LITHUANIA DAILY NEWS BULLETIN

IN THIS ISSUE:

1. Upcoming events in Lithuania for Thursday, November 30, 2023
2. Lithuania records no illegal border crossings from Belarus
3. NATO Baltic air policing contingents to change over Thursday 
4. Around 100 Palestinian supporters protest in Vilnius against Israeli actions  (updates)
5. Lithuania, Poland, Ukraine secure seats on chemical watchdog's council
6. Lithuania reports 1,141 new COVID-19 cases, 4 deaths
7. Lithuanian president to attend UN climate change conference in Dubai
8. Lithuanian president against VAT hike for defense without food exemption
9. Lawyer Vegele announces decision to run for Lithuanian president in 2024   
10. Defense bonds would increase public debt – Lithuanian PM
11. Lithuania's Dulkys, other EU health ministers to discuss drug policy issues
12. Ukrainians hardly interested in Lithuanian citizenship – department
13. Lithuanian defmin to head to US for major defense forum
14. Russia's not yet ready for conventional war, might engage in diversions – Lithuanian chair
15. Lithuanian court upholds decision to revoke Russian citizen Vodo's residence permit
16. Senate approves McDonald as US Ambassador to Lithuania
17. Gas prices for Lithuanian households to fall 4-7 cents from January 
18. Lithuania, Georgia sign plan for defense cooperation
19. Lithuanian ministry fined EUR 40,500 for restricting competition in railway market
20. Russia interested in opening Kaliningrad crossing, no proposals yet – Lithuanian MFA
21. Mayor of Lithuania's Jonava named suspect in municipal payouts probe 
22. Lithuania allocate funds for needs of Palestinian civilians
23. Ellex Valiunas, Covington & Burling to represent Lithuania in dispute with Belaruskali
24. Jonava mayor suspends Lithuanian SocDem Party membership amid funds misuse suspicions
25. Ex-Lithuanian MP pleads not guilty to sexual charges
26. Belgium, France take over helm of NATO air policing mission in Baltics
27. Banks in Lithuania pay almost EUR 102 mln in solidarity levy
28. Lithuanian govts sets up commission to coordinate preparations for German brigade

Upcoming events in Lithuania for Thursday, November 30, 2023

VILNIUS, Nov 30, BNS – The following events are scheduled in Lithuania for Thursday, November 30, 2023: 

SPEAKER OF THE SEIMAS Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen to take part in a roundtable discussion on "Toward Total Global Defense: Overview of the Situation and Next Steps" at 10 a.m.; to meet with Deputy Foreign Minister Jovita Neliupsiene at 11 a.m.; to meet with Zygimantas Pavilionis, chairman of the parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs, at 1 p.m. 

PRIME MINISTER Ingrida Simonyte to give an interview to the Ziniu Radijas radio station at 8:05 a.m.

HEALTH MINISTER Arunas Dulkys to attend a meeting of the EU Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council in Brussels.

INTERIOR MINISTER Agne Bilotaite, on a working visit to Germany, to meet with Federal Police President Dieter Romann in Potsdam at 11 a.m. and with Federal Minister of the Interior and Community Nancy Faeser in Berlin at 2 p.m. 

ARMED FORCES 

A changeover ceremony for military units performing the NATO air policing mission in the Baltic states to take place at the Air Base in Siauliai at 1:30 p.m.

OTHER EVENTS

Vilnius University's Institute of International Relations and Political Science to host the Annual Lithuanian Political Science Conference "The Echoes of Polycrisis in Lithuania and the World" starting at 9:15 a.m. 

Vilnius University, along with the French Embassy and the French Institute, to hold a conference on "Culture and Imaginary Facing the War" starting at 9:15 a.m. 

 

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Lithuania records no illegal border crossings from Belarus

VILNIUS, Nov 30, BNS – Lithuanian border guards have in the past 24 hours recorded no attempts to cross into the country from Belarus illegally, the State Border Guard Service (SBGS) said on Thursday morning.

Latvia reported no attempts at illegal border crossings on Wednesday either, and 18 irregular migrants were not allowed into Poland on Tuesday, according to the latest available information.

More than 2,500 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 over 21,800 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.

 

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NATO Baltic air policing contingents to change over Thursday 

VILNIUS, Nov 30, BNS – The Lithuanian Air Force Base in Siauliai is hosting the NATO Baltic Air Policing mission's changeover ceremony on Thursday. 

"After four months on duty, the Italian Air Force capability will be replaced by a Belgian Royal Air Force detachment with four F-16 Fighting Falcons and a French Air Force Detachment with Mirage2000 that will reinforce the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states," the Lithuanian Defense Ministry said on Wednesday.

The Belgian Air Force will be policing the Baltic airspace for the seventh time with an 80-strong contingent including pilots, technicians, medical personnel, support teams, communications and other specialists.  

The French Air Force will be guarding the Baltic skies for the eighth time with a contingent of around 100 military specialists of different areas.

The outgoing Italian detachment was protecting the Baltic airspace with four Eurofighter Typhoon fighter aircraft.

"Over the course of the deployment, they were also generously engaging in community support events in Panevezys," according to the press release.

NATO member countries have taken turns safeguarding the Baltic airspace since Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania joined the Alliance back in 2004.

"Since then, 17 Allies have flown the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states. The mission completed by the Italian Air Detachment will the 63rd since the launch of the NATO Baltic Air Policing effort in 2004," the ministry said.

 

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Around 100 Palestinian supporters protest in Vilnius against Israeli actions  (updates)

VILNIUS, Nov 30, BNS – Around 100 people gathered in Vilnius on Wednesday evening for a protest against Israel's actions, marking the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.

The organizers say the aim is to express solidarity with the Palestinian people, pay tribute to those who have died as a result of Israel's military action in Gaza and the West Bank, and condemn what they say are crimes against humanity.

"We want to send a message that war crimes and crimes against humanity should not occur in the modern world. Unfortunately, they are being committed by Israel in Palestine right now and have been committed for a long time since the establishment of Israel," Andrius Mazeika, one of the organizers, told BNS on Wednesday.

Protesters, carrying Palestinian flags, gathered in the central Cathedral Square. People chanted "stop the genocide" and some held placards reading "End the occupation", "Free Palestine", and others.

Participants of the pro-Palestinian protest were met by a group of Israel's supporters waving the Jewish state's flag.

"These are criminals, and the people who have gathered here support the criminals," Arkadijus, a 66-year-old pensioner on the pro-Israeli side, told reporters. 

Israel's supporters kept interrupting the pro-Palestinian protesters, shouting "Hamas loves you".

The protest was organized by several organizations, including Fridays for Future and Gyvenimas Per Brangus (Life is too precious). 

Mazeika also said that the aim of the protest was to send a message that the only solution is to "guarantee the dignity, human rights and freedom of the Palestinians".

"In that case, we will no longer have to talk about Hamas, the IDF (The Israel Defense Forces) or war," he said.

Justina Kaluinaitė, a 35 -year-old working in development cooperation, noted that Palestinians lack security, food, and water, adding that the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip has caused a humanitarian catastrophe.

"We have situations where other people are dying as a result of man-made situations," the woman told BNS.

"It's terrible; it's incomprehensible to me how this can go on for so long," she added.

From Cathedral Square, protesters marched along Gediminas Avenue to Vincas Kudirka Square where a tribute was held for those killed.

The demonstrators marched chanting "Stop bombing children" and "Palestine will be free". 

At the square, participants lit candles, made speeches and urged people to be critical of the media coverage of the conflict.

More than a month ago, a "march of silence" was held in Vilnius to show solidarity with the Palestinian victims.

Similar solidarity rallies in response to the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas took place in major European cities such as London, Milan, Paris, Rome, and others. 

Previously, pro-Israel solidarity events were also organized in the Lithuanian capital. 

The war between Israel and Hamas began on October 7. The Palestinian militant group has since killed at least 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taken nearly half a hundred hostages.

In response to this attack, the deadliest in the country's history, Israel launched an offensive in the Gaza Strip to destroy Hamas.

Since then, Palestinian hospitals, schools, refugee camps, mosques and churches, and residential buildings have been hit.

According to the Hamas government in the Gaza Strip, nearly 15,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in the Palestinian territory.

The United Nations says that about 1.7 million people, nearly three quarters of Gaza's population, have fled their homes and that there are critical shortages of water, food, fuel and electricity.

 

By Greta Zulonaitė

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Lithuania, Poland, Ukraine secure seats on chemical watchdog's council

VILNIUS, Nov 30, AFP-BNS – Lithuania, Poland and Ukraine secured seats on the Executive Council of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) after Russia lost in its bid for re-election to the chemical watchdog's decision-making body on Wednesday. 

Four countries – Russia, Ukraine, Poland and Lithuania – were competing for three seats on the OPCW Executive Council.

Russia received the fewest votes, meaning that it will have no seat on the council for the first time in the organization's history.

"OPCW is a very reputable international body and terrorists have no place in it," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky posted on X.

Zelensky said Russia's exclusion from the council was a "logical result" of its aggression against Ukraine.

"Its role in international affairs keeps diminishing and its isolation keeps growing," he added. 

This news was also confirmed by Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis. 

"Russia has just been voted off the OPCW Executive Council," Landsbergis posted on X. "Ukraine, Poland and Lithuania were successful."     

"It's time for all international organizations to clean themselves up in order to maintain their relevance and credibility," he added.

The OPCW won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2013 for its efforts to eliminate the threat posed by chemical weapons to the world.

In July, the organization announced that all the world's declared stockpiles of chemical weapons were "verified as irreversibly destroyed".

 

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Lithuania reports 1,141 new COVID-19 cases, 4 deaths

VILNIUS, Nov 30, BNS – Lithuania has recorded 1,141 new coronavirus infections and four deaths from COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, official statistics showed on Thursday morning.

The 14-day primary infection rate has risen to 406.8 cases per 100,000 people, with the seven-day percentage of positive tests unchanged at 37.3 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. 

Two-thirds of the country's population have received at least one coronavirus vaccine jab so far, according to the statistics.

 

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Lithuanian president to attend UN climate change conference in Dubai

VILNIUS, Nov 30, BNS – Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda will attend the UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai on Friday, the presidential press service said on Thursday.

Nauseda will deliver a national address to the plenary session of the COP28.

"In his speech, he will call on world leaders to contribute to halting climate change through active actions and commitments, and will underline Lithuania's strong commitment in this area, as well as our country's ambitious goals in the areas of green economy, energy and climate neutrality," the presidential press service said.

On the sidelines of COP28, Nauseda is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with other heads of state, and he will also meet with Lithuanians living in the UAE.

COP28 will bring together the heads of state from the parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Priorities for this year's climate change conference include accelerating the energy transition, identifying climate finance, and focusing climate action on nature, people, lives and livelihoods.

Around 70,000 people will attend the climate conference starting on Thursday. It could be the largest UN climate meeting in history.

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Lithuanian president against VAT hike for defense without food exemption

VILNIUS, Nov 30, BNS – Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda vows not to support a VAT hike to increase defense funding, unless an exemption for food and other essentials is introduced.

He made the remarks as politicians are considering introducing a so-called defense tax by raising some of the existing taxes. No concrete proposals have been registered so far, but politicians are considering raising VAT or corporate tax rates, for example, to boost defense funding.

The president believes the public may be angered by talk of new taxes in the context of the tax reform stalled in the parliament.

"To talk about the introduction of individual taxes again in this context, and even more so about raising taxes like VAT, means angering the Lithuanian population again with individual proposals taken out of context, even with the best intentions," the president told the Lithuanian public broadcaster LRT's Dienos Tema (The Topic of the Day) on Wednesday. "This is not good and it certainly does not serve global peace and stability, especially the stability of society."

Presidential advisor Frederikas Jansonas says a higher VAT would also increase the tax burden on the most disadvantaged in Lithuania, which is why Nauseda would only support a VAT hike for defense spending if more VAT exemptions were introduced at the same time.

"Since VAT is a regressive tax and its increase would hit the poorest in the country the hardest, the president will not support a VAT increase for defense purposes without additional solutions, such as VAT relief for food or other essential goods," Jansonas told BNS.

The government proposes allocating 2.75 percent of GDP to defense next year. Around 2.52 percent will come from stable budgetary allocations, with the remainder will come from the existing temporary bank solidarity levy and borrowed funds.

The standard VAT rate in Lithuania is 21 percent, and there are also reduced rates of 5 and 9 percent for various goods and services.

By Saulius Jakučionis

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Lawyer Vegele announces decision to run for Lithuanian president in 2024   

VILNIUS, Nov 30, BNS – Lawyer Ignas Vegele has announced his decision to run for Lithuanian president next year.

"Hearing and feeling the trust of many people who love Lithuania, I have decided to run in next year's presidential election," he said at a campaign launch event on Wednesday evening.

The 48-year-old lawyer said he is returning to politics because Lithuania needs "strong, courageous, yet open leadership for the nation and all its people."

"Leadership that is not afraid to staunchly defend our nation's fundamental values, and seek justice, Lithuania's security and peace, and concern for the most vulnerable," the presidential candidate said.

"Leadership that spares no effort or determination and has the competence to change Lithuania's flawed political and governance system," he added.

Vegele served as vice-chairman of the Board of the Christian Democratic Party of Lithuania from 2002 to 2004 and its chairman from 2004 to 2006. He unsuccessfully ran for the European Parliament.

In his campaign launch event, Vegele said that he does not represent any political party or political interest, nor is he committed to any business.

"All the more so, I have no obligations to any foreign country or any special or security service,” he said.

Vegele vowed to be active both in domestic and foreign policy.

The lawyer claimed that some of the country's officials are currently not coping with their duties, but he did not name any of them.

He described the current government’s foreign policy as "experimental". 

"We had a falling out with China, now we are back to supporting the one-China policy. The same is happening with the long-term strategy toward Belarus. For years, we carried a heavy political burden of having a difficult neighbor, but we managed to keep it (Belarus) neutral. In the end, in the last few years, we have given it to Russia,” said Vegele.

"We need to avoid making mistakes, we need to talk to our main partners, our security partners – NATO, EU officials – before we take decisions," he added.

Asked about the financing of his campaign, Vegele said that he personally covered the costs of Wednesday's presentation event, but he did not specify how much it cost.

The lawyer also said that he plans to open a campaign account next week. 

"One candidate may need millions to become president, another candidate may need tens of thousands. I hope I won't need much money," he said.

The lawyer promised to present his team later.

Lithuania will hold its next presidential election on May 12 next year.

Opinion polls indicate that Vegele is among the top three most popular candidates, along with Gitanas Nauseda, the incumbent, and Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte.

The ruling conservative Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats (HU-LCD) has named Simonyte as the party's presidential candidate.  

Nauseda is expected to announce his decisions on whether or not to run in the 2024 race on December 7. 

The Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union is fielding Aurelija Veryga, a former health minister and now an MP, in the presidential election. The Democratic Union "For Lithuania" has named Giedrimas Jeglinskas, a former deputy defense minister and NATO assistant secretary general, as its candidate.

The Freedom Party is nominating Dainius Zalimas, a former president of the Constitutional Court, and the Freedom and Justice has named Arturas Paulauskas, its acting chairman, as the party's candidate.

The Liberal Movement announced on Tuesday that it would not nominate a candidate.

Valdas Tutkus, a former chief of defense, Mantas Varaska, the mayor of Kazlu Ruda, a town in southern Lithuania, and Antanas Kandrotas have also announced their intention to run for president. 

Kandrotas, known by the nickname Celofanas (Cellophane), is on trial in a criminal case concerning the August 2021 riot outside the parliament building in Vilnius. 

 

By Augustas Stankevičius, Saulius Jakučionis

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Defense bonds would increase public debt – Lithuanian PM

VILNIUS, Nov 30, BNS – The proposal by some politicians to raise additional revenue for national defense by issuing defense bonds would increase the public debt, Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte says.

"Defense bonds are the same debt, so it seems to me that all of those who are proposing to borrow more for defense are just playing tricks because it is self-deception. (...) If we increase the percentage we allocate to defense without increasing the percentage of revenue we collect in the budget, then we are simply increasing our debt," Simonyte told the Ziniu Radijas news radio on Thursday.

The opposition Lithuanian Social Democratic Party political group in the Seimas has called on the government to consider creating a new source of revenue, defense bonds. According to the party, the defense budget is currently clearly insufficient and it is urgent to find alternative sources of funding.

The prime minister says that as the debt grows, so would its servicing costs, which could be used to finance the same defense.

The government proposes allocating 2.75 percent of GDP to defense next year. Around 2.52 percent will come from stable budgetary allocations, with the remainder will come from the existing temporary bank solidarity levy and borrowed funds.

The total planned expenditure on national defense for next year will amount to 2.06 billion euros.

By Valdas Pryšmantas

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Lithuania's Dulkys, other EU health ministers to discuss drug policy issues

VILNIUS, Nov 30, BNS – Lithuanian Health Minister Arunas Dulkys is meeting with his EU counterparts in Brussels on Thursday to discuss the bloc's medicines policy, mental health, pandemic prevention and other issues.

At the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council's meeting, ministers will exchange views on improving the EU's open strategic autonomy in the field of health, including regarding medicines shortages and the EU's pharmaceutical strategy, the Health Ministry has said. 

Ministers are also expected to approve conclusions on mental health and policy prioritization in this area.

Among other things, Spain, which currently which holds the EU's rotating presidency, will update ministers on proposals for a regulation on fees payable to the European Medicines Agency (EMA).

Spain and the European Commission will also provide information on ongoing negotiations on an international agreement on pandemics prevention and preparedness.

 

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Ukrainians hardly interested in Lithuanian citizenship – department

VILNIUS, Nov 30, BNS – As a study by the East European Studies Center showed that about ten percent of Ukrainians would like to stay in Lithuania and become citizens, Evelina Gudzinskaite, director of the Lithuanian Migration Department, says the department has not yet received any such inquiries, adding that only nine Ukrainians have obtained Lithuanian citizenship this year. 

"We do hear mostly questions about what will happen in a year's time, that is, Ukrainians who turn to us don't think that far, the uncertainty is so great. The most common question for them is how to extend their residence permit. After that, of course, if the temporary protection expires, there will be questions about how to continue staying in Lithuania," Gudzinskaite told the Lithuanian public radio LRT.

"We receive practically no questions about citizenship. If we look at how many Ukrainians have applied for citizenship in recent years, so only a handful, this year only nine Ukrainians have become citizens through naturalization," she said. 

Interior Vice Minister Arnold Abromavicius says citizenship is a universal institute and there is no distinction between which country's citizen wants to acquire it. There are clear requirements for citizenship: ten years of residence and knowledge of the Lithuanian language. Exceptions are made when marrying a Lithuanian citizen, in which case the time is shorter.

Ukrainians can also apply for a permanent residence permit after spending five years in Lithuania, having basic knowledge of the Lithuanian language and without posing national security concerns, the vice minister said.

According to Gudzinskaite, many Ukrainians find it quite difficult to obtain a permanent residence permit due to their mobile lifestyle. 

"In order to obtain permanent resident status, you have to have lived in Lithuania for five years. We have noticed that Ukrainians are quite mobile, and many of them still want to return to Ukraine. There are cases where they come back to Ukraine, live, realize that it is impossible to live there, and they return. They do not maintain continuity, they often leave Lithuania," Gudzinskaite said.

The East European Studies Center has recently published a survey showing that most Ukrainians do not have very defined plans for the future. When asked how long they plan to stay in Lithuania, 41 percent said they would stay until the end of the war in their home country, while 39 percent said they planned to spend several years in Lithuania. Around ten percent said they were determined to stay, and the same number said they would stay until they could settle safely in Ukraine.

Currently, about 86,000 Ukrainian citizens live in Lithuania.

By Jurgita Andriejauskaitė

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Lithuanian defmin to head to US for major defense forum

VILNIUS, Nov 30, BNS – Lithuanian Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas on Thursday is leaving for the United States to attend the Reagan National Defense Forum (RNDF). 

In the forum, a major annual event of the US security and defense community, Anusauskas will join US security and defense officials for discussions on today's key security challenges, the Defense Ministry said in a press release. 

RNDF brings together high-level US administration officials, members of the Congress, senior military leadership, representatives of influential media outlets, and several international guests.

The forum's program includes discussions on US defense priorities, key challenges to the US security agenda, and the development of the US defense industry. 

On the sidelines of the forum, Anusauskas will hold meetings with members of the Congress.

As part of his US visit, the minister is also scheduled to visit AeroVironment's factory.  

Lithuania has signed a contract on the acquisition of the company's Switchblade 600 combat drones from the US.

 

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Russia's not yet ready for conventional war, might engage in diversions – Lithuanian chair

VILNIUS, Nov 30, BNS - Russia is not ready for a conventional war against Western countries and will need five to seven years to rebuild its capabilities after the invasion of Ukraine, Laurynas Kasciunas, chair of the Lithuanian parliamentary Committee on National Security and Defense, says.

Nevertheless, he says, other scenarios are possible, such as an incursion without the intention to occupy, or attacks on strategic facilities.

"I agree with those who say that Russia is not ready for a major divisional conventional war now, it will need several years to rebuild its capabilities, especially if some kind of ceasefire is established according to their rules," Kasciunas told the parliament on Thursday.

"Five to seven years (to prepare - BNS) for a conventional war, yes. But there are other scenarios, other forms: the hybrid field, the grey zone, incursions without the aim of occupation, Hamas scenarios that we have seen in Israel, diversions against strategic facilities", the committee chair said.

The Lithuanian parliament is on Thursday holding a discussion on the implementation of the total defense concept to assess how the state's national defense preparedness should be strengthened through the public and NGO sectors.

In his opening remarks, Kasciunas stressed that total defense is the responsibility of every citizen, and it is mandatory in Lithuania due to the geopolitical situation

The model of total defense may vary, he said, as it is primarily based on universal conscription in some countries, while in others it is a "multi-layered thing", and Lithuania is moving towards the latter. But for the system to work, everyone needs to know their place within total defense.

For her part, Speaker of the Seimas Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen says the implementation of the principle of total defense is one of the main security objectives of the country, along the establishment of an army division and the physical deployment of the German brigade.

Earlier this month, the State Defense Council approved the national defense plan and set out the mechanisms for its implementation and cooperation. It also established the e National Coordination Council for Total Defense, which held its first meeting last Monday.

By Milena Andrukaitytė

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Lithuanian court upholds decision to revoke Russian citizen Vodo's residence permit

VILNIUS, Nov 30, BNS - The Supreme Administrative Court of Lithuania on Wednesday issued a final and binding ruling upholding the decision to revoke Russian citizen Vladimir Vodo's residence permit in Lithuania.

"The decision remains unchanged, the appeal was rejected," Neringa Lukoseviciene, spokesperson for the court, told BNS on Thursday.

As previously reported, the Migration Department revoked Vodo's residence permit after the State Security Department concluded that he was a threat to national security.

The State Security Department submitted an assessment to the Migration Department, stating that, according to the available information and taking into account the current geopolitical situation, Russian citizen Vladimir Vodo's residence in Lithuania poses a threat to the state's security.

Vodo, who claims to be a journalist, has disloyal views towards Lithuania, disseminates propaganda on social media in line with Russia's information policy, and has come in contact with representatives of the Russian and Belarusian intelligence services.

Lithuania's Migration Department has revoked 125 residence permits in Lithuania in total since the start of this year, including 97 issued to Russian citizens. The majority of these Russian citizens had their residence permits revoked following the SSD's conclusions that hey posed a threat, according to information available to BNS.

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Senate approves McDonald as US Ambassador to Lithuania

VILNIUS, Nov 30, BNS - Diplomat Kara McDonald has been appointed US ambassador to Lithuania after the Senate approved her appointment.

"The Senate confirmed by voice vote Kara C. McDonald … to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Lithuania," the Senate posted on X.

The US Embassy in Lithuania says it is not yet clear when the new ambassador will arrive in Lithuania.

McDonald previously served as a deputy assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights and labor. From January 2021 to April 2022, she was simultaneously appointed as senior officer for monitoring and combating anti-Semitism in the Office of the Special Envoy.

She previously served as US consul general in Strasbourg.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in French and Comparative Literature from the University of Michigan, and a Master of Arts from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. She speaks or has studied French, Romanian, and Russian.

The diplomat will replace outgoing ambassador Robert Gilchrist who has represented the US in Lithuania since 2019.

US ambassadors to foreign countries are confirmed by the Senate.

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Gas prices for Lithuanian households to fall 4-7 cents from January 

VILNIUS, Nov 30, BNS – Natural gas prices for Lithuanian households are set to fall by 4-7 euro cents per cubic meter from January, compared to their current levels.

The National Energy Regulatory Council (NERC) on Thursday set the tariffs for Ignitis' consumers for the first half of 2024.

The price for households with the lowest consumption (up to 300 cubic meters per year) is declining by 7 cents to 1.29 euros and that for consumers using the fuel to heat their homes (between 300 and 20,000 cubic meters annually) is going down by 4 cents to 0.83 euros. 

The third group with the highest consumption (over 20,000 cubic meters) will also see a reduction of 4 cents, to 0.79 euros.

Currently, consumers using the least amount of gas pay 1.36 euros per cubic meter and those using gas to heat their homes pay 0.87 euros. The group consuming the most gas pays 0.83 euros.

The state currently subsidizes part of Ignitis' natural gas tariffs, but the scheme will be scrapped starting from January.

 

By Valdas Pryšmantas

Editor: Roma Pakėnienė

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Lithuania, Georgia sign plan for defense cooperation

VILNIUS, Nov 30, BNS - Lithuanian and Georgian Defense Vice Ministers Zilvinas Tomkus and Lela Chikovani have signed a bilateral plan for strengthening cooperation in 2024.

The plan outlines the visits, participation in exercises and courses planned for next year, the Defense Ministry said on Thursday.

Lithuanian-Georgian defense cooperation covers a wide range of areas, including military training and education, joint participation in exercises in Lithuania and Georgia, consultations on the conscription system, and a strong focus on cyber defense.

There is also military cooperation between the Land and Special Operations Forces and the countries' military academies.

"Defense cooperation with Georgia is one of our priority areas in the Eastern Partnership countries. Lithuania will continue to consistently support Georgia's Euro-Atlantic aspirations, both at the political level and through practical assistance," Tomkus said.

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Lithuanian ministry fined EUR 40,500 for restricting competition in railway market

VILNIUS, Nov 30, BNS – The Lithuanian Competition Council said on Thursday that it has imposed a fine of 40,530 euros on the Transport Ministry for restricting competition and access to public railway infrastructure. 

The Competition Council said in a press release that certain rules adopted by the Transport Ministry in 2020 favor LTG Cargo, the freight transportation arm of the state railway group Lietuvos Gelezinkeliai (Lithuanian Railways, LTG), and discriminate against other potential service providers.

"The investigation was initiated in November 2021 based on suspicion that certain provisions of the rules regarding the allocation of capacity in the overloaded part of the public railway infrastructure might contradict the Law on Competition. These rules apply in cases where multiple companies wish to transport freight by rail, and there is a shortage of available infrastructure capacity in a specific section," the competition watchdog said.

Among other things, the rules, approved by the then Transport Minister Jaroslav Narkevic, barred Gargzdu Gelezinkelis, a company indirectly controlled by Igor Udovickij, from transporting freight through Lithuania.  

The Transport Ministry said in a statement that its disagrees with the watchdog's ruling and will challenge it in court.

According to Ramunas Dilba, the ministry's chancellor, Narkevic's decision was not aimed at restricting access to the infrastructure for any specific carriers, including Gargzdu Gelezinkelis. 

The ministry points out that under EU law, it is up to the state to decide which rail services are to be given priority. For example, promoting the use of electric trains may give priority to such a carrier, while encouraging combined transport could prioritize a carrier that transports goods in semi-trailers.

"Such and similar requirements are a matter for the state to decide and should not be considered as restricting competition," it said. 

According to the ministry, while finalizing the train schedules for 2022-2023 and 2023-2024, no sections were declared congested, thus all companies were allocated the capacity they requested. 

Gargzdu Gelezinkelis has been engaged in legal battles over the authorities' failure to allocate it transport capacities in 2019-2020.

In September, the EU Court of Justice clarified the interpretation of a directive on the principles governing the use of railway infrastructure in the bloc.

Ir ruled that a priority criterion may be applied when evaluating applications, provided that its application allows infrastructure capacity to be allocated in a fair and non-discriminatory manner and in accordance with EU law.

Gargzdu Gelezinkelis is 85 percent owned by Swiss-based Hasenberg, which is owned by Fortis Asset Management, a Latvian company controlled by Udovickij. The latter directly owns 6 percent of Gargzdu Gelezinkelis, with another 9 percent held by five other natural persons.

  

 

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Russia interested in opening Kaliningrad crossing, no proposals yet – Lithuanian MFA

VILNIUS, Nov 30, BNS - Russia is interested in the possibility of opening the Dubki-Rambynas border crossing point but has not yet made any proposals to Lithuania, Lithuania's Foreign Ministry has told BNS.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not received such proposals, but the Russian Federation is raising the issues mentioned in your request," the ministry said.

According to newkaliningrad.ru, earlier this month, the Kaliningrad regional authorities sent a letter to the Russian Foreign Ministry, asking it to hold talks with Lithuania on the opening of the Dubki-Rambynas border checkpoint, as well as on lifting th existing rail transit quotas.

For its part, the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry says the transit of passengers to and from the Kaliningrad region is taking place smoothly and in accordance with the agreed conditions for the facilitated transit of Russian citizens through the territory of Lithuania.

Meanwhile, there is no separate agreement for the transit of Russian goods. According to the ministry, "Lithuania controls the transit of these goods consistently in accordance with the European Union legislation and the guidelines of the European Commission".

The Dubki-Rambynas checkpoint has already been put in place but is still closed on the Lithuanian side.

By Augustas Stankevičius

Editor: Roma Pakėnienė

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Mayor of Lithuania's Jonava named suspect in municipal payouts probe 

VILNIUS, Nov 30, BNS – Mindaugas Sinkevicius, the Social Democratic mayor of the central town of Jonava and president of the Association of Local Authorities in Lithuania, has been named a suspect in a pre-trial investigation into the possible misappropriation of municipal funds he received as a councilor, the Prosecutor General's Office said on Thursday.

Law-enforcement officials have brought formal charges of abuse, falsification of a document and misappropriation of property against the mayor, it said in a press release.

As a member of the Jonava District Municipal Council at the time, Sinkevicius was entitled to receive allowances for expenses incurred while performing his duties as a councilor, including for office supplies, postage, telephone, Internet, transport services, and rent of office space. 

According to the Prosecutor's Office, the investigation revealed that between 2019 and 2023, Sinkevicius may have used the funds to buy items for his personal use and pay the bills for a mobile phone used by his wife.

There are also indications that certain financial documents submitted to the Jonava District Municipality Administration to justify the expenses might have been falsified. 

According to law enforcement, the available information gives them ground to suspect that Sinkevicius unlawfully received over 1,500 euros from the municipal budget.

When suspicions of abuse of municipal payouts became public, Sinkevicius denied the allegations, but pledged to refund part of the money.

In May, the Jonava mayor announced his decision to refund 4,000 euros paid for communication services, because he had given one of his phones to his wife to use while she was on maternity leave.

The Special Investigation Service is conducting a total of 16 pre-trial investigations into suspicions of abuse by municipal councilors of allowances for transport, communications and stationery expenses.

 

By Milena Andrukaitytė

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Lithuania allocate funds for needs of Palestinian civilians

VILNIUS, Nov 30, BNS - Lithuania will allocate an additional 100,000 euros in humanitarian aid for civilians in Gaza as the temporary ceasefire continues, the country's Foreign Ministry says.

"Lithuania's contribution will help international humanitarian organizations in Palestine to provide food, medicine, water and other vital assistance to civilians and facilitate the evacuation of the sick, wounded and other vulnerable people," the ministry said in a statement.

Initial estimates of humanitarian needs in Gaza exceed 1 billion euros.

The war between Israel and the Islamist group Hamas began on October 7 after the group killed at least 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took nearly 250 hostages. In response to this attack, the deadliest in the country's history, Israel launched an offensive in the Gaza Strip to destroy Hamas. According to the group's government in the Gaza Strip, nearly 15,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in the area. Some 1.7 million people have been forced to flee their homes and 2.2 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance.

According to the UN, water, food and electricity shortages remain critical in Gaza Strip.

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Ellex Valiunas, Covington & Burling to represent Lithuania in dispute with Belaruskali

VILNIUS, Nov 30, BNS – Lithuania will be represented by one of the country's biggest law firms Ellex Valiunas and Covington & Burling, a London-based world-renowned law firm, after the Belarusian potash fertilizer producer Belaruskali initiated an arbitration vase against Lithuania and demands damages for the losses it incurred as a result of the suspension of fertilizer transit via Lithuania in February 2022, Ellex Valiunas has told BNS. 

"Yes, we can confirm this fact," Jolanta Venskute, acting business development manager at Ellex Valiunas, told BNS.

She refrained to disclose the value of the claim and the arbitration court involved, as well as the value for the contract signed and whom the law firms signed it with.

"The arbitration process is strictly confidential and we cannot disclose any further details in order not to harm the state's interests," Venskute said.

Lithuanian Transport and Communications Minister Marius Skuodis told reporters earlier that this is "a normal procedure if a party appeals against one or another provision of intergovernmental agreements". 

He refrained to comment on the details of Belaruskali's complaint, citing the confidentiality of the process. 

Belaruskali filed a lawsuit for the termination of the 1999 bilateral investment agreement and is demanding damages after the Lithuanian government annulled the freight contract between Lietuvos Gelezinkeliai (Lithuanian Railways, LTG), the country's state-owned railway company, and Belaruskali in January 2022, suspending potash fertilizer shipments through Lithuania as of February 1. 

The Belarusian fertilizer giant is demanding around 1 billion euros in damages, according to the TV3 news website.

The New York Times reported that a report by the Lithuanian government, which assessed the potential damages caused by the suspension of Belarusian exports through the port of Klaipeda, said that Lithuania could be sued for up to 15 billion US dollars.

The New York Times has also described Belaruskali as a "cash cow" serving the Belarusian regime's leader Alexander Lukashenko.

By Erika Alonderytė-Kazlauskė

Editor: Roma Pakėnienė

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Jonava mayor suspends Lithuanian SocDem Party membership amid funds misuse suspicions

VILNIUS, Nov 30, BNS – Mindaugas Sinkevicius, the mayor of the central town of Jonava, is suspending his membership of the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (LSDP) and suggesting that the Association of Local Authorities in Lithuania suspend his duties as its president amid law enforcement's suspicions of the misuse of municipal allowances. 

"In order not to harm the organizations of which I am a member, I am temporarily suspending my activities in the LSDP and I will submit a similar proposal to the board of the Association of Local Authorities to suspend my duties as president," Sinkevicius posted on Facebook on Thursday.

This followed the announcement by the Prosecutor General's Office that law-enforcement officials have brought formal charges of abuse, falsification of a document and misappropriation of property against the mayor in their pre-trial investigation into the possible misappropriation of municipal funds he received for his activities as a councilor. 

"Suspicions are not a charge or a conviction," said Sinkevicius. "Trusting in Lithuania's legal system, I will defend my position legally and believe that the suspicions will not be substantiated." 

 "I will not speculate on how and when this process will end. However, I can say now, as I have before, that I do not feel that I violated municipal rules or the country's laws," he added. 

Sinkevicius also maintains that he answered all questions about the alleged misuse of expenses at a press conference in May and that he cannot comment further on the situation due to the ongoing pre-trial investigation. 

"I answered all the questions I was asked and explained the content of my expenses. I have returned the funds that were questioned at the time to the municipal budget and have sincerely apologized to everyone. Unfortunately, this does not seem to be enough," he said.

In its congress in May, the LSDP decided that its members who have misused municipal funds will have to pay them back and recommended that they suspend their membership if law enforcement gets involved. 

As a member of the Jonava District Municipal Council at the time, Sinkevicius was entitled to receive allowances for expenses incurred while performing his duties as a councilor, including for office supplies, postage, telephone, Internet, transport services, and rent of office space. 

According to the Prosecutor General's Office, however, the investigation revealed that between 2019 and 2023, Sinkevicius may have used the funds to buy items for his personal use and pay the bills for a mobile phone used by his wife.

There are also indications that certain financial documents submitted to the Jonava District Municipality Administration to justify the expenses might have been falsified, the prosecutors said.

According to law enforcement, the available information gives them ground to suspect that Sinkevicius unlawfully received over 1,500 euros from the municipal budget.

When suspicions of abuse of municipal payouts became public, Sinkevicius denied the allegations, but pledged to refund part of the money.

In May, the Jonava mayor announced his decision to refund 4,000 euros paid for communication services, because he had given one of his phones to his wife to use while she was on maternity leave.

The Special Investigation Service is conducting a total of 16 pre-trial investigations into suspicions of abuse by municipal councilors of allowances for transport, communications and stationery expenses.

According to the prosecutors' statement, Sinkevicius is the third person against whom formal suspicions have been brought in such a pre-trial investigation.

On October 19, suspicions of misusing municipal funds were brought against Sergei Dmitrijev, a former Vilnius City Municipality Council member, and his wife.

 

By Milena Andrukaitytė

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Ex-Lithuanian MP pleads not guilty to sexual charges

VILNIUS, Nov 30, BNS – Ex-Lithuanian MP Kristijonas Bartosevicius accused of sexual offences against minors has pleaded not guilty and plans to testify at the next court hearing.

"The indictment has been read out and the accused does not admit his guilt on the charges brought against him," Jolita Gudeliene, spokesperson for the Panevezys Regional Court, told BNS on Thursday after the court hearing.

Bartosevicius is accused of committing 10 criminal offenses, including two sexual assaults on minors on minors, four offenses of molestation of a person under 16 years of age, and four offenses of minor bodily harm.

The former lawmaker is expected to testify on December 20.

Bartosevicius attended the Thursday hearing via videolink.

During the hearing, the court also accepted two more civil claims from the victims' representatives. There are three of them in total.

The former MP remains subject to the previously imposed measures of restraint, including an undertaking not to leave and a ban on contact with certain persons. He has had his documents taken by law-enforcement bodies.

Bartosevicius may face a prison sentence ranging from 3 to 15 years for sexual assault, up to 5 years in jail for the molestation of a person aged under 16, and lighter sentences for health impairment.

Bartosevicius is suspected of committing the offenses while he served as a member of the Seimas.

The delfi.lt news website reported earlier that the former MP is suspected of having molested members of Azuoliukas, a Vilnius-based choir for boys and young men.

Prosecutors launched their pre-trial investigation in this case in November 2022 and brought formal suspicions against Bartosevicius in February.

The man resigned as an MP in late January.

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Belgium, France take over helm of NATO air policing mission in Baltics

VILNIUS, Nov 30, BNS – Belgium and France has today taken over the helm of the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states.

A Belgian Royal Air Force detachment with four F-16 Fighting Falcons and a French Air Force Detachment with Mirage2000 that will reinforce the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states replaced an Italian Air Force capability after four months, the Defense Ministry said.

The Belgian Air Force will be providing its seventh rotation of the mission. It will include approx. 80 members: pilots, technicians, medical personnel, support groups, communications specialists, etc.

The French will be guarding the Baltic skies for the eighth time with a contingent of strength of approx. 100 military specialists of different areas.

The outgoing Italian detachment was protecting the Baltic airspace with four Eurofighter Typhoon fighter aircraft.

NATO allies have been deploying troops and assets to guard the Baltic airspace since March 2004 when Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia joined NATO. Since then, 17 Allies have flown the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states. The mission completed by the Italian Air Detachment will the 63rd since the laucnh of the NATO Baltic Air Policing effort in 2004.

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Banks in Lithuania pay almost EUR 102 mln in solidarity levy

VILNIUS, Nov 30, BNS - Eight Lithuanian commercial banks and credit unions have paid 101.6 million euros in solidarity levy to the state budget by Thursday afternoon, the State Tax Inspectorate told BNS on Thursday.

"Solidarity levy premiums amounting to 101.6 million euros have already been paid and 8 financial institutions have transferred them," Ruta Asadauskaite, spokesperson for the tax authority, told BNS. 

Siauliu Bankas told BNS earlier it would transfer more than 2.6 million euros in the second solidarity levy installment. And Luminor already transferred 12.5 million euros at the beginning of the week. The other major banks are yet announce the amounts they have paid.

Banks in Lithuania have until the end of November 30 to make the second payment.

The Bank of Lithuania estimates that the banks' solidarity levy for the third quarter of this year will exceed 100 million euros, and that the total contribution for this year could reach around€250 million euros.

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Lithuanian govts sets up commission to coordinate preparations for German brigade

VILNIUS, Nov 30, BNS - The Lithuanian government is setting up a special commission to coordinate preparations in Lithuania to host the German army brigade.

According to the draft resolution, the commission will include the prime minister, the government chancellor and all ministers except for the ministers of the economy and innovation, energy and culture.

The commission will meet to discuss inter-institutional issues related to the presence of the German brigade in the country and to initiate the adoption of the necessary decisions. It will also consider measures needed to ensure the presence of the German unit and, if necessary, make proposals to the government "on the allocation of necessary resources or other decisions related to the implementation of such measures".

According to the draft resolution, Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas will be tasked to set up a working group involving representatives of the institutions represented in the commission. The working group will involve independent experts, representatives of state and municipal institutions, bodies and other organizations to discuss inter-institutional issues and propose solutions related to the provision of civil infrastructure and services. 

Anusauskas has also been tasked to represent the government in a joint working group of the Lithuanian and German Ministries of Defense.

Germany vows to deploy the brigade in Lithuania within the next few years, and a cross-border treaty is expected to be signed next year. Germany is expected to deploy a tank battalion, two maneuver battalions, an artillery battalion and a logistics battalion in Lithuania.

Vilnius and Berlin are currently negotiating what infrastructure Lithuania will have to provide for the incoming German troops. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has said that Lithuania will have to prepare not only military infrastructure, but also so-called social infrastructure, such as schools, kindergartens and leisure facilities.

 

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LITHUANIA DAILY NEWS BULLETIN

IN THIS ISSUE:

1. Upcoming events in Lithuania for Wednesday, November 29, 2023
2. Six irregular migrants turned away on Lithuania's border with Belarus
3. Lithuanian chief of defense to attend Berlin Security Conference
4. Protest to be held in Vilnius in solidarity with Palestinian people
5. JEF to respond to critical infrastructure breaches Baltic, North Sea regions
6. Lithuania reports 1,222 new COVID-19 cases, 1 death
7. Lithuanian parlt speaker won’t run for president
8. Russia has started rebuilding non-Ukraine war capabilities – NATO commander (media)
9. New defense tax unrealistic unless all parties agree on it – Lithuanian parlt speaker 
10. Ministry, trade unions back tighter recruitment of third-country nationals
11. Lithuania, 4 other countries submit Siberia birch bark letters to UNESCO register
12. Russia's rebuilding capabilities for non-Ukraine war 'on paper' – Lithuanian defmin
13. Lithuania contributes EUR 2 mln to Grain from Ukraine program
14. Russia, Belarus can't use Interpol for political purposes – Lithuanian minister
15. Masiulis, Kurlianskis ask Lithuanian Supreme Court for acquittal in corruption case
16. Around 100 Palestinian supporters protest in Vilnius against Israeli actions 
17. Lithuania's migration chief elected chair of EU asylum agency's management board
18. Upcoming events in Lithuania for Thursday, November 30, 2023

Upcoming events in Lithuania for Wednesday, November 29, 2023

VILNIUS, Nov 29, BNS – The following events are scheduled in Lithuania for Wednesday, November 29, 2023:

SPEAKER OF THE SEIMAS Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen to meet with Czech Ambassador Ales Opata at 11 a.m. 

THE CABINET to hold its regular meeting and sitting at 1 p.m.

FOREIGN MINISTER Gabrielius Landsbergis to attend a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Brussels.

INTERIOR MINISTER Agne Bilotaite to pay a working visit to Vienna.

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Six irregular migrants turned away on Lithuania's border with Belarus

VILNIUS, Nov 29, BNS – Lithuanian border guards have in the past 24 hours turned away six migrants attempting to cross into the country from Belarus illegally, the State Border Guard Service (SBGS) said on Wednesday morning.

Latvia reported no attempts at illegal border crossings on Tuesday, and there were no attempts recorded into Poland on Monday, according to the latest available information.

More than 2,500 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 over 21,800 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.

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Lithuanian chief of defense to attend Berlin Security Conference

VILNIUS, Nov 29, BNS – Lithuania's Chief of Defense General Valdemaras Rupsys is leaving for the two-day Berlin Security Conference, one of the largest events on European security and defense issues, the Lithuanian army said on Wednesday.

Rupsys has been invited to join the high-level military forum Deterrence and Defense in the Central Region, which will discuss key deterrence methods and defense plans. It will bring together the chiefs of defense of Lithuania, the Netherlands, Finland, Sweden, Hungary and Germany for an exchange of views and discussions.

They will discuss NATO and EU political leadership, rapid reaction force issues, and the importance of the "nuclear card" as a NATO deterrent. The event will cover preparations for the defense of NATO territories and multi-dimensional defense plans, as well as the development of a strong reserve.

The conference will also cover the EU Strategic Roadmap Strategy, NATO's security and defense plans in different dimensions, energy and critical infrastructure as a basis for economic security, the security implications of climate change, the healthcare system as part of the national defense strategy, the use of artificial intelligence in the military dimension and military assistance to Ukraine.

The Berlin Security Conference is attended annually by members of national parliaments and the European Parliament, representatives of ministries and agencies, armed forces and security organizations from more than 50 countries, as well as the military industry.

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Protest to be held in Vilnius in solidarity with Palestinian people

VILNIUS, Nov 29, BNS - A protest against Israel's actions will be held in Vilnius on Wednesday to mark the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.

The organizers say the aim is to express solidarity with the Palestinian people, honor those who have died as a result of Israeli military action in Gaza and the West Bank, and condemn what they say are crimes against humanity.

Protesters will gather in the Cathedral Square, then march along Gediminas Avenue to Vincas Kudirka Square where a commemoration of the Palestinian dead will take place.

The war between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas began on October 7 when the group killed at least 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took nearly 250 hostages. In response to this attack, the deadliest in the country's history, Israel launched an offensive in the Gaza Strip to destroy Hamas.

Palestinian hospitals, schools, refugee camps, mosques and churches, and residential buildings have been hit during this period.

According to the Hamas government in the Gaza Strip, nearly 15,000 people, mostly civilians, have died in the Palestinian territory.

More than two thirds of Gaza's total population of 1.7 million have been forced to flee their homes, and there's a critical shortage of water, food and electricity, according to the United Nations.

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JEF to respond to critical infrastructure breaches Baltic, North Sea regions

VILNIUS, Nov 29, BNS - The UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force will contribute capabilities to respond to critical infrastructure breaches in the Baltic and North Sea regions, Lithuania's Defense Ministry said on Tuesday.

The decision follows an incident in October when a ship is believed to have damaged a gas pipeline connecting Estonia and Finland in the Baltic Sea.

According to the ministry, this is the first time that the JEF response has been activated in response to an actual incident, the aforementioned case.

"Repeated breaches of critical infrastructure in the region are a serious signal. The response requires coordination, and we thank and support the Joint Expeditionary Force for its initiative. We, the JEF countries, need to remain vigilant and be able to react quickly to provocations, to prevent and deter them in the future," Lithuania's Defense Vice Minister Zilvinas Tomkus told a virtual meeting of JEF defense ministers on Tuesday.

The meeting agreed to activate a JEF Response Option, where maritime and air capabilities will be deployed in the Nordic-Baltic region as a military contribution to the protection of critical underwater infrastructure.

The measure will be launched in early December to demonstrate capability and deter hostile actions, and will ensure a security presence and strengthening of the common efforts with NATO in the Baltic Sea.

"We see the JEF as one of the first responses to any crisis, and the activation of the response is proof that the JEF is a credible European security actor. Working together through the JEF, we can pool resources, share intelligence and find a wide range of common solutions to common regional security challenges. In this way, we can support the efforts of NATO and other organizations in this area," Tomkus said.

In his words, the security of critical infrastructure remains high on the agenda in Lithuania, and the Defense Ministry is working hard to enhance the resilience and protection of critical infrastructure.

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Lithuania reports 1,222 new COVID-19 cases, 1 death

VILNIUS, Nov 29, BNS – Lithuania has recorded 1,222 new coronavirus infections and one death from COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, official statistics showed on Wednesday morning.

The 14-day primary infection rate has risen to 387.8 cases per 100,000 people, with the seven-day percentage of positive tests at 37.3 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. 

Two-thirds of the country's population have received at least one coronavirus vaccine jab so far, according to the statistics.

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Lithuanian parlt speaker won’t run for president

VILNIUS, Nov 29, BNS – Speaker of the Lithuanian Seimas Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen has announced her decision not to run for president next year, and her party, the Liberal Movement, therefore, has no plans to nominate a candidate at all.

Cmilyte-Nielsen notified the Board of the Liberal Movement of her decision on Tuesday night.

"As the leader of the Liberal Movement and when I was considering whether to run for president, I stressed that the Seimas election in 2024 was a priority for the party. Therefore, after thanking my colleagues for the confidence they expressed in me, I informed them that I do not intend to participate in the presidential election," the Seimas speaker said. 

The party's board then unanimously decided not to take part in the presidential election and instead to focus on the Seimas and European Parliament elections.

Cmilyte-Nielsen said it would be "logical" for her to lead the party in the Seimas election. She also reiterated her decision not to run for the European Parliament.

As Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte has already announced her decision to run for president and President Gitanas Nauseda is expected to announce his decision to do so later this year, Cmilyte-Nielsen says "it would be very logical for one of the three state leaders not to partake in the race", and to focus on parliamentary work.

The presidential election in Lithuania will take place in May.

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Russia has started rebuilding non-Ukraine war capabilities – NATO commander (media)

VILNIUS, Nov 29, BNS - Russia has started rebuilding its capabilities not meant for the war in Ukraine, Lieutenant General Jurgen-Joachim von Sandrart, commander of NATO's Multinational Corps Northeast, says.

"Russia has announced that it will rebuild its capabilities on the other other border we share. Russia is currently heavily engaged in an illegal war against Ukraine, but it has already started and will continue rebuilding its capabilities for a war outside of Ukraine, which poses a heightened threat to the region where we live, the Baltic Sea region," the general, who visited Vilnius last week, said in an interview with Lithuania's public broadcaster LRT, published on Wednesday.

The NATO commander also said that "the region is responding very well to the sensitive situation with increased tensions".

"It has to do with the fact that the Baltic Sea region, which mainly includes Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, is the one that has the longest border with Russia's area of influence. Including Russia itself with Kaliningrad and perhaps Belarus, which is more like an intermediate or even independent state, but still within Russia's sphere of influence," the NATO Corps commander said.

Von Sandrart came to Vilnius to congratulate the Lithuanian Armed Forces on their 105th anniversary and to participate in the parade of Lithuanian and allied military personnel and equipment.

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New defense tax unrealistic unless all parties agree on it – Lithuanian parlt speaker 

VILNIUS, Nov 29, BNS – Introducing a new defense tax in Lithuania would only be realistic if all parliamentary parties agreed on it, Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen, speaker of the parliament, said on Wednesday.  

"In my opinion, the idea of a defense tax, which has been actively discussed, would only be realistic if all parliamentary parties committed to it and engaged in discussions, because there can be no politicking on this subject," she told the Ziniu Radijas radio station. 

When asked if it would be possible to reach an agreement on such a tax in the pre-election period, Cmilyte-Nielsen agreed that it was not the best time to find solutions on new taxes, but added that a consensus should be sought on fundamental issues for the state, such as security.

Laurynas Kasciunas, chairman of the parliamentary Committee on National Security and Defense, raised the idea of a defense tax following criticism from the president's office that next year's draft national defense budget does not earmark funds for the plan, approved by the State Defense Council, to create a Lithuanian Land Force division.

Kasciunas has said he will start rallying support from political parties for a new defense tax, which could come into force in 2025.

He cited Estonia's two percentage point increase in value added tax (VAT) as a possible example of a defense tax.

 

By Milena Andrukaitytė

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Ministry, trade unions back tighter recruitment of third-country nationals

VILNIUS, Nov 29, BNS – The recruitment of third-country nationals should be tightened to attract more workers with higher added value, Vice Minister of Social Security and Labor Vytautas Silinskas says after the country's Interior Minister's said earlier this week that the growing inflow of third-country nationals coming to Lithuania to work poses a threat to Lithuania's security and proposed tightening up the recruitment of such people.

The Social Security and Labor Ministry supports the recruitment of highly qualified foreigners, the vice minister says, adding, however, that the proposed requirement for foreigners not to change jobs during the first six months is excessive. 

"We are in favor of tighter requirements as we need more investment in automation, to move towards competition on quality rather than cheaper products, and this does not require cheap labor, it requires a skilled, highly-qualified workforce," Silinskas told the public radio LRT on Wednesday.

The Interior Ministry vows to propose stepping up controls on the employment of foreigners and their employers' activities in Lithuania, as well as to tax mediation letters for companies that invite foreigners to work.

Interior Vice Minister Arnoldas Abramavicius says the changes must take into account threats to national security, the interests of politicians, businesses and workers.

"We want to focus specifically on the national security component. Of course, migration needs to be legal to maintain the economy, (...) we have to take a balanced stance with the business world, (...) taking into account the situation of trade unions, workers, and also the situation of those third-country workers, so that they do not become slaves," Abramavicius told the LRT radio. 

The proposals to change the employment procedure and promote integration include proposal to require newcomers to learn the Lithuanian language to a certain level and to refrain from changing jobs for six months. 

Audrius Cuzanauskas, who leads the Trade Union Alliance, says the existing procedure needs to be changed because it lacks control and, as a result, a lot of unqualified labor force  is being brought into the country by falsified documents.

The growing inflow of foreigners coming to Lithuania for work is a threat to Lithuania's security, Interior Minister Agne Bilotaite said on Monday, adding that newcomers are being used as a cover by the intelligence services of hostile countries.

According to the Interior Ministry, some 50,000 foreigners have come to work in Lithuania this year. These are mainly citizens of Belarus, Uzbekistan, Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan. The number of foreigners coming from Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan is also increasing.

By Valdas Pryšmantas

Editor: Roma Pakėnienė

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Lithuania, 4 other countries submit Siberia birch bark letters to UNESCO register

VILNIUS, Nov 29, BNS – Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Poland and Ukraine have submitted a joint application for a collection of letters written in Siberia on birch bark to be inscribed on UNESCO's Memory of the World Register.

The application comprises 148 documents dating from 1940-1965 and held in 31 memory institutions.

The collection includes letters from deportees and political prisoners, memory albums and postcards, the Secretariat of the Lithuanian National Commission for UNESCO said on Wednesday.

"With this application, we want to remember and honor those who suffered from the atrocities of the totalitarian regime. In their letters written on birch bark, we read about their suffering, hunger, sorrow and longing for their homeland and loved ones," Migle Masanauskiene, secretary general of the national commission, said in a press release.

"These extraordinary ego-documents, not many of which have survived, also tell us about the inexorable desire to live, to keep in touch with dear people, and to preserve our cultural identity and hope," she said.

In Lithuania, this unique documentary heritage is held by 10 institutions, including the Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights in Vilnius and the Martynas Mazvydas National Library of Lithuania.

The UNESCO Memory of the World Register currently has 494 entries.

The international register is part of the Memory of the World program, which aims to promote cooperation among memory institutions to preserve and ensure access to documentary heritage.

The register already has three entries related to Lithuania: The Baltic Way – Human Chain Linking Three States in Their Drive for Freedom, Radzwills' Archives and Niasvizh (Nieswiez) Library Collection, and The Act of the Union of Lublin.

A decision on the inclusion of the collection of letters written in Siberia on birch bark is expected to be announced in May 2025.

 

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Russia's rebuilding capabilities for non-Ukraine war 'on paper' – Lithuanian defmin

VILNIUS, Nov 29, BNS – The capabilities Russia is reportedly rebuilding for a non-Ukraine war are still "on paper", Lithuanian Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas says.

"Russia is so far, I would say, more in the field of planning, rebuilding those capabilities. So far, everything is all on paper, but, of course, every military unit, unit, formation, its creation starts with planning," the minister told reporters on Wednesday.

Earlier this week, Lieutenant General Jurgen-Joachim von Sandrart, commander of NATO's Multinational Corps Northeast, spoke about the capabilities Russia is rebuilding. This poses an increased threat to the Baltic Sea region, he said.

"When they move from planning to concrete action, of course we will see. I cannot deny that Russia is seeking to rebuild those capabilities, despite the losses in Ukraine. Yes, it always has and always will. The question is always the time factor," Anusauskas said. "I'm not one to make predictions, there could be all sorts of options. But this can take not one, two, three years"."

Russia launched a large-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and has recently increased its military budget to rebuild lost capabilities.

Analysts from the US Institute for the Study of War, Russia's total spending next year will reach 412.5 billion US dollars (376.7 billion euros), with defense and law enforcement accounting for around 39 percent of the total, or 157.5 billion US dollars (143.8 billion euros).

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Lithuania contributes EUR 2 mln to Grain from Ukraine program

VILNIUS, Nov 29, BNS - The Lithuanian government on Wednesday allocated 2 million euros to the Grain from Ukraine humanitarian food program being implemented by Ukraine in cooperation with international partners.

"As the war continues, we need to collectively ensure the continuity of assistance, and Lithuania is also paying close attention to this. The Grain from Ukraine initiative plays an important role in mitigating the negative impact of the war on the global food market and in strengthening Ukraine's ability to export grain, especially to vulnerable countries," Lithuanian Finance Minister Gintare Skaiste says.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine disrupted Ukraine's grain exports, pushing up global food prices and, in particular, those of grain. In response, the Grain from Ukraine initiative was launched to maintain Ukrainian grain exports and contribute to global food security. Lithuania also contributed 2 million euros to this initiative in 2022.

The new contribution was announced by Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte during her visit to Kyiv last week.

According to the Finance Ministry, Lithuania's humanitarian, financial and military assistance to Ukraine date amounts to more than 1.9 percent of Lithuania's GDP.

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Russia, Belarus can't use Interpol for political purposes – Lithuanian minister

VILNIUS, Nov 29, BNS – Lithuanian Interior Minister Agne Bilotaite on Wednesday called on Interpol to ensure that Russia and Belarus do not use their membership of the organization to achieve their political goals and persecute dissidents.

"Interpol must do everything to prevent non-democratic states such as Russia or Belarus from using membership to pursue their political aims," Bilotaite said in a press release. 

"The international community cannot tolerate the abuse of the Interpol channel to persecute one's own citizens and those of other countries for political purposes," she said. 

Bilotaite is taking part in the 91st Interpol General Assembly in Vienna.

In the Austrian capital, the minister met with Interpol Secretary General Jurgen Stock to discuss Russia's prosecution of Lithuanian judges, prosecutors and other officials involved in the January 1991 Soviet crackdown trial. 

Fourteen civilians were killed and hundreds more were wounded when the Soviet troops stormed the TV Tower and the Radio and Television Committee building in Vilnius in the early morning hours of January 13, 1991.

Russia has filed criminal charges against several Lithuanian judges involved in the trial and has launched an international search for them.

Lithuania, for its part, has condemned the use of international legal instruments for politically motivated prosecutions and requested support on this matter.

In Vienna, Bilotaite also presented Lithuania's position on proposals by Russia and Belarus to the General Assembly.

"We notice that Russia and Belarus constantly seek ways to impose their political will," the minister said in the press release.

"This General Assembly is no exception, which is well illustrated by the draft resolutions proposed by the countries," she said. "We have to ensure that no proposals of this kind are accepted."

According to the Lithuanian Interior Ministry, Russia's draft resolution for amending Interpol's Constitution proposes that only members themselves can terminate their membership of the organization.

Bilotaite said that Russia's proposal contradicts the resolution proposed by Ukraine and adopted by the General Assembly last year, adding that she believes that Moscow completely disregards the ongoing discussions within the task group regarding the possibility of suspending membership for abusing member states.

Meanwhile, Belarus' proposal, citing excessively long verification periods, aims to oblige Interpol to publish Interpol notices after a certain period, even though they have not yet been verified.

The minister said that such publication would allow using bilateral relations to take action based on unverified alerts.

Earlier this month, she wrote to the interior ministers of EU member states and Schengen associated countries regarding the draft resolutions tabled by Russia and Belarus.

Interpol's secretary general was also informed of Lithuania's readiness to delegate a Lithuanian police representative to the organization's General Secretariat, according to the press release.

 

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Masiulis, Kurlianskis ask Lithuanian Supreme Court for acquittal in corruption case

VILNIUS, Nov 29, BNS – Raimondas Kurlianskis, a former vice-president of MG Grupe (formerly MG Baltic), and Eligijus Masiulis, a former chairman of the Liberal Movement, have appealed to the Supreme Court of Lithuania against the prison sentences handed to them for corruption crimes, and asked for acquittal.

The court said that it received their appeals on Wednesday.

Last week, the Court of Appeal reversed the ruling of the first instance court and convicted all defendants in the high-profile political corruption case centering around MG Grupe, one of Lithuania's biggest business groups.

The Court of Appeal found Masiulis guilty of bribery, influence peddling and unlawful enrichment and sentenced him to five years and six months in prison. The court also ordered the confiscation of over 242,000 euros he received as a bribe from Kurlianskis. 

The former MG Grupe vice-president was found guilty of bribery and influence peddling and handed down a prison sentence of six years. 

In his cassation appeal, Masiulis is asking the Supreme Court to overturn the appellate court's judgment and uphold the first-instance acquittal, or uphold the first-instance verdict with modifications.

The former politician is also requesting the Supreme Court to state that the criminal intelligence actions against him were unlawful or overturn the appellate court's judgment and refer the case for re-examination under the appellate procedure.

Kurlianskis is asking the Supreme Court to overturn the appellate court's ruling and uphold the first-instance acquittal, or uphold the first-instance verdict with modifications. The Court of Appeal also imposed a fine of over 18,000 on him.

Both convicted men reported to the police on Friday and were transferred to a Kaunas prison to serve their sentences.

MP Vytautas Gapsys has also appealed against the Court of Appeal's judgment and started serving his prison sentence of four years and six months. 

All three convicts are asking the Supreme Court to suspend the execution of the judgement.

Also convicted in this case are former MPs Sarunas Gustainis and Gintaras Steponavicius, and MG Baltic, the Liberal Movement and the Labor Party as legal entities.

Opened more than seven years ago, the political corruption case destroyed the politicians' careers and the Liberal Movement's chances to win the general election in 2016.

 

By Ingrida Steniulienė

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Around 100 Palestinian supporters protest in Vilnius against Israeli actions 

VILNIUS, Nov 29, BNS – Around 100 people gathered in Vilnius on Wednesday evening for a protest against Israel's actions, marking the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.

The organizers say the aim is to express solidarity with the Palestinian people, pay tribute to those who have died as a result of Israel's military action in Gaza and the West Bank, and condemn what they say are crimes against humanity.

"We want to send a message that war crimes and crimes against humanity should not occur in the modern world. Unfortunately, they are being committed by Israel in Palestine right now and have been committed for a long time since the establishment of Israel," Andrius Mazeika, one of the organizers, told BNS on Wednesday.

Protesters, carrying Palestinian flags, gathered in the central Cathedral Square and were to march along Gediminas Avenue to Vincas Kudirka Square where a tribute to those killed was to be held. 

People chanted "stop the genocide" and some held placards reading "End the occupation", "Free Palestine", and others.

Participants of the pro-Palestinian protest were met by a group of Israel's supporters waving the Jewish state's flag.

The war between Israel and Hamas began on October 7. The Palestinian militant group has since killed at least 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taken nearly half a hundred hostages.

In response to this attack, the deadliest in the country's history, Israel launched an offensive in the Gaza Strip to destroy Hamas.

Since then, Palestinian hospitals, schools, refugee camps, mosques and churches, and residential buildings have been hit.

According to the Hamas government in the Gaza Strip, nearly 15,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in the Palestinian territory.

The United Nations says that about 1.7 million people, nearly three quarters of Gaza's population, have fled their homes and that there are critical shortages of water, food, fuel and electricity.

 

By Greta Zulonaitė

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Lithuania's migration chief elected chair of EU asylum agency's management board

VILNIUS, Nov 29, BNS – Evelina Gudzinskaite, director of the Lithuanian Migration Department, was elected chairwoman of the Management Board of the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) on Wednesday.

"The EUAA Management Board has elected its Lithuanian member, Ms. Evelina Gudzinskaite, as its new Chair," the organization said in a press release. 

Gudzinskaite, director of the Lithuanian Migration Department since 2015, was appointed as the Management Board's deputy chairwoman last March.

"I am delighted to welcome our new Chair, Evelina Gudzinskaite to her role; the first woman to hold the position, and to continue to build with her, on the strong partnership between the Management Board and the Agency in the months and years to come," EUAA Executive Director Nina Gregori was quoted as saying in the press release. 

Gudzinskaite said that she was "proud" to take on her new role, underlining her responsibilities as some of the agency's "most important new functions" are set to come into force next year. 

During the two-day session, the Management Board's members "had a strategic discussion on the Agency's Strategy and prioritization mechanism, took stock of the asylum situation in the EU+ and discussed the ongoing implementation of the EUAA Transition Program", according to the press release.

EUAA was officially launched in January last year, on the basis of the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) that had operated since 2021. 

The agency is mandated to provide technical, expert and operational assistance to member states on a wide range of issues related to asylum procedures.

 

By Ignas Jačauskas

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Upcoming events in Lithuania for Thursday, November 30, 2023

VILNIUS, Nov 29, BNS – The following events are scheduled in Lithuania for Thursday, November 30, 2023: 

SPEAKER OF THE SEIMAS Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen to take part in a roundtable discussion on "Toward Total Global Defense: Overview of the Situation and Next Steps" at 10 a.m.; to meet with Deputy Foreign Minister Jovita Neliupsiene at 11 a.m.; to meet with Zygimantas Pavilionis, chairman of the parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs, at 1 p.m. 

PRIME MINISTER Ingrida Simonyte to give an interview to the Ziniu Radijas radio station at 8:05 a.m.

HEALTH MINISTER Arunas Dulkys to attend a meeting of the EU Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council in Brussels.

INTERIOR MINISTER Agne Bilotaite, on a working visit to Germany, to meet with Federal Police President Dieter Romann in Potsdam at 11 a.m. and with Federal Minister of the Interior and Community Nancy Faeser in Berlin at 2 p.m. 

ARMED FORCES 

A changeover ceremony for military units performing the NATO air policing mission in the Baltic states to take place at the Air Base in Siauliai at 1:30 p.m.

OTHER EVENTS

Vilnius University's Institute of International Relations and Political Science to host the Annual Lithuanian Political Science Conference "The Echoes of Polycrisis in Lithuania and the World" starting at 9:15 a.m. 

Vilnius University, along with the French Embassy and the French Institute, to hold a conference on "Culture and Imaginary Facing the War" starting at 9:15 a.m. 

 

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