LITHUANIA DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
IN THIS ISSUE:
- Three irregular migrants turned away on Lithuania's border with Belarus
- Lithuanian court starts hearing case of Zamolskis accused of murders
- Vilnius blames insufficient industrial capacity for delays in EU supply of shells to Kyiv
- Lithuania reports 799 new COVID-19 cases, no deaths
- Lithuanian president to decide on London ambassador only after independent probe – advisor
- Lithuanian president to decide on London ambassador only after independent probe – advisor (expands)
- Funding sources remain in question as EU mulls extra money for Ukraine – advisor
- Lithuanian legislation does not provide for independent probe over London ambassador – PM
- Lithuanian parlt decides to investigate SSD whistleblower story
- Lithuanian court to rule on Irish citizens' cases in late November
- Army, allies to conduct helicopter training over Lithuania’s largest cities
- Russia adds advisor to Lithuanian defmin to its wanted list
- Lithuanian president calls for political will for breakthrough as Moldova seeks to join EU
Three irregular migrants turned away on Lithuania's border with Belarus
VILNIUS, Oct 31, BNS – Lithuanian border guards have in the past 24 hours turned away three migrants attempting to cross into the country from Belarus illegally, the State Border Guard Service (SBGS) said on Tuesday morning.
Latvia reported 79 attempts at illegal border crossings on Monday, and 93 irregular migrants were not allowed into Poland on Sunday, according to the latest available information.
A total of 2,191 irregular migrants have been barred from entering Lithuania from Belarus at non-designated places so far this year.
Lithuanian border guards have prevented a total of some 21,500 people from crossing in from Belarus since August 3, 2021, when they were given the right to turn away irregular migrants. The number includes repeated attempts by the same people to cross the border.
The influx of irregular migrants to the EU's eastern member states from Belarus began in 2021 and is blamed by the West on the Minsk regime.
Almost 4,200 irregular migrants crossed into Lithuania from Belarus illegally in 2021. However, the vast majority of them fled Lithuania once they were allowed to move freely.
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., +370 5 205 85 08, Vilnius newsroom
Lithuanian court starts hearing case of Zamolskis accused of murders
VILNIUS, Oct 31, BNS – The Panevezys Regional Court on Tuesday starts hearing the case of Romas Zamolskis, accused of murders committed several decades ago.
The case will be heard without the defendant, who has been living in Russia for many years and is currently serving a sentence for crimes committed in that country, but Russia has refused to hand him over to Lithuania.
Lithuanian law allows for cases to be heard in absentia in certain cases, such as those involving defendants in hiding and the like.
The criminal case was referred to court more than two and a half years ago, in February 2021, but the Lithuanian courts failed to open it and it was even returned to the prosecutor's office.
In June 2021, the Court of Appeal finally ruled that the criminal case of Zamolskis, who is serving a prison sentence in Russia, can be heard by the Panevezys Regional Court.
Zamolskis, who is currently in prison in Russia, is accused of having committed extremely serious crimes in Lithuania decades ago.
He is accused of the murder of two people, the attempted murder of 14 people, illegal possession of firearms, ammunition and explosives, and robbery.
Civil claims amounting to more than 0.5 million euros have been lodged and 18 persons have been recognized as victims in this criminal case.
In Russia, Zamolskis and his two accomplices were convicted of crimes committed in the Sverdlovsk region between 2003 and 2006.
The accused was informed in Russia of the allegations made against him in Lithuania, but he did not admit his guilt and refused to testify.
By Ingrida Steniulienė
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., +370 685 411 94, Vilnius newsroom
Vilnius blames insufficient industrial capacity for delays in EU supply of shells to Kyiv
VILNIUS, Oct 31, BNS – Delays in the provision of artillery shells promised by the European Union (EU) to Ukraine stem from insufficient military industrial capacity, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said.
"We have to admit that we have not yet reached the volumes that are necessary to continue providing this military support to Ukraine," he told the LRT television on Monday.
His comment came after Bloomberg reported last week that the bloc is falling behind on plans to provide Ukraine, which is fighting back against Russia's invasion, with a million artillery shells.
According to Bloomberg, the EU has so far only achieved about 30 percent of the target of delivering the artillery ammunition rounds to Ukraine by March 2024 and, based on the volume of contracts signed to date, risks missing it.
Speaking about the new 50-billion-euro financial package to support Kyiv, Nauseda said that "the political will is definitely there". However, there are ongoing discussions on where to get these funds from, either through a reallocation of the EU budget or a commitment to new national contributions.
Nauseda hoped that a consensus would be found within a few months.
The new financial instrument, consisting of grants and loans, was proposed by the European Commission in the summer.
"The question is whether this money will be enough, because we are talking about a longer period of time, which means [the amount] has also to be divided into years. Then we end up with an average annual amount that will be less than the 18 billion [euros] granted this year," Nauseda said.
However, the Lithuanian leader stressed that the countries had agreed to go back to this issue should Kyiv really need more funds.
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Vilnius newsroom
Lithuania reports 799 new COVID-19 cases, no deaths
VILNIUS, Oct 31, BNS – Lithuania has recorded 799 new coronavirus infections and no deaths from COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, official statistics showed on Tuesday morning.
The 14-day primary infection rate has risen to 189.9 cases per 100,000 people, with the seven-day percentage of positive tests at 31.4 percent.
The number of new coronavirus cases hit the peak in Lithuania in early February 2022 when more than 14,000 new infections were recorded daily. Around 1.19 million people in Lithuania have tested positive for COVID-19 at least once.
COVID-19 incidence in Lithuania took an upward turn in mid-September after having stayed at a low level since May.
Some 68.5 percent of people in the country have received at least one coronavirus vaccine jab so far, according to the statistics.
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., +370 645 093 86, Vilnius newsroom
Lithuanian president to decide on London ambassador only after independent probe – advisor
VILNIUS, Oct 31, BNS – Lithuanian president is still waiting for an independent inquiry into allegations against the country's Ambassador to the UK, Eitvydas Bajarunas, who has been summoned to Vilnius for consultations, before he can make a decision on his fate, Asta Skaisgiryte, an advisor to Gitanas Nauseda, has said.
"The president is certainly waiting for an independent investigation, which would be carried out in accordance with all institutional procedures. If a person is accused of something, that something must be investigated, proven and findings must be presented. The president could decide on the fate of Bajarunas after receiving such findings, but now there is simply no material that would allow the president to make a decision one way or another," she told the Ziniu Radijas radio station on Tuesday.
Some time ago, Bajarunas was accused by staff in London of misconduct and the violation of working conditions. Having looked into the complaints, the Inspectorate General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs found irregularities and proposed considering Bajarunas' suitability to head the embassy.
In mid-October, Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis suspended Bajarunas and summoned him to Vilnius for consultations. Nauseda then called the decision half-hearted.
For his part, Bajarunas has requested an independent investigation, claiming that he is being subjected to psychological abuse by the ministry, because his reputation is being damaged by information leaks to the media.
Meanwhile, Conservative MP Matas Maldeikis asked the Chief Official Ethics Commission (VTEK) to assess a visit to the opera in London by the president and the ambassador and their spouses. The VTEK said it would still seek additional material to decide whether to open an investigation.
Skaisgiryte told the news radio that the subject of the VTEK investigation "is different from the subject of Bajarunas' activities", as the ambassador is accused of mobbing.
"In this case, we don't have institutionally confirmed evidence in black and white, and as long as the investigation is not carried out properly, I don't see this case moving forward ... If a person can be convicted in a lynch mob without institutional proof, it is a bad precedent for the future", she noted.
By Ignas Jačauskas
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., +370 5 205 85 08, Vilnius newsroom
Lithuanian president to decide on London ambassador only after independent probe – advisor (expands)
VILNIUS, Oct 31, BNS – Lithuanian president is still waiting for an independent inquiry into allegations against the country's Ambassador to the UK, Eitvydas Bajarunas, who has been summoned to Vilnius for consultations, before he can make a decision on his fate, Asta Skaisgiryte, an advisor to Gitanas Nauseda, has said.
"The president is certainly waiting for an independent investigation, which would be carried out in accordance with all institutional procedures. If a person is accused of something, that something must be investigated, proven and findings must be presented. The president could decide on the fate of Bajarunas after receiving such findings, but now there is simply no material that would allow the president to make a decision one way or another," she told the Ziniu Radijas radio station on Tuesday.
Some time ago, Bajarunas was accused by staff in London of misconduct and the violation of working conditions. Having looked into the complaints, the Inspectorate General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs found irregularities and proposed considering Bajarunas' suitability to head the embassy.
In mid-October, Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis suspended Bajarunas and summoned him to Vilnius for consultations. Nauseda then called the decision half-hearted.
For his part, Bajarunas has requested an independent investigation, claiming that he is being subjected to psychological abuse by the ministry, because his reputation is being damaged by information leaks to the media.
Meanwhile, Conservative MP Matas Maldeikis asked the Chief Official Ethics Commission (VTEK) to assess a visit to the opera in London by the president and the ambassador and their spouses. The VTEK said it would still seek additional material to decide whether to open an investigation.
Skaisgiryte told the news radio that the subject of the VTEK investigation "is different from the subject of Bajarunas' activities", as the ambassador is accused of mobbing.
"In this case, we don't have institutionally confirmed evidence in black and white, and as long as the investigation is not carried out properly, I don't see this case moving forward ... If a person can be convicted in a lynch mob without institutional proof, it is a bad precedent for the future", she noted.
The Delfi news portal reported earlier that an investigation had also been launched over the conduct of Lithuania's Ambassador to NATO Deividas Matulionis who allegedly failed to comply with the mandate given by state institutions and might have weakened Lithuania's negotiating position during the negotiations on the documents of the NATO summit in Vilnius.
According to Skaisgiryte, Matulionis is under investigation, the commission of inquiry has also interviewed the ambassador himself, and the Foreign Ministry's divergent behavior towards the two diplomats shows double standards.
"Unlike the Bajarunas' case, such a commission of inquiry has been set up in the case of NATO Ambassador Matulionis, which means that it can be done. It has not only interviewed other staff members, it has also interviewed the ambassador himself, which is different from the treatment of Bajarunas, who has not yet been interviewed ... Double standards are never a good way to resolve conflicts," she pointed out.
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., +370 645 093 86, Vilnius newsroom
Funding sources remain in question as EU mulls extra money for Ukraine – advisor
VILNIUS, Oct 31, BNS – EU member states agree on additional funds for Ukraine in the EU's revised long-term budget, but they disagree on the sources of such funds, Asta Skaisgiryte, an advisor to Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, says.
"On Ukraine, in principle, even the austerity-backing countries did not object to the need for additional money for the country. The only question that remains as to where that money will come from, from the redistribution of the existing funds or from new ones", Skaisgiryte told the Ziniu Radijas news radio on Tuesday.
"I think that the European Council meeting in December will be very stormy in this respect and we will need to get well prepared," the presidential advisor said.
The additional billions for Ukraine are the most divisive issue among EU member states in their debate on the 2021-2027 budget review as the EU's austerity wing are calling for the money to be provided by taking it away from other areas, rather than simply providing additional funding.
A decision on additional funds for Ukraine in the EU's revised budget will be made during the European Council meeting in December, Skaisgiryte said, adding that the Lithuanian president is in favor of creating a special EU fund for Ukraine.
The EC proposed revising the EU budget last summer and to create a new financial instrument to support Kyiv. Made up of grants and loans, this fund should amount to around 50 billion euros.
Further financial support for Ukraine is supported by almost all 27 EU countries, and only Hungary and Slovakia are against.
By Giedrius Gaidamavičius
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Vilnius newsroom
Lithuanian legislation does not provide for independent probe over London ambassador – PM
VILNIUS, Oct 31, BNS – With the presidential office saying that the head of state is still waiting for an independent inquiry into allegations against the country's Ambassador to the UK, Eitvydas Bajarunas, who has been summoned to Vilnius for consultations, the prime minister says that there are no provisions for such an inquiry in the country’s legislation.
“In accordance with [existing] legislation, the Law on the Diplomatic Service actually does not provide for such a genre – some kind of independent investigation,” Ingrida Simonyte told reporters on Tuesday.
“All investigations and all assessments of specific problems and specific situations are described in the statute of the Diplomatic Service and, in fact, neither the initiative itself is clear, on what basis it was created, nor why such a proposal had to be made in the first place."
Her comments came after Asta Skaisgiryte, an advisor to the Lithuanian president, said earlier on Tuesday that Gitanas Nauseda could only decide on the fate of Bajarunas after receiving the findings of “an independent investigation, which would be carried out in accordance with all institutional procedures”.
Some time ago, Bajarunas was accused by staff in London of misconduct and the violation of working conditions. Having looked into the complaints, the Inspectorate General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs found irregularities and proposed considering Bajarunas' suitability to head the embassy.
In mid-October, Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis suspended Bajarunas and summoned him to Vilnius for consultations. Nauseda then called the decision half-hearted.
For his part, Bajarunas has requested an independent investigation, claiming that he is being subjected to psychological abuse by the ministry, because his reputation is being damaged by information leaks to the media.
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., +370 5 205 85 08, Vilnius newsroom
Lithuanian parlt decides to investigate SSD whistleblower story
VILNIUS, Oct 31, BNS – The Lithuanian parliament on Tuesday decided to conduct a parliamentary inquiry into the whistleblower's story related to the actions of the State Security Department's leaders in checking the then presidential candidate's Gitanas Nauseda's inner circle of people.
The parliament set up a temporary inquiry commission to investigate the circumstances disclosed by the whistleblower, and the finding should be presented by March 10. The commission will be chaired by Vytautas Bakas of the opposition Democrats "For Lithuania".
62 MPs voted in favor of establishing such a commission, 36 were against and three abstained.
Supporters of this inquiry argue that the whistleblower's story has left unanswered questions, while opponents argue that it would be directed against the president in order to undermine his popularity in the run-up to the presidential election that will be held in the spring.
The commission is tasked with investigating the whistleblower's information on possible unlawful collection of personal information, possible unlawful influence on intelligence activities, possible interference on the electoral process during the 2019 presidential election, possible unlawful support to the presidential campaign, possible violations of the whistleblower's rights, possible unlawful influence on the imposition of sanctions against Belarus.
The initiative to set up the commission came after the Prosecutor General's Office stated last spring that the whistleblower's (an intelligence officer's) report, submitted four years ago, to the then chair of the parliamentary Committee on National Security and Defense on the actions of the SSD leadership had not been properly investigated.
The whistleblower contacted Bakas the then CNSD chair, in 2019.
New details about this case emerged in the book The Whistleblower and the President by journalists Dovydas Pancerovas and Birute Davidonyte.
In The Whistleblower and the President, the now former SSD officer, claimed that, in July 2018, he received several sheets of paper with many names and a verbal order from the department's deputy director Remigijus Bridikis to "check one candidate's election team and a list of possible supporters". It turned out that the list includes Nauseda's supporters and associates.
Having looked into the situation at the time, the CNSD stated that the SSD had acted lawfully in checking people close to the presidential candidates, but also urged the SSD to refrain from verbal orders in such situations.
SSD representatives said they had checked all the candidates' teams, while the whistleblower assured that only Nauseda's team had been checked and Bridikis confirmed to him that the lists had been obtained from Nauseda.
The president categorically denies having asked the SSD to check his team.
By Milena Andrukaitytė
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., +370 5 239 64 16, Vilnius newsroom
Lithuanian court to rule on Irish citizens' cases in late November
VILNIUS, Oct 31, BNS - The Supreme Court of Lithuania will rule on November 22 whether the criminal proceedings against two Irish citizens for terrorism offenses were justly terminated after the statute of limitations expired.
The court took up the Irish cases on Tuesday after the prosecution service appealed against previous court decisions.
In September 2022, the Vilnius Regional Court dismissed the criminal case of Irish citizen Liam Campbell for attempting to provide support to the Real IRA terrorist group. The same court also dropped the case of Brendan McGuigan, another Irish citizen accused of terrorist offenses.
In January, the Lithuanian Court of Appeal confirmed that the cases against the Irish citizens for terrorism offenses had been dismissed justly as the statute of limitations expired, and dismissed the prosecutor's appeals against the rulings of the Vilnius Regional Court.
Campbell and McGuigan were not present in court and were represented by their Lithuanian lawyers.
As stated in the cassation appeal to the SCL, the statute of limitations starts on January 22, 2008, but, according to the prosecutor, the period should have expired after fifteen years, not ten years, due to the change in legislation, i.e. on January 22, 2023, instead of January 22, 2018, as stated in the opinion of the regional court.
Nevertheless, the prosecutor is asking in his appeal for the criminal case to be dismissed, but only because the statute of limitations has already expired this year.
Campbell's lawyer stressed that, when deciding on a person's criminal liability, one cannot apply an article that was not in force at the time of the offense.
Currently, the law provides for a sentence of up to ten year in prison for the offense of supporting a terrorist organization, whereas before 2013 the Criminal Code provided for a sentence of between 10 and 20 years for such an offense.
The Irish duo is accused of crimes committed between 2006 and 2008.
As reported in 2008, Michael Campbell, a member of the radical Irish Republican organization, had been arrested in Vilnius during a joint operation by Lithuanian and Irish police and international security organizations, and was later convicted.
Campbell's brother, Liam stood trial in Vilnius last year, some 15 years after the alleged crime as Ireland had previously refused to extradite him to Lithuania because of poor prison conditions.
Lithuanian and foreign law enforcement officials found out that in November 2006-January 2007, a group of Irish citizens, including the Campbell brothers, allegedly sought to acquire arms in Lithuania for a terrorist group, and agreed to find out whether the arms could be used for terrorist acts.
At least three firearms, large quantities of high-power explosives, ammunition, automatic rifles, sniper rifles, pistols, grenade launchers, grenade launcher exhausts, cartridges, detonators with capsules, incendiary rope, detonating cord, and grenades may have been illegally obtained in Lithuania.
The acquired weapons were to be shipped to Ireland and members of the terrorist group were to be trained in Lithuania to use of the acquired weapons, with 100,000 allocated for that.
In August 2007, the weapons were tested in a homestead in Lithuania's western Raseiniai District. A few days later, the weapons and ammunition were inspected at the Rokai training area in Kaunas District.
The Irish asked the undercover agents posing as arms suppliers to explain the mechanism of action of TNT, a plastic explosive, its power, to demonstrate its performance, and to indicate the quantity of explosives that would be sufficient to blow up a police or armored government car.
According to law enforcement authorities, the Irish also asked for an explanation of possible safe hiding places for the weapons and the cost of the weapons. The foreigners explained that they would purchase 1,000 electronic detonators, a detonating cord, 100 clockwork fuses, grenade launchers, grenade launcher exhausts, electric fuses, TNT briquettes, and other armaments.
By Greta Zulonaitė
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Vilnius newsroom
Army, allies to conduct helicopter training over Lithuania’s largest cities
VILNIUS, Oct 31, BNS – The Lithuanian Armed Forces and allies will conduct helicopter training over the cities of Vilnius, Kaunas and Klaipeda, the army said on Tuesday.
The joint exercise between the Lithuanian Armed Forces and the German Bundeswehr, during which helicopters will be flown, will take place between October 30 and November 19.
According to the army, the flights will take place all over Lithuania, but in most cases it will be the residents of Vilnius, Kaunas and Klaipeda, the country’s largest cities, who will be able to hear and see the helicopters flying at low altitude.
NATO Air Police fighter jets conducted training over Siauliai last week.
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., +370 5 205 85 08, Vilnius newsroom
Russia adds advisor to Lithuanian defmin to its wanted list
VILNIUS, Oct 31, BNS – The Kremlin has added Kamile Seraite-Gogeliene, an advisor to Lithuanian Defense Minister Arvydas Anusausauskas and chairwoman of the Historical Memory Commission of the City Council of Vilnius, to the list of wanted persons, the Russian news portal Mediazona has reported.
The Russian Interior Ministry states that she is "wanted under an article of the Criminal Code", but it is not clear in which case.
As the chair of the capital's Historical Memory Commission, Seraite-Gogeliene regularly speaks out for the removal of Soviet symbols in Vilnius.
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Vilnius newsroom
Lithuanian president calls for political will for breakthrough as Moldova seeks to join EU
VILNIUS, Oct 31, BNS - Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda had a phone conversation with Moldovan President Maia Sandu on Tuesday and called on Chisinau to pool political will for a breakthrough in Moldova's bid to become an EU member state.
Chisinau has made progress in implementing European reforms and EC recommendations, but it needs to make additional efforts and pool the political will for a decisive breakthrough, the Lithuanian leader said.
"Lithuania strongly supports Moldova's ambition to become an EU member state. The country demonstrates respect for European values, supports the EU's common foreign policy and is effectively implementing reforms. EU enlargement would help to ensure peace and stability in Europe," Nauseda was quoted as saying in a statement released by his press service.
He says the next few months will be important for Moldova's Euro-integration as the EC will publish a report on the progress made in implementing the recommendations on November 8, and the European Council will make decisions on the opening of EU membership negotiations in December.
Moldova applied for EU candidate status alongside Georgia in March 2022. Ukraine also applied fr it earlier. In June 2022, EU member states granted this status to Ukraine and Moldova, but not to Georgia, arguing that the country still needed more work.
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Vilnius newsroom
