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LITHUANIA DAILY NEWS BULLETIN, May 26, 2022

LITHUANIA DAILY NEWS BULLETIN


IN THIS ISSUE:

  1. Lithuania's InterMin to propose lifting movement restrictions for migrants – minister
  2. Upcoming events in Lithuania for Thursday, May 26, 2022
  3. World must continue to pressure, isolate Russia – Lithuanian parlt speaker 
  4. Lithuanian PM warns Western politicians not to make same mistakes in ties with Russia
  5. Lithuanian border guards turn 11 irregular migrants away on border with Belarus
  6. Bills on civil union, close relationship on Lithuanian parliament's Thursday agenda
  7. Lithuania reports 158 new COVID-19 cases, one death
  8. Almost 4 pct of Lithuanian population live below absolute poverty line
  9. Vilnius plans to renovate Great Synagogue site by 2026 
  10. US rotational battalion with combat equipment arrives in Lithuania 
  11. Lithuanian MPs to debate bills on civil union, close relationship (expands)
  12. Nauseda remains strongest contender in upcoming presidential election in Lithuania (media)
  13. Proposals to cede part of Ukraine to Russia dangerous for Lithuania – Landsbergis
  14. Lithuania's FRD sends 2,800 rescue tools to Ukraine
  15. EU cannot procrastinate 6th sanction package for Russia – Lithuanian president
  16. Lithuanian parlt debate on non-married couples' relations: 10 quotes
  17. Chinese policy brought us closer to Lithuania – Taiwanese vicemin
  18. Lower VAT rate on food in Lithuania wouldn’t benefit people – minister
  19. Slepavicius assumes position of Lithuania's ambassador to South Korea
  20. Upcoming events in Lithuania for Friday, May 27, 2022

Lithuania's InterMin to propose lifting movement restrictions for migrants – minister

VILNIUS, May 26, BNS – Lithuania's Interior Ministry will propose lifting the existing movement restrictions for irregular migrants who arrived in Lithuania via Belarus last year, Interior Minister Agne Bilotaite says.

"Our decision is that we will not propose extending the existing movement restrictions. That's the plan. The algorithm of the process is currently being worked out," the minister told reporters on Thursday.

Under the existing procedure, the movement of migrants could be restricted for up to 18 months, with decisions taken every six months. The 12-month deadline is now approaching, and the ministry will propose not to extend the restriction for another six months, the minister said, adding that if the decision is approved, the majority of irregular migrants would leave Lithuania.

"Those people will probably leave for the countries they originally planned to go to as soon as they are free to leave their accommodation laces. This will probably result in a situation where we will no longer have most of these people in Lithuania," Bilotaite said.

And Lithuania will seek to send remaining migrants without granted asylum back to their countries of origin within five years, she said, adding, however, it could be problematic with some countries.

Bilotaite says the decision to lift the existing movement restrictions for migrants was made because Lithuania cannot keep them locked up permanently.

"We cannot keep these people indefinitely," she said.

Last year, almost 4,200 people entered Lithuania illegally from Belarus, and currently some 2,700 people remain in Lithuania, most of them at centers in Kybartai, Medininkai and Pabrade.

Some of them have been voluntarily returned to their countries of origin and some have fled.

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Upcoming events in Lithuania for Thursday, May 26, 2022

VILNIUS, May 26, BNS – The following events are scheduled in Lithuania for Thursday, May 26, 2022:

PRESIDENT Gitanas Nauseda to take part in the EU Council's preparatory video conference at 10 a.m.; to meet with candidates for judges at 1:30 p.m.; to present credentials to Ricardas Slepavicius, Lithuania's ambassador to the Republic of Korea, at 3 p.m. 

THE SEIMAS to hold a plenary sitting at 10 a.m.

PRIME MINISTER Ingrida Simonyte to participate in the so-called "government hour" at the Seimas at 12:30 p.m. 

HEALTH MINISTER Arunas Dulkys attending the 75th World Health Assembly in Geneva.

JUSTICE MINISTER Ewelina Dobrowolska to meet with her Armenian counterpart at 8:30 a.m. 

FOREIGN MINISTER Gabrielius Landsbergis to meet with a delegation from the US Congress at 2:30 p.m. 

INTERIOR MINISTER Agne Bilotaite and Police Commissioner General Renatas Pozela to give a news conference at 2:30 p.m. to present the results of a sociological survey on public security.

 

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World must continue to pressure, isolate Russia – Lithuanian parlt speaker 

VILNIUS, May 26, BNS – The world must continue its policy of isolation and pressure on Russia, Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen, speaker of the Lithuanian parliament, said at a meeting with a delegation of US Congress members on Wednesday.

Cmilyte-Nielsen said that the European and global security architecture remains under serious threat, which is exacerbated by talk of concessions to Russia or proposals to resolve the war at Ukraine's expense, adding that it is important to keep arming Ukraine.

"The world cannot allow this approach to prevail. If we want to stop Russian aggression, we must continue the policy of isolation and pressure through sanctions, which are only now starting to have an effect," the speaker said in a press release. 

"It is also important to arm Ukraine and to do everything we can to help it win, because today it is defending democracy, Western values and European security," she added. 

Cmilyte-Nielsen and the US Congress members also discussed the bolstering of NATO's eastern flank, including the creation of the Alliance's brigades, the transformation of the US battalion into a permanent military unit, and the strengthening of air defense in the Baltic region, according to the press release.

The speaker of the Lithuanian parliament expects the US to back these proposals at NATO's Madrid summit in late June. 

 

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Lithuanian PM warns Western politicians not to make same mistakes in ties with Russia

VILNIUS, May 26, BNS – Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte has warned Western politicians not to keep making the same mistakes in relations with Russia and not to relax the sanctions imposed on Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine.

Simonyte was commenting on the EU's stalled talks on a fresh round of sanctions against Moscow and on a suggestion by Henry Kissinger, a former US secretary of state, that Ukraine should cede part of its territory to make peace with Russia.

"If the West steps on the same rake again, that rake will smack it in the face again and that will definitely not be the end of this story," she said in an interview with the Delfi online news site on Wednesday. 

The prime minister noted that some politicians believe that the situation in Ukraine can be resolved outside the battlefield.

"These things are worrying, but I see this, at least for now, as wishful thinking on the part of individual European politicians," she said. 

The EU is currently discussing a sixth package of sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.

The new package includes a ban on Russian oil imports, but the talks are stalling due to opposition from Hungary, which is heavily dependent on Russian energy resources. 

 

By Giedrius Gaidamavičius

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Lithuanian border guards turn 11 irregular migrants away on border with Belarus

VILNIUS, May 26, BNS – Lithuanian border guards have in the past 24 hours turned away 11 migrants attempting to cross into the country from Belarus illegally, the State Border Guard Service (SBGS) said on Thursday morning.

This follows 15 illegal crossing attempts recorded on Tuesday, 42 on Monday, seven on Sunday and Saturday each, 22 on Friday and 13 on Thursday.  

A total of 1,766 people have been prevented from crossing from Belarus into Lithuania at non-designated places so far this year. Some 2,633 such attempts have been reported by Latvia and 4,984 by Poland.   

Lithuanian border guards sent 8,106 people back to Belarus between last August, when they were given the right to deny entry to irregular migrants, and December. 

Almost 4,200 irregular migrants crossed into Lithuania from Belarus last year.

 

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Bills on civil union, close relationship on Lithuanian parliament's Thursday agenda

VILNIUS, May 26, BNS – A bill authorizing "civil unions" for unmarried couples and an alternative amendment suggesting a "close relationship agreement" are on the Lithuanian parliament's agenda on Thursday.  

The draft Law on Civil Union, registered by the leaders of the ruling bloc's political groups in the Seimas, and draft amendments to the Civil Code on "close relationship", tabled by opponents, are expected to be introduced before the parliament during the morning plenary session. 

The ruling bloc's bill provides for scrapping the definition of partnership in the "Family Book" of the Civil Code and replacing it with a civil union, a new institution defined as a voluntary agreement between two individuals to legally protect their personal relationship.

The bill was tabled as a compromise after a draft law on partnerships was rejected by the parliament a year ago.

Politicians opposed to the partnership bill have criticized the new version as well, and registered the draft amendments to the Civil Code as an alternative.

The proposed amendments, tabled by over 20 MPs, define a close relationship as 
"a person's relationship with another person arising from a stable and trusting personal social bond".  

The authors of the amendments say such a relationship would cover not only family members and close relatives, but also persons who have entered into a cohabitation agreement and those who have a guardianship, custodial or maintenance arrangement.

In the spring of 2021, the Seimas voted down the previous bill that would have legally recognized "gender-neutral" partnership. 

The rejected draft Law on Partnership would have allowed both opposite-sex and same-sex couples to enter into civil partnership, which was defined as the officially registered fact of cohabitation between two individuals for the purpose of establishing, developing and protecting their relationship.

Currently, Lithuanian laws do not recognize either opposite-sex or same-sex civil partnerships. Several previous attempts by liberal politicians to legalize civil partnerships fell through at an early stage of the parliamentary process. 

 

By Milena Andrukaitytė

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Lithuania reports 158 new COVID-19 cases, one death

VILNIUS, May 26, BNS – Lithuania has recorded 158 new coronavirus infections and one death from COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, official statistics showed on Thursday morning.

Some 136 of the new cases were primary and 22 were secondary.

The number of COVID-19 patients in hospitals currently stands at 76, including nine ICU cases.

The 14-day primary infection rate has edged down to 63.2 cases per 100,000 people, with the seven-day percentage of positive tests at 10.2 percent.

The daily count of new infections had been rising at a rapid pace since late 2021, but took a downward turn in early February after hitting a new high of over 14,000 cases

The daily count of new infections had been rising at a rapid pace since late 2021, but took a downward turn in early February after hitting a new high of over 14,000 cases

More than 1 million people in Lithuania have tested positive with COVID-19 at least once. 

Some 69.8 percent of the Lithuanian population have received at least one coronavirus vaccine jab so far.

 

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Almost 4 pct of Lithuanian population live below absolute poverty line

VILNIUS, May 26, BNS – Around 110,000 people in Lithuania, or 3.9 percent of the population, lived below the absolute poverty line last year, the country's statistics office said on Thursday. 

This is down from 140,000 people, or 5.1 percent of the population, in 2020.  

Last year, the absolute poverty threshold stood at 260 euros per month per capita and 546 euros for a family of two adults and two children under 14 years.

The at-risk-of-poverty rate edged down to 20 percent in 2021, from 20.9 percent in 2020. About 560,000 people lived below the at-risk-of-poverty threshold last year, down 4 percent from 585,000 a year ago.  

The threshold stood at 483 euros per capita and 1,015 euros for a family.

 

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Vilnius plans to renovate Great Synagogue site by 2026 

VILNIUS, May 26, BNS – Vilnius Municipality plans to renovate the site of the Great Synagogue of Vilna in the Lithuanian capital's Old Town by 2026, with a memorial garden square and a Jewish community center to be set up there.

On Thursday, the municipality and the Goodwill Foundation signed a Memorandum of Understanding to commemorate the place that is sacred for Lithuanian Jews.

"Many Vilnius residents know why Vilnius was called Jerusalem of the North," Vilnius Mayor Remigijus Simasius said in a press release. "Today, faded Hebrew inscriptions on the buildings of the former Vilna Ghetto, memorial plaques and monuments bear witness to the history of Jewish spirituality and science." 

"We agreed on how we will create a new center of attraction for Lithuanians and foreign visitors on the site of the Soviet-destroyed Great Synagogue," he added. 

Archaeological research on the site of the Great Synagogue of Vilna, which was destroyed during World War II and the Soviet era, started in 2011. 

Archaeologists have unearthed, among other things, the bases of two pillars of the Bimah, the raised platform from which the Torah was read, and the sites of two mikvahs (ritual baths), as well as the huge outer back wall and part of the floor of the Great Synagogue.

The exact date when the Great Synagogue of Vilna was built is not known. Historians believe that it was built after King Wladyslaw IV Vasa in 1633 granted a privilege to set up a Jewish quarter in Vilnius. The architect of the synagogue is unknown.

The Great Synagogue was one of the largest Jewish religious institutions in Eastern Europe. It was known as an important Jewish spiritual and educational center that gave Vilnius the name of Jerusalem of the North.

The synagogue was 25 meters long and just over 22 meters wide and 12 meters high. Since it was forbidden for a synagogue to be higher than churches, the structure was dug two meters into the ground.  

The size and splendor of this Jewish house of worship is said to have surpassed all the synagogues built in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. Some historical sources say that it accommodated up to 5,000 people. 

The Great Synagogue and other buildings in the complex were badly damaged during World War II.  

The remains of the buildings were razed to the ground in 1955-1957 and a kindergarten, which is now closed, was built on top of them in 1964. 

 

By Ignas Jačauskas

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US rotational battalion with combat equipment arrives in Lithuania 

VILNIUS, May 26, BNS – A battalion of US rotational forces with combat equipment has arrived in Lithuania's second-biggest city of Kaunas, Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas said on Thursday. 

The minister noted that Kaunas Intermodal Terminal was used for the first time to deploy the battalion's combat equipment.

"M1A2 Abrams tanks, Bradley IFVs, armored personnel carriers and other equipment have arrived by rail from the Greek port of Akexandroupolis across Europe to Kaunas," he posted on Facebook. 

The 1st battalion of the US 66th Armor Regiment will replace the 3rd battalion deployed to Lithuania since last fall.

US troops are currently stationed in Lithuania on a rotational basis and the country's politicians are seeking a permanent American presence.

In response to increased threats in the region following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the US has deployed several hundred additional troops and equipment to Lithuania.

 

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Lithuanian MPs to debate bills on civil union, close relationship (expands)

VILNIUS, May 26, BNS – The Lithuanian parliament on Thursday agreed to debate two alternative bills aimed at legally regulating the relationship between unmarried people living together.

The draft Law on Civil Union, registered by the ruling bloc's MPs as a compromise to their previous bill on civil partnerships, passed the first reading in the parliament with 70 votes in favor, 49 against and six abstentions.

Draft amendments to the Civil Code on "close relationship", tabled by a group of MPs opposing partnerships, passed the first reading with 70 votes in favor, 23 against and 30 abstentions.

Both bills will now go to parliamentary committees and should return to the full parliament for a plenary debate on June 21.    

Differences between bills

MP Jurgita Sejoniene of the conservative Homeland Union–Lithuanian Christian Democrats said while presenting the civil union bill that the draft is basic, setting out only the minimum provisions for "a morally and socially just life together without marriage”.

"The bill is different from what the previously tabled [Partnership Law] and I am asking you to look favorably on this consensus. This draft regulates the common principles: monogamy, voluntariness, equality, legitimate expectations. It will only concern those people for whom it is relevant, and will not affect the rest of our fellow citizens in any way," she said. 

The MP also noted that the proposal to recognize civil unions is relevant for same-sex and opposite-sex couple alike.

"The majority of people in Lithuania do not need such a legal regulation, but there are about half a million unmarried young people in Lithuania," she said. 

MP Paulius Saudargas of the Homeland Union–Lithuanian Christian Democrats presented the alternative draft on "close relationship", stressing that, unlike the other bill, it draws a clear distinction between unmarried couples and family relations.

"We recognize that personal relationships, not just property relationships, between people living together must be protected, which is why we propose to legally recognize close relationships," said Saudargas, who is opposed to authorizing same-sex partnership.

"The bill on close relationship does not create a family relationship, while a civil union gives an impression of creating a family relationship," he said. 

Partnership not allowed for any couples 

The draft Law on Civil Union bill provides for scrapping the definition of partnership in the "Family Book" of the Civil Code and replacing it with a civil union, a new institution defined as a voluntary agreement between two individuals to legally protect their personal relationship.

The bill was tabled by the leaders of the ruling bloc's political groups in the Seimas as a compromise after a draft law on partnerships was rejected by the parliament a year ago.

Politicians opposed to the partnership bill have criticized the new version as well, and registered the draft amendments to the Civil Code as an alternative.

The proposed amendments, tabled by over 20 MPs, define a close relationship as "a person's relationship with another person arising from a stable and trusting personal social bond".  

The authors of the amendments say such a relationship would cover not only family members and close relatives, but also persons who have entered into a cohabitation agreement and those who have a guardianship, custodial or maintenance arrangement.

In the spring of 2021, the Seimas voted down the previous bill that would have legally recognized "gender-neutral" partnership. 

The rejected draft Law on Partnership would have allowed both opposite-sex and same-sex couples to enter into civil partnership, which was defined as the officially registered fact of cohabitation between two individuals for the purpose of establishing, developing and protecting their relationship.

Currently, Lithuanian laws do not recognize either opposite-sex or same-sex civil partnerships. Several previous attempts by liberal politicians to legalize civil partnerships fell through at an early stage of the parliamentary process. 

 

 

By Milena Andrukaitytė

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Nauseda remains strongest contender in upcoming presidential election in Lithuania (media)

VILNIUS, May 26, BNS – Incumbent Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda is predicted to make it into the runoff of the upcoming presidential election in Lithuania, public opinion polls show. While four other politicians are named as his most realistic rivals, according to the results of the Vilmorus and Norstat LT surveys published by the 15min.lt news website on Thursday, two years before the 2024 presidential vote.

The polls present the TOP-5 of the politicians with the most realistic chances of making it into the presidential election runoff and they include Nauseda, Saulius Skvernelis, Lithuania's former prime minister and now leader of the Democrats "For Lithuania", Speaker of the Seimas Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen who leads the Liberal Movement, Vilija Blinkeviciute, leader of the Social Democratic Party of Lithuania, and also Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte.

Both surveys show Nauseda is expected to get into the presidential runoff, and Cmilyte-Nielsen is named as having the lowest chances of doing so.

According to the Vilmorus poll, Nauseda leads the list (21.1 percent of respondents would vote for him), followed by Blinkeviciute (11.9 percent), Skvernelis (10.6 percent), Simonyte (8.7 percent) and Cmilyte-Nielsen (4.6 percent).

In the Norstat LT survey, Simonyte would receive 22 percent of respondents' votes, followed by Nauseda with 16 percent, Skvernelis with 7 percent, Blinkeviciute with 6 percent and Cmilyte-Nielsen with 4 percent.

Vilmorus surveyed 1,000 Lithuanian adults during face-to-face and telephone interviews. And Norstat LT carried out an online survey of 18-74 year olds.

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Proposals to cede part of Ukraine to Russia dangerous for Lithuania – Landsbergis

VILNIUS, May 26, BNS – Suggestions by some Western politicians and experts that Ukraine should cede part of its territory to make peace with Russia are dangerous for Lithuania, Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said on Thursday. 

"They are dangerous for us, Lithuania, because they normalize not only relations with the regime [of Russian President Vladimir Putin], but also normalize what that regime is doing," Landsbergis told reporters.

"This is a very strong signal to all other aggressors, potential criminals, that if you commit a crime and you are not swept away in three months, then everything is fine, everything can stay that way", he said.

According to Lithuania's top diplomat, the proposals to cede part of Ukraine's territory to Russia are aimed at normalizing the current situation. 

"It seems to me that this is a very dangerous trend," Landsbergis said. "On one hand, we say that the Putinist regime that rules Russia today is a genocidal regime that is ready to wipe people out just because they belong to one or another nation."  

"Any normalization with this regime is incomprehensible to me," he said. "Statements by Kissinger and by heads of state in that direction are fundamentally inadequate to the reality we see today," he added. 

The minister stressed that the end of the war must be declared in Kyiv.

"Kyiv will say when and under what conditions the war is over for them. No Western country, no country in the world can speak for them, because Ukrainians are paying for this war in blood," he said.  

Henry Kissinger, a former US secretary of state, said at the World Economic Forum in Davos this week that Ukraine should cede part of its territory to Russia to end the war, and warned that a humiliating defeat for the Kremlin could result in wider destabilization.

According to Kissinger, a return to the "status quo" before Russia's February 24 invasion of Ukraine would be ideal.

"Negotiations need to begin in the next two months before it creates upheavals and tensions that will not be easily overcome. Ideally, the dividing line should be a return to the status quo ante," he said.

Russia formally annexed Crimea in 2014 and pro-Moscow separatist groups took control of Ukraine's easternmost regions of Donetsk and Lugansk.

 

 

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Lithuania's FRD sends 2,800 rescue tools to Ukraine

VILNIUS, May 26, BNS – Lithuania's Fire and Rescue Department has sent 2,800 civil aid items to its Ukrainian colleagues.

The shipment included builders and firefighters' helmets, goggles, rubber footwear, work gloves, crowbars, shovels and axes that were handed over to Ukraine in response to the country's request, the FRD said on Thursday.

"The shipment contained a total of 2,800 various tools. It's is now in Ukraine," the FRD said.

Other shipments were sent to Ukraine in March and earlier this month.

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EU cannot procrastinate 6th sanction package for Russia – Lithuanian president

VILNIUS, May 26, BNS - The European Union cannot procrastinate the adoption of the sixth package of sanctions for Russia, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda says.

This package must be adopted immediately and must include an embargo on Russian oil, he said during a video conference on Thursday, adding that a seventh sanction package must be on the EU table.

The conference was held to prepare for next week's extraordinary European Council meeting in Brussels on May 30-31. The meting will focus on assistance to Ukraine and its reconstruction plan, energy, food security and the European Union's security and defense policy, the presidential press service said.

The EU is currently discussing an already sixth package of sanctions for Russia as it is waging war against Ukraine. The new sanctions would include a ban on Russian oil imports, but the talks are being stalled by opposition from Hungary as it says it will not support an embargo because of its over-reliance on the resource.

Speaking on Ukraine, the Lithuanian president said Lithuania was in favor of using frozen Russian assets to rebuild Ukraine. Nauseda also stressed that political support for Ukraine remains important, and he, therefore, calls for granting Ukraine EU candidate status as soon as possible.

Speaking on energy issues, Nauseda said the EU should achieve full energy independence from Russia. This, he said, requires EU member states' political will and appropriate decisions, including those on the diversification of energy sources, investment in renewable energy, and filling gas storage facilities.

Nauseda said export of Ukrainian grain was another issue that required swift decisions.

"Russia is using Ukraine's grain exports as a manipulative tool in its war. Unblocking the port of Odessa should be the primary objective, but Lithuania is ready to provide its railway infrastructure and seaport to ensure that Ukrainian grain exports do not stop going through Poland," he said.

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Lithuanian parlt debate on non-married couples' relations: 10 quotes

VILNIUS, May 26, BNS – The Seimas of Lithuania on Thursday gave its initial backing to two rival bills regulating the relations of cohabitating non-married couples.

BNS provides 10 quotes from the parliamentary debate:

HU-LCD MP Jurgita Sejoniene: "A very close person of mine, who is not with us today, committed suicide 11 years ago, but I think if he were alive today and wanted to legalize his relationship with someone else, he would be really grateful to me. And there are more than a few people like that, and I do not agree in any way with the idea that in a 21st century democracy, we can speak about, well, letting them be, just letting them be."

LFGU MP Algimantas Dumbrava: "I am not asking you as an MP, but I want to ask you as a Christian. Today, same-sex relationships, be they civil unions, partnerships or families, are considered a sin. Would you agree that we, as Christians, are becoming two-faced, let's say, in your case?

Labor party MP Viktoras Fiodorovas: "I would like to paraphrase a well-known Lithuanian folk saying about the dress and the lady. I have an impression that it's essentially the same bill, the same Tomas Vytautas Raskevicius, only in the person of Mrs. Sejoniene. It’s essentially a smokescreen, a lesson learned from the original mistakes when the bill was first tabled and they lost in the parliament with a few votes."

HU-LCD MP Sejoniene: "I don’t know where you get the idea that I am Raskevicius in disguise, because I supported the previous bill as well, that's obvious and I have never hidden that. I understand the need for a consensus, I think Raskevicius and other people do too, and I am glad that we have found that consensus."

LFGU MP Aurelijus Veryga: "What do we in general want to achieve as a country, as a state? Do we want to survive, do we want to thrive, do we want to grow, or do we just want to move in the direction where everything is slowly moving towards some personal comfort and pleasure, and we are just disappearing? How will this project contribute to our survival as a country, a state and a nation?"

Lithuanian Regions Party MP Valdemaras Valkiunas: "The dictatorship of relativism from the West is sweeping across the world, and a spiritual genocide is the ambition of destructive forces. Law is undergoing mutation without any responsibility, which is what is being done now. There's ongoing visual and audible aggression from the LGBT community and other similar organizations, which is what we also see here in this room. Same-sex marriage demoralizes and destroys civilization".

Social Democrat MP Algirdas Sysas: "I find it very strange that we, in Lithuania, are trying to call normal things something else. You and your colleagues once referred to family violence "violence in a close environment", when it mostly happens within the family. Now, instead of calling a spade a spade, you are introducing a new institute, "a close relationship". So, my question is whether it's possible to have a harem in Lithuania under that close relationship, including your proposal with this bill?"

HU-LCD MP Vilija Aleknaite Abramikiene: "I am calling on you to support this bill as much as possible as, unlike the bill presented by my colleague Sejoniene, it does not run counter the Constitution and the concept of family enshrined in it, and it does not cause a conflict with the majority of our society and does not impose state coercion on it".

HU-LCD MP Gabrielius Landsbergis: "These are people who are in the Seimas hall, here and everywhere around us. It seems to me that it's normal not to be afraid and to call things as they are, but politics is the art of compromise."

Lithuanian Regions Party MP Agne Sirinskienė: "I am really glad that you have managed to come up with such an original solution for recognizing different relationships without, at the same time, transforming them into family-marriage or marriage, or even pseudo-marriage".

By Milena Andrukaitytė

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Chinese policy brought us closer to Lithuania – Taiwanese vicemin

VILNIUS, May 26, BNS – China's sanctions imposed on Lithuania in response to the opening of Taiwan's representative office in Vilnius last year has boosted Taiwan's economic partnership with Lithuania, Taiwan's economic affairs vice minister said in Vilnius on Thursday.

"Last year, neither Lithuania, nor Taiwan intended to provoke China. Because of a simple name of the Taiwanese Representative Office, China took undeclared sanctions against Lithuania," Chen Chern-chyi said at a round-table discussion on Thursday, organized by the Lithuanian Confederation of Industrialists and the Taiwanese Representative Office.

Taiwan's representatives at the meeting, also attended by politicians, businessmen and scientists from both countries, presented opportunities for cooperation in the areas of semiconductors, start-ups, biotechnology, electric vehicles and their parts, and lasers.

"We have enough experience how to deal with China. We must stand up, we come to Lithuania to show our solidarity," the Taiwanese vice minister said.

In his words, the Taiwanese delegations, which arrived in Lithuania on Wednesday, is scheduled to meet with the ministers of the economy and innovation and communications and transport, and also visit companies in Kaunas and Klaipeda during the three-day visit.

Beijing downgraded its diplomatic relations with Vilnius after the opening of the Taiwanese Representative Office in Vilnius last fall, and also blocked Lithuanian exports and imports.

By Giedrius Gaidamavičius

Editor: Roma Pakėnienė

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Lower VAT rate on food in Lithuania wouldn’t benefit people – minister

VILNIUS, May 26, BNS – The Lithuanian government has no plans to cut the VAT rate on food as it would not benefit people, Finance Minister Gintare Skaiste says amid calls by presidential advisers to introduce a lower VAT rate on food under a different model that would benefit consumers.

"We have repeatedly expressed this position that VAT exemptions in sectors where prices are mostly unregulated do not serve their purpose as they benefit resellers, the big supermarkets and suppliers, and not the end consumers," Skaiste told journalists on Thursday.

On Tuesday, Irena Segaloviciene, the president's chief adviser on economic and social policy, said a lower VAT rate on food could be introduced to fight rising inflation, adding, however, that a model should be found to ensure it benefitted the end consumer.

Skaiste says a better option would be to increase incomes of the most socially vulnerable people.

The current VAT rate in Lithuania stands at 21 percent.

By Valdas Pryšmantas

Editor: Roma Pakėnienė

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Slepavicius assumes position of Lithuania's ambassador to South Korea

VILNIUS, May 26, BNS – Ricardas Slepavicius on Thursday assumed the position of Lithuania's ambassador to the Republic of Korea after he received credentials from President Gitanas Nauseda.

During the meeting, the ambassador and the president discussed the prospects for strengthening political relations between Lithuania and South Korea, as well as economic and cultural cooperation, the presidential press service said.

South Korea is considered one of the most innovative economies in the world, the president said, stressing the importance of strengthening cooperation in high value-added economic areas and encouraging Korean investments in Lithuania.

The president and the ambassador also discussed cooperation in the areas of science, education and culture.

Slepavicius has long-standing diplomatic experience of working for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He has previously served as Lithuania's ambassador to Italy, as well as to Malta and San Marino, and as the country's permanent representative to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.

Lithuania established its embassy in the Republic of Korea last year. It's currently headed by interim Chargé d'Affaires Vilijus Samuila.

Lithuania and South Korea established diplomatic relations on October 14, 1991. Lithuania was previously represented in South Korea by the country's embassy in China.

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Upcoming events in Lithuania for Friday, May 27, 2022

VILNIUS, May 27, BNS – The following events are scheduled in Lithuania for Friday, May 27, 2022:

PRESIDENT Gitanas Nauseda to take a train from Vilnius to the Kaunas Intermodal Terminal and hold a press conference at noon.

SPEAKER OF THE SEIMAS Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen to meet with the heads of delegations to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly at 4.30 p.m.

Raimundas Lopata, chairman of the Lithuanian Seimas' Group for Inter-Parliamentary Relations with the Republic of Armenia, to meet with Armenia's justice minister at 11 a.m.

A press conference on the NATO Parliamentary Assembly's spring session to be held at 1.30 p.m.

PRIME MINISTER Ingrida Simonyte to meet with Ukrainian Vice Premier for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Olha Stefanishyna at 1 p.m.

NATIONAL DEFENSE MINISTER Arvydas Anusauskas to attend a meeting of Baltic defense ministers in Estonia.

THE FOREIGN MINISTRY

The 8th Vilnius Russia Forum to take place in Trakai District. FOREIGN MINISTER Gabrielius Landsbergis  to hold a joint press conference with Mikhail Khodorkovsky, head of the Open Russian Foundation, at 1 p.m.

 

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Jun 08 2022

LITHUANIA DAILY NEWS BULLETIN, May 13, 2022

LITHUANIA DAILY NEWS BULLETIN


IN THIS ISSUE:

  1. Lithuanian, Polish defmins to discuss military cooperation
  2. Vilnius hosts Ukrainian Days
  3. 3 irregular migrants prevented from entering Lithuania
  4. Baltics, Poland urge EU institutions to coordinate demining mission in Ukraine
  5. Lithuania reports 162 new COVID-19 cases, one death
  6. Lithuanian, Estonian army chiefs discuss joint defense projects, support to Ukraine
  7. Over 250 academics in Lithuanian sign letter in support of partnership law
  8. Lithuanian defmin against new national defense tax
  9. "Military capabilities" will back demining mission in Ukraine - Lithuanian defmin
  10. Lithuania, Poland will mull joint arms purchases – minister
  11. Lithuania, Poland will mull joint arms purchases – minister (expands)
  12. No universal conscription, specific funding pct in Lithuania's cross-party defense pact
  13. Vilnius backs Sweden's NATO membership, Lithuanian president tells Swedish PM
  14. Failure to agree on 3 pct defense budget weakens Lithuania's cross-party deal – advisor
  15. Japan could become Lithuania's principal partner in Asia, president tells new ambassador
  16. Lithuania, Poland to consider synchronizing military acquisitions – minister  (corrects)
  17. Ukrainian Days Festival in Vilnius offers over 130 events (updates)
  18. Upcoming events in Lithuania for Monday, May 16, 2022

Lithuanian, Polish defmins to discuss military cooperation

VILNIUS, May 13, BNS – Lithuanian Minister of National Defense Arvydas Anusauskas will on Friday discuss bilateral military cooperation with his Polish counterpart Mariusz Blaszczak in Vilnius.

The two ministers will discuss the countries’ progress on priority areas of cooperation and practical aspects of further cooperating. They will also sign a joint statement in confirmation of mutual commitment to strengthen further Polish and Lithuania defense cooperation.  

Blaszczak will be accompanied by Commander of the Cyberspace Defense Forces Brigadier General Karol Molenda and 1st Deputy Chief of General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces Lieutenant General Tadeusz Mikutel.

Poland is one of Lithuania's key strategic partners.

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Vilnius hosts Ukrainian Days

VILNIUS, May 13, BNS – The Ukrainian Days are starting in Vilnius on Friday, organized to raise awareness of the country and introduce Ukrainians who have fled the war to the Lithuanian capital.

In total, more than 100 different free educational events, concerts, excursions and entertainment events for children are planned. The name of the three-day events, "Vilniushyvanka", was inspired by the traditional Ukrainian embroidered shirt "vyshyvanka" which even has its own international day celebrated on May 19.

"We want Ukrainians living in Lithuania to feel at home, so we decided to provide more opportunities for them to get to know Vilnius and Lithuanian culture better. We believe that "Vilniushyvanka" will show the capital's hospitality for Ukrainians, and Vilnius residents and visitors will get to know Ukrainian culture better through art, food and educational program," said Inga Romanovskiene, head of Vilnius' business and tourism development agency Go Vilnius that initiated the series of events.

On Sunday, a picnic for Lithuanian and Ukrainian families is planned in Reformatu Square.

Some 50,000 refugees from Ukraine have arrived in Lithuania since the start of the war in Ukraine. Many of them have settled in Vilnius.

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3 irregular migrants prevented from entering Lithuania

VILNIUS, May 13, BNS – Lithuanian border guards have in the past 24 hours prevented three migrants attempting to cross into the country from Belarus illegally, the State Border Guard Service said on Friday morning.

Latvian border guards have recorded no illegal attempts to cross into the country from Belarus over the past 24 hours, and Polish border guards blocked 37 people.

A total of 1,621 people have been prevented from crossing from Belarus into Lithuania at non-designated places so far this year, compared to 2,617 attempts reported by Latvia and 4,670 by Poland.  

Lithuanian border guards sent 8,106 people back to Belarus between last August, when they were given the right to deny entry to irregular migrants, and December. However, the number includes repeated attempts by the same people to cross the border.

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Baltics, Poland urge EU institutions to coordinate demining mission in Ukraine

VILNIUS, May 13, BNS - The Baltic and Polish interior ministers are calling on EU institutions to coordinate the provision of support for demining operations in Ukraine and to provide funding.

Initiated by the interior ministers of Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Poland and sent by Lithuanian Interior Minister Agnes Bilotaite, a joint letter calls on the European Commission to coordinate the provision of support for mine clearance in Ukraine and to assess the possibility of EU funding for this activity, the Lithuanian Interior Ministry said on Friday.

One of the proposed options is to use the ATLAS network of representatives of police tactical units from all 27 EU member states.

The letter is addressed to the European Commission and France, which is now holding the rotating EU presidency, as well as to the incoming Czech presidency. It calls for "early involvement in the process of saving lives in Ukraine" and for the coordination of the mobilization of mine clearance experts to work in the war-torn country.

The Ukrainian authorities estimate that around 50 percent of the country's territory (approximately 300,000 square kilometers) has been affected by military action, putting peaceful civilians returning to liberated areas at high risk from left mines, explosives and unexploded ammunition.

Explosives can be found everywhere, including fields, streets and private homes, and Russian soldiers have also hidden explosives in furniture and even in children's toys.

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Lithuania reports 162 new COVID-19 cases, one death

VILNIUS, May 13, BNS – Lithuania has recorded 162 new coronavirus infections and one death from COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, official statistics showed on Friday morning. 

Some 145 of the new cases were primary and 17 were secondary. 

The number of COVID-19 patients in hospitals currently stands at 138, including 11 ICU cases.

The 14-day primary infection rate has dropped further to 97.9 cases per 100,000 people, with the seven-day percentage of positive tests at 10  percent.

The daily count of new infections had been rising at a rapid pace since late 2021, but took a downward turn in early February after hitting a new high of over 14,000 cases.

Some 69.8 percent of the Lithuanian population have received at least one coronavirus vaccine jab.

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Lithuanian, Estonian army chiefs discuss joint defense projects, support to Ukraine

VILNIUS, May 13, BNS - The Lithuanian and Estonian chief of defense met in Vilnius on Friday and discussed bilateral military cooperation, joint projects, the regional security situation, joint exercises, and support to Ukraine.

"We discussed not only ways to bolster our capabilities, but also the NATO defense and deterrence concept in our region. A lot of attention was paid to the issue of support to Ukraine, finding the best solutions both for the supply of arms and ammunition and for the training of troops," Lithuanian Chief of Defense Valdemaras Rupsys was quoted as saying in the army statement released after the meeting.

"I can say that Estonia, with its size and available military capabilities, has been an exemplary supporter of the Ukrainian army," the lieutenant general said.

One of the issues discussed at the meeting with Estonian Chief of Defense Martin Herem was the cooperation between the three Baltic states on the acquisition of the M142 HIMARS multiple rocket launching systems.

Last year, the chiefs of defense of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia agreed to jointly develop a missile defense capability in the Baltic states.

Established in the fall of 2021, a trilateral Baltic working group is now assessing the technical, operational and legal requirements for such a multi-functional missile launcher, carrying out an analysis of possible missile defense architecture in the region, and conducting initial discussions with the US on the possible purchase of such weaponry.

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Over 250 academics in Lithuanian sign letter in support of partnership law

VILNIUS, May 13, BNS - Over 250 PhDs, lecturers, researchers and doctoral students working in Lithuania and abroad have signed a letter in support of the Law on Partnership being drafted in the Lithuanian parliament.

Published on Friday, the letter points out that the Lithuanian Constitution obliges the state to ensure democracy, human dignity, the right to private life, freedom of thought, religion, belief and speech, and equality of all persons.

It also emphasizes that, in addition to the freedoms of movement, political and legal liberties, Lithuania also acquired the obligation to respect European values and "not to discriminate against people on the grounds of sex, race, ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation" when it joined the EU in 2004.

The signees also point out that the partnership institute was introduced in Lithuania's Civil Code in 2001, adding, however, that after more than two decades, legislation on the registration of partnerships has not yet been adopted "for reasons that are difficult to explain".

"Public debate on partnerships has been going on for years, and considerations about the "maturity" of the society and its readiness do not constitute grounds for discriminating against Lithuanian citizens on the basis of their decision to live in a partnership," the letter said.

"We call on members of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania to support the Law on Partnership and thus contribute to the creation of a fairer, freer and safer state," the signees urge.

Political scientist Dovile Jakniunaite, a professor at Vilnius University, told BNS the letter was also issued in response to a call by MP Tomas Vytautas Raskevicius for the academic community to support the amendments that are currently being drawn up. The politician assured BNS last week the bill would be put before the Seimas before the end of the spring session.

"Since we cannot see the draft yet, we have decided to just write in general support for the idea brought forward by the Freedom Party, the idea of the Law on Partnership, an institute that would be normally regulated. We do not have any information about the specific regulation yet", Jakniunaite told BNS.

The initiators of the Law on Partnership vow to submit a new bill after the Seimas rejected an earlier version of the law last spring while it was still in the submission stage.

The Freedom Party is proposing to introduce gender-neutral partnerships, legalizing both heterosexual and same-sex relationships.

The previous partnership bill proposed legalizing both male-female and same-sex partnerships, defined as an officially registered fact of cohabitation of two persons for the purpose of establishing, developing and safeguarding the partners' relationship.

In Lithuania, partnership is not legalized for either heterosexual or same-sex couples.

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Lithuanian defmin against new national defense tax

VILNIUS, May 13, BNS – Lithuanian National Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas says he does not support the idea of introducing a new tax to fund the country's defense budget.

"I do not support the introduction of new taxes, unequivocally, as the country's defense is not a matter of one tax," the minister told reporters in Vilnius on Friday. "All parties decide on the budget, and one tax, it might come and it my go, and we have to fund our defense for a decade ahead. One tax does not solve that."

The idea for such a tax has been put forward by the Lithuanian Business Confederation and is being discussed by politicians.

Currently, Lithuania spends slightly over 2.5 percent of the country's GDP on defense and has recently been raising national defense funding in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

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"Military capabilities" will back demining mission in Ukraine - Lithuanian defmin

VILNIUS, May 13, BNS - "Military capabilities" would support an EU demining mission in Ukraine, Lithuanian National Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas says.

"The European Union is preparing such a mission and countries are joining it with civilian capabilities. Civilian capabilities are supported by military capabilities as the number of mine clearance professionals in each country is very, very limited," he told a joint press conference with his Polish counterpart Mariusz Blaszczak in Vilnius on Friday.

Earlier this week, Lithuania's Chief of Defense Valdemaras Rupsys said the deployment of mine clearance specialist to Ukraine could be viewed as involvement in the Russian-led war in Ukraine, therefore, it needed a political decision.

Earlier in the day, the Baltic countries and Poland called on the EU to coordinate the provision of support for demining in Ukraine and to allocate EU funds for that.

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Lithuania, Poland will mull joint arms purchases – minister

VILNIUS, May 13, BNS - Vilnius and Warsaw will consider joint arms procurements, Lithuanian National Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas said during a joint press conference with his visiting Polish counterpart Mariusz Blaszczak in Vilnius.

"The synchronization (of acquisitions - BNS) is not such a simple thing. We are trying to synchronize the purchase of multiple rocket launchers with the Baltic countries. Of course, the minister and I talked about the areas where we can develop our joint effort, including the area of coastal defense, and I think we will consider it," Anusauskas told journalists.

Meanwhile, Blaszczak said he had "somewhat jokingly" suggested that Lithuania should buy Polish air defense systems Piorun.

"It turns out this weapon is very effective, and the Ukrainians are using it and it is designed for air defense", the Polish minister said, adding that Warsaw is open to the idea of procurement synchronization.

"We can coordinate the purchase of other types of weapons. We are close neighbors, so let's take advantage of the fact that our armed forces use the same or similar weapons", Blaszczak said.

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Lithuania, Poland will mull joint arms purchases – minister (expands)

VILNIUS, May 13, BNS - Vilnius and Warsaw will consider joint arms procurements, Lithuanian National Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas said during a joint press conference with his visiting Polish counterpart Mariusz Blaszczak in Vilnius.

"The synchronization (of acquisitions - BNS) is not such a simple thing. We are trying to synchronize the purchase of multiple rocket launchers with the Baltic countries. Of course, the minister and I talked about the areas where we can develop our joint effort, including the area of coastal defense, and I think we will consider it," Anusauskas told journalists.

Meanwhile, Blaszczak said he had "somewhat jokingly" suggested that Lithuania should buy Polish air defense systems Piorun.

"It turns out this weapon is very effective, and the Ukrainians are using it and it is designed for air defense", the Polish minister said, adding that Warsaw is open to the idea of procurement synchronization.

"We can coordinate the purchase of other types of weapons. We are close neighbors, so let's take advantage of the fact that our armed forces use the same or similar weapons", Blaszczak said.

"Long-term threat"

Both Lithuania and Poland see the need to bolster their military capabilities and to hold Russia accountable for the war in Ukraine, Anusauskas said.

The two ministers say they agreed on closer cooperation in the area of cyber security, as well as on transforming NATO's multinational forces into brigades.

"Both Poland and Lithuania view Russia as a long-term threat to the West," the Lithuanian minister said.

Anusauskas and Blaszczak signed an agreement to continue active defense cooperation.

"The free world must do everything to stop Russia," the Polish minister said, adding that money spent on military acquisitions is not an expense but a security investment.

Blaszczak also voiced his belief that the existing sanctions for Russia must be tightened.

"These sanctions must be very serious not to allow the Kremlin to rebuild its military potential", he said.

Suwalki Corridor

The Polish minister also backed Finland's aspiration to join NATO as it would boost the security of the Baltic states and Poland, limiting Russia's aggressive action and the likelihood of invasion.

"Poland stands ready to ratify the Finnish-NATO treaty without delay," Blaszczak said.

Once Finland joins NATO, cooperation between Warsaw and Vilnius on the defense of the Suwalki Corridor should not change, Anusauskas said.

"Looking at the overall picture in the region, the eastern flank is getting stronger in terms of security", he said.

The Lithuanian minister hopes Finland's membership would be taken into account during the preparation of new defense plans for NATO's eastern flank.

On Thursday, Finnish President Sauli Niinisto and Prime Minister Sana Marin backed the country's accession to NATO, stressing that Finland's membership would strengthen the country's security and "the whole defense alliance".

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No universal conscription, specific funding pct in Lithuania's cross-party defense pact

VILNIUS, May 13, BNS - A working group on Friday finalized a cross-party agreement on beefing up the country's national security, and differences of opinion led to a decision to replace specific provisions on universal conscription and a specific percentage of defense funding with more abstract ones.

Instead of compulsory universal conscription, the document now states that "in order to significantly increase the number of defense-ready citizens and accelerate the formation of the active reserve, a decision should be taken on a gradual increase in the number of soldiers in compulsory initial military service in line with national defense needs and with parallel development of an alternative military service system".

Although the document does not include commitment to pursue universal conscription, there's emphasis on increasing the number of conscripts, Laurynas Kasciunas, chairman of the parliamentary Committee on National Security and Defense, pointed out.

"We already have the government's proposal on the threshold numbers (of troops – BNS) for the next year, and the upper limit is 4,400 conscripts, and if we started post-school conscription, a study carried out by the Ministry of National Defense shows that we would have 6,100 conscripts. In five to seven years, after we invest in infrastructure and train officers to work with conscripts, we will in fact achieve the effect of universal conscription," Kasciunas told BNS, also expressing his regret over the fact that the concept of universal conscription was not included in the document.

Party representatives also failed to agree on a specific percentage that should be earmarked for national defense funding.

Under the bill, the agreement would state that the previous commitment, achieved this year, to allocate 2.5 percent GDP for defense would be maintained, and that "further defense funding should be linked to the needs of the national defense system and the Lithuanian Armed Forces".

This way, a minimum level of funding would be established, leaving the possibility to decide on further need-based funding, Kasciunas said.

President Gitanas Nauseda earlier suggested that the agreement should include a fixed level of 3 percent GDP for national defense.

The draft agreement will now be considered by parliamentary parties' structures for the next two weeks and it is expected to be signed in the first half of June.

Lithuanian politicians are debating a new-party national defense agreement in response to Russia's launched military invasion of Ukraine in late February.

By Jūratė Skėrytė

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Vilnius backs Sweden's NATO membership, Lithuanian president tells Swedish PM

VILNIUS, May 13, BNS – Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda told Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson by phone on Friday that Vilnius supports her country's NATO membership. 

"We have always been in favor of closer cooperation between Sweden and the Alliance," Nauseda said in a press release after the conversation. "We welcome and express our full support for your country's plans to join NATO." 

"Every country has the right to decide and choose which security organization it wants to belong to. I assure you that Lithuania will be ready to ratify the accession protocols swiftly," he added.

The two officials discussed Sweden's intention to apply to join the Alliance.

Nauseda underlined that Sweden's membership of NATO would strengthen its own security and that of the region as a whole, and would make a significant contribution to bolstering the Alliance's defense capabilities in the face of the long-term threat posed by Russia. 

Sweden's ruling Social Democrats are expected to make public their opinion on the country's NATO membership on Sunday.

Neighboring Finland's leaders on Thursday expressed support for their country's joining of the Alliance. 

Political and public opinion in Sweden and Finland swung dramatically in favor of NATO membership after Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24.  

 

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Failure to agree on 3 pct defense budget weakens Lithuania's cross-party deal – advisor

VILNIUS, May 13, BNS – Lithuanian parliamentary parties' failure to agree on a 3 percent of GDP defense spending target and universal conscription makes such a national deal much less significant, Kestutis Budrys, President Gitanas Nauseda's chief national security advisor, said on Friday.  

"Failure to agree on the key issues makes the agreement similar to a number of existing strategic documents on national security, such as the National Security Strategy. Its significance is substantially reduced," he told BNS. 

He said it is disappointing that the parties have failed to agree on boosting the defense budget to 3 percent of GDP and on universal subscription.  

Nauseda had suggested setting defense spending at 3 percent of GDP. 

According to the advisor, the president will consistently seek that Lithuania increase both defense funding and the number of conscripts.

"Russia's aggression has highlighted a number of areas where we will need to increase investment: air defense, coastal defense systems, replenishment of ammunition stocks, and others," Budrys said. 

"To implement the principle of total defense, we will have no choice but to move toward universal conscription," he added. 

Earlier on Friday, a parliamentary task group finalized a cross-party agreement on beefing up the country's national security, and differences of opinion led to a decision to replace specific provisions on universal conscription and a specific percentage of defense funding with more abstract ones.

Instead of compulsory universal conscription, the draft document now reads that "in order to significantly increase the number of defense-ready citizens and accelerate the formation of the active reserve, a decision should be taken on a gradual increase in the number of soldiers in compulsory initial military service in line with national defense needs and with parallel development of an alternative military service system".

The draft agreement states that the previous commitment, achieved this year, to allocate 2.5 percent of GDP for defense should be maintained, and that "further defense funding should be linked to the needs of the national defense system and the Lithuanian Armed Forces".

The draft document also calls for creating a cyber force, a new military branch, getting ready to host an allied division of at least 20,000 troops in the country, strengthening the Lithuanian Riflemen's Union, a civilian paramilitary organization, developing national air defense capabilities, drawing up a National Defense Plan by next year, and preparing the population for resistance and armed resistance.

If signed, the agreement should remain in effect until 2030. 

 

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Japan could become Lithuania's principal partner in Asia, president tells new ambassador

VILNIUS, May 13, BNS – Japan could become Lithuania's principal partner in Asia, President Gitanas Nauseda said on Friday as he handed letters of credence to Aurelijus Zykas, Vilnius' new ambassador to Tokyo. 

Nauseda and Zykas discussed "the initiative of strategic partnership between Lithuania and Japan and plans to develop political, economic, and cultural cooperation" during their meeting, the president's office said in a press release.  

"We share the same values with Japan and this country could become Lithuania’s principal partner in Asia," it quoted the president as saying. 

Lithuania is strengthening ties with its partners in Asia amid tensions with China over the opening of a Taiwanese representative of five in Vilnius last autumn. 

Nauseda and Zykas also discussed "the boosting of Lithuania's exports, the attraction of Japanese investments, cooperation in life sciences and fintech, and the need to revitalize inbound tourism to Lithuania".

"The discussion also focused on strengthening Lithuania's image. According to Gitanas Nauseda, we need to work not only on the direct image segments such as Lithuanian production, investment attraction and tourism destinations, but also on the cultural image of the country."  

Zykas graduated from Vytautas Magnus University (VMU) and has a degree in politics, communication sciences and arts. He headed the VMU Asia Centre for some time.

He has in the past lived in Japan for four years, and has published a book entitled "Colors and Tastes of Japan", and has compiled a Lithuanian-Japanese dictionary.

 

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Lithuania, Poland to consider synchronizing military acquisitions – minister  (corrects)

(corrects the headline and the lead)

VILNIUS, May 13, BNS - Vilnius and Warsaw will consider synchronization of military acquisitions, including coastal defense, Lithuanian National Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas said during a joint press conference with his visiting Polish counterpart Mariusz Blaszczak in Vilnius.

"The synchronization (of acquisitions) is not a simple thing. We are trying to synchronize the purchase of multiple rocket launchers with the Baltic countries. Of course, the minister and I talked about the areas where we can develop our joint effort, including the area of coastal defense, and I think we will consider it," Anusauskas told journalists.

Meanwhile, Blaszczak said he had "somewhat jokingly" suggested that Lithuania should buy Polish air defense systems Piorun.

"It turns out this weapon is very effective, and the Ukrainians are using it and it is designed for air defense", the Polish minister said, adding that Warsaw is open to the idea of procurement synchronization.

"We can coordinate the purchase of other types of weapons. We are close neighbors, so let's take advantage of the fact that our armed forces use the same or similar weapons", Blaszczak said.

"Long-term threat"

Both Lithuania and Poland see the need to bolster their military capabilities and to hold Russia accountable for the war in Ukraine, Anusauskas said.

The two ministers say they agreed on closer cooperation in the area of cyber security, as well as on transforming NATO's multinational forces into brigades.

"Both Poland and Lithuania view Russia as a long-term threat to the West," the Lithuanian minister said.

Anusauskas and Blaszczak signed an agreement to continue active defense cooperation.

"The free world must do everything to stop Russia," the Polish minister said, adding that money spent on military acquisitions is not an expense but a security investment.

Blaszczak also voiced his belief that the existing sanctions for Russia must be tightened.

"These sanctions must be very serious not to allow the Kremlin to rebuild its military potential", he said.

Suwalki Corridor

The Polish minister also backed Finland's aspiration to join NATO as it would boost the security of the Baltic states and Poland, limiting Russia's aggressive action and the likelihood of invasion.

"Poland stands ready to ratify the Finnish-NATO treaty without delay," Blaszczak said.

Once Finland joins NATO, cooperation between Warsaw and Vilnius on the defense of the Suwalki Corridor should not change, Anusauskas said.

"Looking at the overall picture in the region, the eastern flank is getting stronger in terms of security", he said.

The Lithuanian minister hopes Finland's membership would be taken into account during the preparation of new defense plans for NATO's eastern flank.

On Thursday, Finnish President Sauli Niinisto and Prime Minister Sana Marin backed the country's accession to NATO, stressing that Finland's membership would strengthen the country's security and "the whole defense alliance".

 

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Ukrainian Days Festival in Vilnius offers over 130 events (updates)

VILNIUS, May 13, BNS – The Vilniushyvanka Ukrainian Days Festival got underway on Friday with over 130 events on the program which aims to introduce Lithuanians to Ukrainian culture and traditions and help Ukrainians get to know the Lithuanian capital better.

The three-day program offers a wide range of free educational events, concerts, excursions, cinema screenings, and entertainment events for children. A dozen cafes and restaurants serve Ukrainian cuisine.

The inspiration for the name of the event comes from the traditional Ukrainian embroidered shirt called vyshyvanka, according to Go Vilnius, the Lithuanian capital's business and tourism development agency.

Inga Romanovskiene, head of Go Vilnius, told BNS that the idea of Vilniushyvanka emerged after almost 20,000 Ukrainians had already arrived in the Lithuanian capital, realizing that creating a good atmosphere for the war refugees is as important as helping them to deal with day-to-day problems such as finding accommodation and a job. 

"The further we go, the more we want people to feel at home and us Lithuanians to get to know Ukrainian traditions, culture and history better, as well as to present our traditions, history and city to Ukrainians. I think that will be possible after this weekend," she said.

Go Vilnius organized the festival jointly with Vilnius Municipality, the Ukrainian embassy, Ukrainian House and a dozen other partners.

"It is our duty to help all residents of Vilnius who have fled here from the horrors of war," Vilnius Mayor Remigijus Simasius said during the festival's opening event. 

According to the mayor, it is important not only to help people fighting in Ukraine, but also "to help the rest of the world understand what is happening in Ukraine". 

Petro Beshta, Ukraine's ambassador, thanked Vilnius and Lithuania for taking in people fleeing the war in Ukraine.

According to the diplomat, his compatriots who come to Lithuania "do not feel that they are somewhere abroad".

"Ukrainian Days are unique because they make it easier to understand the Ukrainian spirit. Thousands of Ukrainians who live here feel your support. It seems to me that every day that we live here, you live with Ukraine and every day brings us closer to our victory," Beshta said. 

"We are building bridges to the future that will stand for centuries. Together, we are now writing a new European history free from horror and suffering. We will win because we are unbreakable," he said. 

Some 50,000 refugees from Ukraine have arrived in Lithuania since the start of the war. Many of them have settled in Vilnius.

 

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Upcoming events in Lithuania for Monday, May 16, 2022

VILNIUS, May 13, BNS – The following events are scheduled in Lithuania for Monday, May 16, 2022:

PRESIDENT Gitanas Nauseda to meet with NATIONAL DEFENSE MINISTER Arvydas Anusauskas and CHIEF OF DEFENSE Valdemaras Rupsys at 10.30 a.m.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Vertimų skyrius

May 16 2022

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