the purchase of Russian ammonia by the group's fertilizer manufacturer Achema poses an additional risk that must be assessed.
"Achema is in a rather difficult position, as is clear from its publicly available financial statements. Producing ammonia has become deeply unprofitable due to soaring gas prices. So decisions about liquidity or business continuity are first and foremost made by Achema and its shareholders," Paluckas told reporters.
"However, cooperation in a sensitive area like defense certainly poses additional risks or creates an additional need to assess these risks," he added.
According to Paluckas, no final decision has been made about Achema's involvement in explosives manufacturing – the company has merely expressed interest.
The prime minister has previously said that Achema could be involved in the production of explosives in Lithuania. According to him, the company has already carried out a feasibility study on the project's economic viability and has already identified a potential site for the plant.
Paluckas also said he does not rule out the possibility of setting up a joint venture between the state – through its planned defense holding company – and Achema Group for explosives manufacturing.
On Monday, LRT reported that Achema had purchased ammonia from Russia's chemical company Schekinoazot. The cargo was transported through Russia and Belarus by Russian Railways, Belarusian Railways and LTG Cargo, a subsidiary of Lietuvos Gelezinkeliai (Lithuanian Railways), in railcars owned by Russia's logistics company Nova-Trade.
Achema spokeswoman Jolita Macelyte told the Lithuanian public broadcaster that the company had made a one-off purchase from a supplier not subject to sanctions in order to fulfill contractual obligations to clients.
Last week, Achema temporarily shut down ammonia production – its main product – for several months.
The group announced back in March that the decision was due to highly volatile natural gas prices in Europe and an influx of cheap imports from third countries.
Editor: Roma Pakėnienė
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Upcoming events in Lithuania for Thursday, May 29, 2025
VILNIUS, May 29, BNS – The following events are scheduled in Lithuania for Thursday, May 29, 2025:
PRIME MINISTER Gintautas Paluckas to meet with Phil Mackintosh, the chief economist at Nasdaq, at 8.30 a.m.; to meet with Woo Won-shik, the speaker of the National Assembly of South Korea, at 4 p.m.
DEFENSE MINISTER Dovile Sakaliene to continue her visit in Japan.
FOREIGN MINISTER Kestutis Budrys to deliver a speech on Lithuania's foreign policy and economic security at LOGIN 2025 at 10.20 a.m.; to pay a working visit to Spain.
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