LITHUANIA DAILY NEWS BULLETIN, November 28, 2023

LITHUANIA DAILY NEWS BULLETIN

IN THIS ISSUE:

Upcoming events in Lithuania for Tuesday, November 28, 2023
Five irregular migrants turned away on Lithuania's border with Belarus
Lithuanian formin to meet German counterpart, attend forum in Berlin
Paleckis' International Forum of Good Neighborhood liquidated in Lithuania
Lithuania needed decision on universal draft back in 2022 – presidential aide
Lithuania reports 1,855 new COVID-19 cases, 1 death
Lithuanian formin's security statements strange, dangerous – advisor
Lithuanian should resolve conflict with China 'in best possible way' – presidential aide
Lithuanian translators' association awards Companion Prize to Polish Institute in Vilnius
I do believe anti-Semitism, xenophobia won’t have place in parlt – Lithuanian speaker
12 candidates for natl culture, art prizes announced in Lithuania
West 'waiting for Pearl Harbor' in Russia's war against Ukraine – Lithuanian formin
West 'waiting for Pearl Harbor' in Russia's war against Ukraine – Lithuanian formin (expands)
I do believe anti-Semitism, xenophobia won’t have place in parlt – Lithuanian speaker (expands)
National security, energy among Lithuanian govt's top priorities in 2024 – PM (media)
Lithuania's CEC starts registering voters who want to vote abroad next year
Baltic foreign ministers to boycott OSCE meeting over Lavrov
Baltics sign a declaration on future of Cohesion Policy
1st off-roaders ordered last year delivered to Lithuanian army
Litvak Museum to open in Vilnius early next year
New campaign to raise funds for Ukrainian heritage launched in Lithuania
OSCE must decide between Russia's interests, European security – Lithuanian formin
Upcoming events in Lithuania for Wednesday, November 29, 2023
Lithuania backs Finland's move to close Russia border due to hybrid attack

Upcoming events in Lithuania for Tuesday, November 28, 2023

VILNIUS, Nov 28, BNS – The following events are scheduled in Lithuania for Tuesday, November 28, 2023:

PRESIDENT Gitanas Nauseda to welcome participants of the Ukraine Green Recovery Conference at 11 a.m.; to light up the Christmas tree at the Presidential Palace with the First Lady at 3 p.m.

PRIME MINISTER Ingrida Simonyte to attend a business conference at 9 a.m.; to take part in a discussion with young people at the European Commission Representation in Lithuania at 1 p.m.

SOCIAL SECURITY AND LABOR MINISTER Monika Navickiene to attend an EPSCO meeting in Brussels.

FOREIGN MINISTER Gabrielius Landsbergis to attend the Berlin Foreign Policy Forum.

INTERIOR MINISTER Agne Bilotaite to attend the 91st Interpol General Assembly in Vienna.

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

VILNIUS, Nov 28, BNS – Lithuanian border guards have in the past 24 hours turned away five migrants attempting to cross into the country from Belarus illegally, the State Border Guard Service (SBGS) said on Tuesday morning.

Latvia reported 26 attempts at illegal border crossings on Monday, and 44 irregular migrants were not allowed into Poland on Sunday, 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 formin to meet German counterpart, attend forum in Berlin

VILNIUS, Nov 28, BNS – Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis is to meet with his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock and participate in a foreign policy forum during his visiting to Berlin on Tuesday.

Landsbergis and Baerbock will open Berlin Foreign Policy Forum 2023, the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry has said in a press release

The two ministers "will also discuss security and defense issues, including Germany’s brigade in Lithuania, support for Ukraine, the EU enlargement and other topics", it said.

In response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Berlin has committed to relocating a military brigade to Lithuania by 2027. In turn, Vilnius has pledged to put in place the necessary infrastructure for the deployment.

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Paleckis' International Forum of Good Neighborhood liquidated in Lithuania

VILNIUS, Nov 28, BNS – Turto Bankas (Property Bank), Lithuania’s centralized public property management company, said on Tuesday it has liquidated the International Forum of Good Neighborhood, an organization co-founded by Algirdas Paleckis, a controversial figure serving his prison sentence for preparing to spy for Russia.

"We confirm the liquidation of Paleckis' institution," Turto Bankas' spokesman Karolis Vaitkevicius told BNS.

"The process proceeded smoothly and in compliance with the law. The fund's representatives cooperated," he added.

On February 20, the District Court of Vilnius Region recognized the Forum as unlawfully established and appointed Turto Bankas as its liquidator.

According to the court, the purpose of the organization was to act against Lithuania. It claimed to be speaking on behalf of the Lithuanian nation in Russia and denied the European and transatlantic integration enshrined in the Constitution.

The Forum lodged an appeal, but Vilnius Regional Court in mid-May upheld the first-instance court's ruling.

The Supreme Court of Lithuania did not accept the association's appeal for examination.

Since the Supreme Court's ruling is final and not subject to appeal, the proceedings in this civil case are closed.

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Lithuania needed decision on universal draft back in 2022 – presidential aide

VILNIUS, Nov 28, BNS – Lithuania should have made the decision to introduce universal military conscription last year, Kestutis Budrys, President Gitanas Nauseda's chief national security advisor, said on Monday, adding that it is too late and inadequate for the security situation to discuss it now.

"As far as universal conscription is concerned, we missed the right time. We could have made decisions last year, as we did in 2014 when we reintroduced (partial) conscription, and in the spring of 2015, we already had the first draft, relying solely on young men who enlisted voluntarily," Budrys told LRT TV.

"In the same way, if we had taken the decision in 2022, we would have already had a result – not necessarily this year, 2023, because we would have needed more preparation – but we would have already done our homework. Especially since we have done so many studies, measured everything, and calculated everything," he said.

Lithuania's draft conscription reform currently under discussion does not provide either for universal draft for men or compulsory military service for women.

"Talking now about preparing to discuss how to fix the current system, which has flaws, because we fail to draft (enough conscripts), the medical checkup level is either too high or too low, and so on, is not entirely adequate for the current situation," Budrys told LRT TV.

"We have to talk about the model we want to achieve rather than looking at what is not working in the current one, because (...) the forces are not sufficiently manned and we fail to call up as many conscripts as we should. We need to conclude this issue," he said.

Lithuania reintroduced partial military conscription in the spring of 2015 amid security concerns following Russia's annexation of Crimea. Up to 4,000 conscripts are called up for mandatory military service annually.

Last summer, the Defense Ministry proposed to reform conscription to make it more flexible and increase the annual number of draftees to around 5,000.

President Nauseda, the ruling conservatives and some other politicians are calling for universal conscription, but the idea does not enjoy broad support.

Supporters of universal conscription say it would increase the number of citizens ready to take up arms to defend the country and would reduce inequality, but critics argue that it makes more sense to invest in modernizing the professional army.

Chief of Defense General Valdemaras Rupsys has told BNS in a recent interview that Lithuania may have to focus on training officers rather than a reserve of privates in the future, which could make universal conscription irrelevant.

With universal military service, if only adult men were conscripted, their number could reach up to 7,000 per year, according to Rupsys.

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Lithuania reports 1,855 new COVID-19 cases, 1 death

VILNIUS, Nov 28, BNS – Lithuania has recorded 1,855 new coronavirus infections and one death from COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, official statistics showed on Tuesday morning.

The 14-day primary infection rate has risen to 369.8 cases per 100,000 people, with the seven-day percentage of positive tests at 36.8 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 formin's security statements strange, dangerous – advisor

VILNIUS, Nov 28, BNS – Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis' last week statements on security and doubts about collective defense are strange and dangerous, presidential advisor Asta Skaisgiryte says.

"If these are statement of the foreign minister, the minister who, as a representative of the executive branch, makes decisions, one should listen carefully because some of the messages are strange, to say the least, for example, when collective defense is questioned, as if it no longer works, and that one should look for some other forms of defense," she told the Ziniu Radijas news radio on Tuesday.

"It is dangerous to question this because our allies read this too. If we don't believe it ourselves, how can we persuade those allies to defend us if, God forbid, it becomes necessary? In this sense, such talk is not only dangerous, it is downright harmful," Skaisgiryte said.

Last week, Landsbergis called for not giving in to apathy in thinking that Lithuania would be protected by NATO's Article 5 and urged to think about strategic changes in the country's defense.

In his words, the support given to Ukraine may not be enough to win against Russia as the latter could rebuild its forces for a new offensive within a few years. He made a similar point during his recent visit to Tallinn.

Skaisgiryte says it's unclear "under what hat the news is communicated" and whether Landsbergis was speaking as an MP, the leader of the ruling party, or as a political scientist who raises and refutes hypotheses.

"If it is the hat of an MP and, importantly, the party leader, it could be understood as a bit of pre-election talk to rally his followers to counter new threats, but in reality the threats are not new," Skaisgiryte said.

According to the presidential advisor, Lithuania's aim was to join NATO and "have that NATO umbrella" to feel more secure. Lithuania's security has been and is based on collective defense, she added.

"These messages are read by partners, they are read by allies, they are read by Lithuania's enemies. Everyone draws the appropriate conclusions. The Lithuanian citizen also draws conclusions and is may be confused now, thinking what is it now, where we are now and whether it is safe to live in Lithuania," said the presidential adviser said.

She says Lithuania should focus on its homework: the arrival and deployment of the German brigade in Lithuania as soon as possible, the strengthening of its army, and continuous preparations for total defense.

"The minister has been in this government for three years, and some things have been done. There is still work to be done. If we speak abroad, let us speak very responsibly," the advisor said.

Reacting to the foreign minister's remarks, President Gitanas Nauseda said last week that the threats had not changed so quickly and urged the country's top diplomat to "sit down and calm down".

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Lithuanian should resolve conflict with China 'in best possible way' – presidential aide

VILNIUS, Nov 28, BNS – Lithuania should end the conflict with China, which reached its peak a few years ago due to Vilnius' developing ties with Taiwan, Asta Skaisgiryte, President Gitanas Nauseda's chief foreign policy advisor, said on Tuesday.

"It would be good to resolve that conflict in a way that is as good for Lithuania as possible, because it was not good for Lithuania. Now it is completely clear; we see that," she told the Ziniu Radijas radio station.

Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said earlier in November that Lithuanian and Chinese officials were talking about normalizing diplomatic relations.

Beijing downgraded its diplomatic relations with Vilnius and imposed trade restrictions in 2021 after Lithuania allowed Taiwan to open its representative office in Vilnius with the word "Taiwanese", rather than "Taipei's", in its name.

Beijing interpreted this as Lithuania's support for Taiwan to act as an independent state, even though Vilnius insisted that it only maintained trade and cultural relations with Taipei.

Skaisgiryte noted that China is a key global player.

"We want to maintain diplomatic relations with them and, if possible, have more trade links than we currently have, because our trade with China is very small," she said.

While threats also come from China, such as cyber threats or those related to investments, "the world is not just black or white," according to the advisor,

"We should maintain a minimum of diplomatic relations with China," Skaisgiryte said.

At the same time, "we will continue, I hope, to maintain and develop trade relations with Taiwan as we did before," she added.

Taiwan's Foreign Minister Joseph Wu visited Lithuania in early November, but he did not officially meet with government officials.

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Lithuanian translators' association awards Companion Prize to Polish Institute in Vilnius

VILNIUS, Nov 28, BNS – The Lithuanian Association of Literary Translators has named the Polish Institute in Vilnius as the winner of this year's Companion Prize.

The institute is being awarded for its continuous attention to translated literature and translators from Polish into Lithuanian, the association announced on Tuesday.

"The Polish Institute in Vilnius honors translators with Polish orders and medals, organizes competitions for translators from Polish to Lithuanian and from Lithuanian to Polish, and consistently supports the publication of Polish literature translations in Lithuania," it said in a statement.

In recent years, the Polish Institute has been celebrating St. Jerome's Day, and portraits of translators created for this occasion have already toured half of Lithuania, the association noted.

The winner will be presented with a diploma and a miniature sculpture by Arvydas Alisanka, a famous Lithuanian sculptor, at Vilnius' Town Hall on December 5.

Established in 2007, the Companion Prize is awarded to "a person or an organization for special merits in regard to literary translation and translator's profession during the previous year", according to the association.

"The aim of the prize is to appreciate the winner's work and contribution to the art of literary translation, to its popularization and dissemination".

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I do believe anti-Semitism, xenophobia won’t have place in parlt – Lithuanian speaker

VILNIUS, Nov 28, BNS - Speaker of the Lithuanian Seimas Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen believes there will be no room for hate speech, anti-Semitism and xenophobia in the Lithuanian parliament.

Speaking at an international conference on the Vilnius Ghetto in the Seimas on Tuesday, she said that "we are slowly finding ourselves in a zone of anti-European aggression that despises the values of Western civilization".

"I have strong hope that Lithuania has overcome its painful past and has courageously chosen a future of Western values. I firmly believe that we will always be on the side of those who create and build, not those who kill and destroy. I believe that hate speech, anti-Semitism and xenophobia will have no place in our parliament," she said.

She began her speech by expressing her condolences to the victims of the Hamas attack on Israel.

Last week, the Lithuanian Seimas decided to impeach Remigijus Zemaitaitis, a member of the non-attached political group in the Seimas, for his anti-Semitic statements, and referred his case to the Constitutional Court for it to assess whether his statements were unconstitutional.

The Seimas is hosting the international conference on Tuesday as the last event of marking the 80th anniversary of the anti-Nazi resistance and liquidation of the Vilnius Ghetto. It will summarize several months of events to commemorate the tens of thousands of victims of the ghetto, the organizers said.

The conference will feature special presentations by author and publisher Jonathan Brent, director of the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research, Rabbi Andrew Baker, director of International Jewish Affairs at the American Jewish Committee, and lawyer Monika Krawczyk, director of the Polish Jewish Historical Institute, and other guests.

The Vilnius Ghetto was established in the Old Town of Vilnius during the Nazi occupation on September 6, 1941. A total of about 40,000 Jews were imprisoned in the Vilnius Ghetto, and it was destroyed on September 23, 1943.

Only 2,000-3,000 of the ghetto's Jewish prisoners survived the end of the Nazi occupation.

More than 90 percent of the more than 200,000 Jews in Lithuania were killed during WWII. Over 900 Lithuanians have been recognized as Righteous Among the Nations for saving Jews.

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12 candidates for natl culture, art prizes announced in Lithuania

VILNIUS, Nov 28, BNS – The Commission of the Lithuanian National Culture and Art Prizes has selected 12 artists for this year's Lithuanian National Culture and Art Prizes.

The candidates for the country's top cultural award include photographer Violeta Bubelyte, writers Violeta Palcinskaite and Gintaras Grajauskas, art historian, artist, exhibition curator Giedre Jankeviciute, and painter and children's book author Kestutis Kasparavičius, actors Albinas Keleris and Rasa Samuolyte, translator Ruta Kumziene, interdisciplinary artist Egle Rakauskaite, costume designer Sandra Straukaite, composer Mindaugas Urbaitis, jeweller Sigitas Virpilaitis, the Culture Ministry said on Tuesday.

A total of 47 artists were nominated for the prizes by the public.

Six winners will be chosen from the 12 candidates and they will be announced on December 12.

The National Prizes for Culture and Art are awarded for the most significant works of culture and art created in the last seven years by Lithuanian artists and those from the global Lithuanian community, as well as to the works that have made a lasting creative contribution to culture and art.

The annual prizes are worth 800 basic social benefits, which currently amount to 39,200 euros.

The award ceremony will take place on February 16, Lithuania's State Restoration Day.

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West 'waiting for Pearl Harbor' in Russia's war against Ukraine – Lithuanian formin

VILNIUS, Nov 28, BNS – The West does not see Russia's war in Ukraine as an immediate threat, waiting for a Pearl Harbor-like shock to happen, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said on Tuesday.

Lithuania's top diplomat drew the parallel to Japan's surprise attack in 1941, when the death of over 2,400 American soldiers prompted the US to enter World War II, during a discussion at a foreign policy forum in Berlin.

"We still aren't allowing the thought that this war is about us – not in a value description, you know, we fight because it's right, because it's a righteous war – but strategically that this affects us and that Russia is trying to undermine the West. That would mean that if Ukraine is unable to withstand, it will be our loss," he said.

Landsbergis said that Western nations are "not open and candid enough" about what the Russia-Ukraine war really means and suggested that this could be due to "the fear of escalation".

"In many cases we try to portray this as a regional, still far away geographically issue that might not affect us all. This is a major policy issue that should drive the debate," the minister said.

"As a person who is interested in history, what I am fearing is that we're waiting for Perl Harbor to happen," Landsbergis said.

"We passed all the stages already and we're like Perl Harbor has not happened, so we're fine. We're not fine," he added.

Landsbergis and his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock opened Berlin Foreign Policy Forum 2023 on Tuesday.

The two ministers are also expected to discuss security and defense issues, including the deployment of Germany's brigade in Lithuania, and support for Ukraine, the EU enlargement and other topics.

Lithuania has consistently expressed support for Ukraine's EU membership in international forums.

In mid-November, the European Commission recommended that the EU start accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova, and grant candidate status to Georgia. The proposal has yet to be approved by the bloc's leaders.

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West 'waiting for Pearl Harbor' in Russia's war against Ukraine – Lithuanian formin (expands)

Updated version: updates throughout

Landsbergis said that Western nations are "not open and candid enough" about what the Russia-Ukraine war really means and suggested that this could be due to "the fear of escalation".

"In many cases we try to portray this as a regional, still far away geographically issue that might not affect us all. This is a major policy issue that should drive the debate," the minister said.

"As a person who is interested in history, what I am fearing is that we're waiting for Perl Harbor to happen," Landsbergis said.

"We have passed all the stages already and we're like Perl Harbor has not happened, so we're fine. We're not fine," he added.

In his words, it’s a matter of time when "when the really really hard decisions will need to be made" and whether "we will be ready for them".

"If you were sure and your electorate was sure that this is already Perl Harbor happening, you would send everything you have in order for it really not to happen, to defend yourself, to defend Berlin, to defend Vilnius, to defend the borders and in extension, to defend Kyiv in the same way you'd defend your own country," the Lithuanian foreign minister said.

Landsbergis and his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock opened the Berlin Foreign Policy Forum 2023 on Tuesday.

In his speech, Landsbergis said that the crises in different parts of the world were linked because they "are all useful for those who benefit from chaos and dismantling of the rules-based international order".

The situation in Ukraine and the reaction of the West are also being watched by other non-democratic leaders to see how they would react if they decided to "to fix a border here and there" or to resolve a minority issue.

„If we were able to help Ukraine win and restore the order, that would send a very strong signal that this is not the way to go, that even Russia was stopped, even a permanent Security Council member was stopped in Ukraine because of the coordinated efforts. So you shouldn't try that elsewhere. If we're unable to do that, I am worried that we're opening the gates for instability for quite a while," Landsbergis said.

The two ministers also discussed security and defense issues, including the deployment of Germany's brigade in Lithuania, and support for Ukraine, the EU enlargement and other topics.

Speaking about the brigade deployment, Landsbergis said it’s viewed by Lithuania as "a strategic decision, a strategic change", and compared to the then US President George W. Bush's 2002 speech in Vilnius and his promise that "anyone who would choose Lithuania as an enemy has also made an enemy of the United States of America".

Referring to the fact that the promise was inscribed on the wall of Vilnius City Hall, Landsbergis said he believed that "the German decision to send brigade should also find itself on the Town Hall because it's that important".

For her part, Baerbock said that as one of the strongest countries in the EU, Germany feels it must take responsibility for the security of others, just as it once did for its own.

„And this means also bringing the brigade to Lithuania. This means engaging heavily in the support of Ukraine, and this means also now in the Middle East not to say we cannot do anything because there's a big storm also in our own society, but doing the things that we believe that we can help to bring peace one day also to the Middle East," the German minister said.

She also stressed that, despite the German top court's ruling that the government had violated the borrowing brake rule enshrined in the country's constitution and that public debt cannot exceed 0.35 percent of the country's GDP, Germany would honor its commitments on the brigade and its support to Ukraine.

"The defense minister and I made that it very clear that we will not cut on the support to Ukraine because, as my colleague has said, this is not only a question of our own security," she said, adding that it's an investment in Germany's own security and the future of the rules-based world order.

Lithuania has consistently expressed support for Ukraine's EU membership in international forums.

By Austėja Masiokaitė-Liubinienė

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I do believe anti-Semitism, xenophobia won’t have place in parlt – Lithuanian speaker (expands)

Updated version: adds Brent's comment

VILNIUS, Nov 28, BNS - Speaker of the Lithuanian Seimas Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen believes there will be no room for hate speech, anti-Semitism and xenophobia in the Lithuanian parliament.

She began her speech by expressing her condolences to the victims of the Hamas attack on Israel.

One of the speakers at the conference, Jonathan Brent, director of the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research, says the past century's myth that Jews are Bolsheviks is still alive and has led to anti-Semitic attacks worldwide.

"Ideas have consequences. One of principle ideas of this conference is the myth of the called Judeo-bolshevism which has bedeviled the Jewish relationship with so many of the European nations since the beginning of the 20th century. And it's still very much alive, as many of us know, in today's world," Brent said.

This myth, he said, became a lethal element in the lives of the Germans, Ukrainians, Poles, Lithuanians and others during the Holocaust, leading them to take part in the massacre of the Jews in the belief that it would save their own nations.

"Alas, the extermination of the Jews did not bring salvation or redemption, it brought destruction and human pain, tearing apart the human world," he said.

Besides Brent, speakers at the conference also include Rabbi Andrew Baker, director of International Jewish Affairs at the American Jewish Committee, and lawyer Monika Krawczyk, director of the Polish Jewish Historical Institute, and other guests.

Only 2,000-3,000 of the ghetto's Jewish prisoners survived the end of the Nazi occupation.

More than 90 percent of the more than 200,000 Jews in Lithuania were killed during WWII. Over 900 Lithuanians have been recognized as Righteous Among the Nations for saving Jews.

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National security, energy among Lithuanian govt's top priorities in 2024 – PM (media)

VILNIUS, Nov 28, BNS – The Lithuanian government will focus on the challenges of the recent crises, first of all, on beefing up national security, in 2024, its last year in office, Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte said on Tuesday.

"We live in times where crises are stacking on top of each other. Hence, we have such poly-crisis times. And uncertainty remains the key word when we try to outline the forecasts for 2024," she said during the Verslas 2024 (Business 2024) conference hosted by the business paper Verslo Zinios.

The prime minister said that in 2024, the government will give top priority to bolstering national defense and modernizing the Armed Forces, and expects to make "maximum progress" in carrying out projects on military mobility and host country infrastructure for Germany's brigade.

"We can't just sit on the calm-down chair and rely on the allies to help us," she said.

Another priority is energy and energy security, according to the prime minister.

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Lithuania's CEC starts registering voters who want to vote abroad next year

VILNIUS, Nov 28, BNS – Lithuania's Central Electoral Commission has started registering voters who want to vote abroad in next year's elections.

All voters who wish to vote abroad by post or in person at Lithuania's diplomatic missions can register on rinkejopuslapis.lt, the election watchdog said on Tuesday.

"For the convenience of voters, the key new thing is the possibility to register to vote at once for all elections and referendums to be held next year," the CEC said.

Not only will Lithuanian citizens who permanently reside or study abroad be able to vote, but also those who will be temporarily away during the election period, for example on holiday or for work, will be able to do so.

If a voter was previously included in the list of voters abroad, they will have to register again in order to vote in the 2024 elections and referendum, the CEC said.

In the registration application, voters need to indicate the foreign country they are living or temporarily staying and enter an address. The form will also ask voters to choose how they will wish to vote: by post or by turning up at a diplomatic mission, consular establishment or additional polling station in person.

In this case, if voters wished to vote by post, they should enter the address of their permanent or temporary place of residence in the foreign country and provide other contact details.

Next year, Lithuania will hold a presidential election and a referendum on dual citizenship on May 12, elect its MEPs on June 9 and elect the new Seimas on October 13.

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Baltic foreign ministers to boycott OSCE meeting over Lavrov

VILNIUS, Nov 28, BNS – The Baltic foreign ministers said on Tuesday that they will boycott a meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in North Macedonia after the announcement that it will be attended by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

"We deeply regret the decision enabling the personal participation of Russian Foreign Minister S. Lavrov at the 30th Session of the OSCE Ministerial Council in Skopje. It will only provide Russia with yet another propaganda opportunity," the three Baltic ministers said in a joint statement.

They warned that Lavrov's attendance "risks legitimizing aggressor Russia as a rightful member of our community of free nations, trivializing the atrocious crimes Russia has been committing, and putting up with Russia's blatant violation and contempt of the OSCE fundamental principles and commitments".

"We, the Ministers of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, will not be part of this and will not share responsibility for consequences it will create," the statement reads.

Lavrov said Monday that North Macedonia, which has joined Western sanctions over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, has agreed to let him attend the annual meeting of the European security body in which Russia is a member.

Russian state media reported that EU member Bulgaria has informed Moscow that it will allow Lavrov's plane to cross its airspace.

In their joint statement, the Baltic ministers said that the international community has witnessed for the past two years "how one OSCE participating state has actively and brutally tried to annihilate another".

"Let us be very clear: Russia's war of aggression and atrocities against its sovereign and peaceful neighbor Ukraine blatantly violate international law, including the UN Charter, and constitute an attack on the OSCE and its underlying principles," they said.

The three ministers also noted "Russia's obstructive behavior within the OSCE itself – first, by blocking any OSCE presence and activities in Ukraine, then by blocking Estonia's 2024 chairmanship".

The top Baltic diplomats called for "an immediate unconditional halt to Russia's aggression, withdrawal of its troops from all occupied territories, compensation of damage caused, and full accountability for perpetrators of international crimes".

"None of this is in place. Nor do we see signs that Russia is even remotely considering compliance with its international obligations and OSCE commitments," they said.

According to the ministers, Russia is not currently part of the European security for which the OSCE was created, but on the contrary, "today Europe needs security from and against Russia".

"That is why we, the Foreign Ministers of the Baltic States, decided not to attend the OSCE Ministerial Council in Skopje. We remain ready to work with partners and participating States in upholding the OSCE principles, and against Russia’s aggression and the ideology behind it," they said in the joint statement.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected to attend the OSCE meeting in Skopje, which will take place in the second half of this week.

Reportedly, Blinken and Lavrov are not scheduled to meet.

US officials have refrained from top-level contacts with Russia since Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, although Blinken briefly met with Lavrov in March on the sidelines of a G20 meeting in India.

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Baltics sign a declaration on future of Cohesion Policy

VILNIUS, Nov 28, BNS - Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia have signed a joint declaration on the future of the Cohesion Policy. The document was signed during a discussion involving the finance ministers of the three Baltic states and representatives of the European Commission in Vilnius on Tuesday.

Lithuanian Finance Minister Gintare Skaiste says that Lithuania is among the leading countries investing Cohesion Policy funds and has no intention of slowing down, the Finance Ministry said.

"The geographical situation creates uncertainties and additional challenges that other countries do not necessarily face. Particularly in the context of the Russian war, we feel more uncertainty and are more easily affected. Therefore, the targeting, speed and adaptability of Cohesion Policy instruments to countries' needs would create an additional incentive for change," she said.

In addition to security and geographical aspects, the declaration notes that further consideration should be given to the further expansion of the European Union in the development of the Cohesion Policy strategy for 2027. The declaration also refers to the need to target financial instruments so that they reach the countries that need them in time.

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1st off-roaders ordered last year delivered to Lithuanian army

VILNIUS, Nov 28, BNS - The first Mercedes-Benz G 350 SUVs off-roaders ordered a year ago have been delivered to the Lithuanian Armed Forces.

Valued at 32 million euros, all the ordered vehicles are expected to be delivered over the next year, the Defense Ministry said on Tuesday without disclosing how many vehicles have been delivered.

"The Lithuanian army is rapidly upgrading its fleet with new and much-needed equipment. Today, the Lithuanian army can enjoy new Mercedes-Benz G 350 d military off-roaders that are indispensable vehicles both for peacetime tasks and for rear operations," Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas was quoted as saying in the statement.

The vehicles will be used by almost all military units of the Lithuanian Armed Forces for peacetime tasks, backup logistics and other operations.

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Litvak Museum to open in Vilnius early next year

VILNIUS, Nov 28, BNS – A new Museum of Culture and Identity of Lithuanian Jews, also known as the Litvak Museum, is planned to open in Vilnius early next year, the Vilna Gaon Museum of Jewish History said on Tuesday.

The new museum in a renovated four-story building on Pylimo Street will be the largest unit of the Vilna Gaon Museum.

"Its scope of exhibits and themes will surpass those of the main museum and all its units combined," the Vilna Gaon Museum said in a press release.

The four-story building will soon house 17 interactive exhibitions of contemporary design.

The new museum will present what has so far been shown in Lithuanian memory institutions in a very fragmented and inconsistent way, according to the press release.

"It will be the first museum in Lithuania to comprehensively and thoroughly present the history, culture, customs and various historical aspects of Lithuanian Jews," said Aivaras Poska, a historian serving as acting head of the Litvak Museum.

According to him, significant attention will also be given to world-famous Litvaks from or connected to Lithuania. The fourth floor will host a museum dedicated to Rafael Chwoles, one of the most prominent 20th-century Litvak artists.

The museum's exposition will help visitors to answer the questions of who a Lithuanian Jew is, who shaped and is shaping the identity of Lithuanian Jews, and how it has influenced Lithuanian culture.

The museum will aim to promote tolerance among cultures, and foster empathy and coexistence among nations.

More than 90 percent of Lithuania's pre-war Jewish population of over 200,000 were killed during World War Two.

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New campaign to raise funds for Ukrainian heritage launched in Lithuania

VILNIUS, Nov 28, BNS - A new campaign to support Ukraine was launched by the National Museum of Lithuania on Tuesday.

All funds raised during the campaign from November 28 to December 26 will be used to preserve the Ukrainian heritage destroyed by the Russians, as well as to purchase restoration materials and equipment, the museum said. The purchased items will be delivered to the National Museum of the History of Ukraine, from where they will be sent to other museums in the country.

Many museums have been affected by the Russian military action in Ukraine, the Lithuanian museum said.

Fedir Androshchuk, director, of the National Museum of the History of Ukraine, says Russia's war against Ukraine has fundamentally changed the work of museum staff as the permanent exhibition removed and exhibits have been hidden in safer places.

"The lion's share of exhibits for display are now in such a state that they need to be constantly maintained by restorers. The museum team is currently documenting the main events of the war and organizing temporary exhibitions presenting different aspects of Ukrainian history," he said.

He also drew attention to the illegal trade in cultural objects, in particular archaeological finds, and the publicity. The museum has managed to prevent many such cases in cooperation with law enforcement, he said.

"Our task is to preserve these museum treasures for future generations. Because of the war, there is a severe shortage of public funds for restoration materials and equipment. And that is why this donation initiative is so important for us and for the preservation of Ukraine's heritage in general," Androshchuk said.

Since the start of the war in February 2022, UNESCO has already recorded damage to 329 sites in Ukraine, including 125 religious buildings, 28 museums, 143 buildings of historical and artistic significance, 19 monuments, 13 libraries and one archive.

People in Lithuanian are invited to donate for this initiative by calling 1409 and donating five euros or transferring the desired amount to the special account.

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OSCE must decide between Russia's interests, European security – Lithuanian formin

VILNIUS, Nov 28, BNS - The Organization for Security and Co-Operation in Europe must make up its mind whether it seeks to support Russia's interests or Europe's security, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis says.

"The organization (OSCE – BNS) has to answer itself what does it stand for as an organization. Does it stand to support Russia's interest? Or does it stand to support European security (...). It's no longer doing that, unfortunately, because Russia is blocking everything, because Russia is a disrupter. We need to be very clear about it, and very blunt: we need security from Russia, not with Russia," Landsbergis said in Brussels on Tuesday.

His comment came in response to response that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov would attend the upcoming OSCE meting in North Macedonia. The Baltic states and Kyiv said earlier they would boycott the event.

"Russia has started the war not just against Ukraine, it started the war against all of us, against the values that we believe. We need to win it. And now, that we see the whole context, that we see that Lavrov is back, is put back at the table at the OSCE, and we're trying to define the future of European security with Russia? I mean how many times do we need to make this mistake?" Lithuania's top diplomat asked.

In his words, this way 'we're inviting Russia back to discuss something that is directly against not just our interests, but against our existence".

"We will be back when Russia is different," the minister added.

Earlier in the day, the Baltic foreign ministers said they would boycott the OSCE meeting in North Macedonia.

"We, the Ministers of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, will not be part of this and will not share responsibility for consequences it will create," the statement reads.

Russian state media reported that EU member Bulgaria had informed Moscow it would allow Lavrov's plane to cross its airspace.

The three ministers also noted "Russia's obstructive behavior within the OSCE itself – first, by blocking any OSCE presence and activities in Ukraine, then by blocking Estonia's 2024 chairmanship".

"None of this is in place. Nor do we see signs that Russia is even remotely considering compliance with its international obligations and OSCE commitments," they said.

According to the ministers, Russia is not currently part of the European security for which the OSCE was created, but on the contrary, "today Europe needs security from and against Russia".

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected to attend the OSCE meeting in Skopje, which will take place in the second half of this week.

Reportedly, Blinken and Lavrov are not scheduled to meet.

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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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Lithuania backs Finland's move to close Russia border due to hybrid attack

VILNIUS, Nov 28, BNS - Lithuania supports Finland's decision to close its last border crossing with Russia due to the recent influx of migrants, Lithuanian Interior Minister Agne Bilotaite said on Tuesday.

"We support the national decision of Finland, which is experiencing a hybrid attack organized by Russia, to close all border checkpoints with Russia," the minister told BNS. "We do not see the need for a regional solution at the moment. The situation is cam on the Lithuanian borders at the moment. We have clear threat indicators and we will act on them. We are monitoring the situation and will react, if there are changes."

Earlier in the day, Finland's prime minister said the country would close the last crossing on its border with Russia because of the influx of migrants, which Helsinki says is a hybrid attack orchestrated by Moscow.

Lithuania, Latvia and Poland faced an influx of migrants from Belarus in 2021, which the West blames on the Minsk regime. Recently, sporadic attempts to cross the border have been recorded at the Lithuanian border, while dozens have been recorded in neighboring countries.

By Austėja Masiokaitė-Liubinienė

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Nov 29 2023

LITHUANIA DAILY NEWS BULLETIN

IN THIS ISSUE:

Seven irregular migrants turned away on Lithuania's border with Belarus
Lithuanians have no clear opinion on Israel-Hamas conflict, poll finds
Lithuania reports 73 new COVID-19 cases, 2 deaths
Teacher union in Lithuania suspends strike until budget adoption
Klaipeda man accused of laundering EUR 91 mln from sale of military equipment
Three more corruption cases recorded at Lithuania's SFVS - BNS INTERVIEW
Belarus' KGB activity at 'historical high' now – Lithuania's intelligence chief
Lithuania energmin to sign pact on energy facilities' cyber security during US visit
Lithuania to provide EUR 2 mln in aid for exporting grain from Ukraine
Lithuanian SocDems call on govt to consider issuing defense bonds
Allied support for Lithuanian division will depend on bilateral discussions – NATO admiral - BNS INTERVIEW
Lithuanian president continues to lead popularity rating – poll
NATO jets in Baltics scrambled twice over Russian aircraft last week
EU Commissioner Sinkevicius leads list of Lithuanian democrats' EP candidates
SocDems top party popularity rating in Lithuania
Fire and rescue service remains most trusted institution in Lithuania – poll
Growing inflow of migrant workers poses threat for Lithuania's security – minister
Many Lithuanian cos could make dual-purpose products – industry rep
Gas prices for Lithuanian households may fall 4-7 cents from January – regulator
Growing inflow of migrant workers poses threat for Lithuania's security – minister (expands)
Upcoming events in Lithuania for Tuesday, November 28, 2023

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

VILNIUS, Nov 27, BNS – Lithuanian border guards have in the past 24 hours turned away seven migrants attempting to cross into the country from Belarus illegally, the State Border Guard Service (SBGS) said on Monday morning.

No attempts to cross the border illegally were recorded at the Latvian border on Sunday, and no irregular migrants were registered by Polish officials on Saturday.

A total of 2,505 irregular migrants have been barred from entering Lithuania from Belarus at non-designated places so far this year.

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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Lithuanians have no clear opinion on Israel-Hamas conflict, poll finds

VILNIUS, Nov 27, BNS – A considerable portion of Lithuanians back Israel's actions in the Gaza Strip, but a significant number either do not support the Jewish state or have no opinion on the issue, a public opinion poll carried out by Vilmorus for BNS has found.

The sociological survey was conducted about a month after the Palestinian militant group Hamas attacked Israel on October 7. The group has since killed at least 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taken nearly half a hundred hostages.

In response, the Jewish state launched a campaign of airstrikes in Gaza and is carrying out ground operations in the Strip.

According to the poll, 38.1 percent of respondents support Israel's actions in Gaza. A third (30.4 percent) disapprove of the Jewish state's actions, and a similar percentage (31.5 percent) either do not know or have no opinion.

Support higher among men, younger people undecided

The survey indicates that 46.9 percent of men and 30.4 percent of women support the Israeli actions against Hamas. The percentage of those with no opinion on the matter are higher among women (35.8 percent) than among men (26.6 percent).

When segmented by specific social groups, a significant portion of students (45.5 percent) and those aged under 29 years (43 percent) either have no opinion or are unaware of Israel's actions. Conversely, respondents supporting Israel's actions include business people and civil servants earning more than 700 euros, and those with incomplete secondary education or higher education.

The survey also showed that the Jewish state's actions are more likely to be supported by people living in areas other than Lithuania's major cities and towns. The strongest disapproval comes from residents of Kaunas, Klaipeda, Siauliai and Panevezys.

Nearly an equal number of Vilnius residents either support Israel or have no opinion on the matter.

Support for Israel's actions against Hamas is highest among those who vote for the Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats (58.8 percent), the Democratic Union "For Lithuania, the Liberal Movement, and the Freedom Party.

Voters of the Party of Regions and the People and Justice Union tend to disapprove of the Jewish state's actions.

Results not surprising, reflect society's divisions

Ieva Petronyte-Urbonaviciene, a political scientist at Vilnius University's Institute of International Relations and Political Science, said the results of the poll are not very surprising and they indicate that the Lithuanian public tends to "moderately support Israel's actions."

"However, the division is quite substantial, and the support is not overwhelming or dominant in society," she told BNS.

According to Egdunas Racius, a professor at Vytautas Magnus University (VDU), the results indicate that Lithuanian residents do not feel the need to retaliate with weapons.

"A worrying thing is that there are so few people who have the moral, human backbone to say, 'Wait, we are talking about tens of thousands of deaths, and that number is rising,'" he told BNS.

In Racius' opinion, the fact that a third of the population has no opinion on the issue shows the provincialism of Lithuania.

The exact results of the survey are as follows:

The Vilmorus poll asked respondents the following question: "Do you approve or disapprove of Israel's actions in the Gaza Strip in response to the Hamas attack on October 7?"

Answers:

1. Strongly approve – 13.2 percent;

2. Partially approve - 24.9 percent;

3. Partially disapprove - 14.3 percent;

4. Strongly disapprove - 16.1 percent;

5. Do not know/no opinion - 31.5 percent.

Vilmorus polled 1,000 people in 25 cities and towns and 40 villages through in-person and phone interviews between November 9 and 19. The results of the poll have an error margin of up to 3.1 percent.

By Greta Zulonaitė

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Lithuania reports 73 new COVID-19 cases, 2 deaths

VILNIUS, Nov 27, BNS – Lithuania has recorded 73 new coronavirus infections and two deaths from COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, official statistics showed on Monday morning.

The 14-day primary infection rate has risen to 344.5 cases per 100,000 people, with the seven-day percentage of positive tests at 36.6 percent.

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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Teacher union in Lithuania suspends strike until budget adoption

VILNIUS, Nov 27, BNS - The Lithuanian Education Employee's Trade Union, led by Andrius Navickas, has on Monday suspended its strike it started last week until the adoption of the state budget on December 5.

"This is exactly the same break as we had after the first wave. Now, the teachers are back in schools, back in classes. We will use that break for discussions with teachers, both on how to organize and invite teachers to take part in the next wave, and also for meetings with MPs, and then we will strike again on December 5," Navickas told BNS on Monday.

Navickas says there's no point in striking continuously until December 5 as both children and their parents would suffer.

Teachers plan to resume their industrial action on December 5 when the Seimas is due to approve next year's budget.

Suspended in mid-October, teachers' strike was resumed last Wednesday. On the same day, teachers held a rally outside the Seimas.

According to the National Education Agency, more than 2,000 education workers took part in the strike last week. It was resumed renewed after the union and the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports failed to agree on teachers' pay, workload structure and class size reduction.

The government is proposing in next year's budget to increase teachers' salaries in two stages: by 10 percent from January, and by another 10 percent from September, to bring the average teacher's salary up to 130 percent of the national average salary.

An additional 387 million euros is allocated in next year's budget for the implementation of the education agreement.

The Lithuanian Education Employee's Trade Union is not happy with this proposal as is asking for two 15-percent pay rises. The Education Ministry, however, says it has no financial capacity to offer a higher pay increase.

By Greta Zulonaitė

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Klaipeda man accused of laundering EUR 91 mln from sale of military equipment

VILNIUS, Nov 27, BNS - A Klaipeda businessman has been accused of laundering 91 million euros received from the sale of military and dual-purpose goods, Lithuania's prosecution service said on Monday.

As an authorized person and later the sole shareholder of a company registered in the Republic of Panama and operating in Klaipeda, the man brokered the sale of military equipment and dual-use goods to the Republic of Equatorial Guinea without having a license to do so.

According to the investigation, the businessman later took steps to launder the allegedly criminally obtained funds.

"The gathered evidence suggests that the accused man may have laundered more than 91 million euros between 2008 and 2012 through various financial transactions," the report says.

The investigation also revealed that some of the money obtained from the foreign company may have been used for the economic and commercial activities of the Klaipeda man's company. It is estimated that almost 17 million euros may have been laundered in less than two years through the use of the defendant's company registered in Klaipeda.

The businessman and its company are accused of money laundering, and the businessman is also accused of unlawful intermediation in the transfer of military equipment.

The businessman and his company have had assets worth more than 9.3 million euros frozen as part of this investigation.

This criminal case will be heard by the Klaipeda Regional Court.

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Three more corruption cases recorded at Lithuania's SFVS - BNS INTERVIEW

VILNIUS, Nov 27, BNS - Three more corruption cases have been recorded at the Lithuanian State Food and Veterinary Service this year, Audrone Mikalauskiene, the SFVS's new head who has been in charge for a month, says, adding that pre-trial investigations are currently underway.

"After the last case, which should have been a huge lesson for our community, unfortunately it didn't happen. A year has passed since the arrest of the former manager and we have three more cases this year," Mikalauskiene, who assumed her new position on October 27, aid in an interview with BNS.

In her words, the corruption cases had been recorded at the service's territorial units where one employee has already been dismissed and two others have been suspended. The Special Investigation Service is currently carrying out the pre-trial investigations.

Mikalauskiene was appointed to head the SFVS for a five-year term after the government sacked corruption suspect its previous manager Mantas Staskevicius in November 2022.

The new head of the SFVS vows to restore the institution's reputation and remove the shadow of corruption. She hopes that staff attitudes will change and that resistance to restructuring will diminish and corruption will disappear.

By Erika Alonderytė-Kazlauskė

Editor: Roma Pakėnienė

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Belarus' KGB activity at 'historical high' now – Lithuania's intelligence chief

VILNIUS, Nov 27, BNS – The Lithuanian State Security Department (SSD) is currently observing an unprecedented level of activity from Belarus' KGB, Darius Jauniskis, the intelligence agency's director, has said.

"We see intensified activity specifically from the Belarusian KGB, which is actually at a historical high; it has never been this intense before," he told LRT Radio on Sunday.

Some members of the sizable Belarusian diaspora in Lithuania raise certain concerns for the intelligence body, according to Jauniskis.

"Let's not forget that we have a very large Belarusian diaspora here, individuals come here and, in fact, raise certain counter-intelligence issues," he said.

The spreading of Russian propaganda is also intensifying in Lithuania, the director said.

"I think Russia had slowed down this activity, probably when it started the war in Ukraine, because they expected a very easy victory and got stuck there, but now we feel a certain intensification," he said.

Jauniskis said he had no information indicating that unfriendly countries' services are attempting to recruit public officials, civil servant or politicians.

"I have no such intelligence at the moment," he said. "And if there are attempts, I have no doubt that that we will track this down and see this," he said.

The SSD director said that the recent intensification of hoax bomb threats targeting schools and other places in Lithuania is part of information attacks by hostile forces.

"As to all these threats to blow up schools or certain institutions, or a hydro power plant and airports, we must understand that we are already caught up in this whirlpool," he said.

"These are information operations designed to create confusion in our minds, turn us against each other, and make us live in a sense of uncertainty all the time and think that things are very bad. No doubt, we see and state this," he said.

In October, bomb threats targeting schools and other organizations, including the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant, intensified and continued in Lithuania, but none of them were turned out to be real.

By Valdas Pryšmantas

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Lithuania energmin to sign pact on energy facilities' cyber security during US visit

VILNIUS, Nov 27, BNS – Lithuanian Energy Minister Dainius Kreivys is in the United States this week where he will sign an agreement with the Idaho National Laboratory, one of the national laboratories of the United States Department of Energy, on the participation in a joint project to strengthen the cyber security of the energy sector, the Energy Ministry told BNS on Monday.

In addition, Kreivys will meet with US Deputy Secretary of Energy David Turk to discuss cooperation, Lithuania's preparations for the synchronization of the Baltic electricity grids with Western Europe, regional energy security, and support for Ukraine's energy sector.

Kreivys will also talk about preparation in Lithuania to switch to 100 percent renewable energy and to use its resources to cover all consumption needs.

During the visit, the Lithuanian energy minister is also scheduled to meet with representatives of US energy companies developing the latest nuclear energy technology and small nuclear reactors.

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Lithuania to provide EUR 2 mln in aid for exporting grain from Ukraine

VILNIUS, Nov 27, BNS – Lithuania this year will contribute 2 million euros for the global humanitarian initiative Grain from Ukraine, the government's press service has said.

Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte said during her visit to Kyiv on Saturday that the initiative is important because of Russia's blockade of grain shipment routes in the Black Sea.

"Russia is trying to turn food into a weapon again, but this time such intentions will not succeed, among other reasons, thanks to the Grains from Ukraine initiative," she said after the initiative's summit in the Ukrainian capital.

Last year, Lithuania also contributed 2 million euros to the humanitarian food program initiated by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

After Russia invaded Ukraine and started blockading its Black Sea ports last year, Kyiv asked for international assistance in shipping grain out of the country. Some of it was exported via the Lithuanian seaport of Klaipeda.

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Lithuanian SocDems call on govt to consider issuing defense bonds

VILNIUS, Nov 27, BNS - The opposition Lithuanian Social Democratic Party's political group in the Seimas has proposed to the country's government to consider creating a new source of revenue, defense bonds.

"We will only be taken seriously in the eyes of our strategic NATO partners if we propose real solutions to increase the clearly insufficient defense budget," LSDP leader Vilija Blinkeviciute said.

For her part, Dovile Sakaliene, a Social Democrat member of the Seimas Committee on National Security and Defense, says this would be a sustainable source of funds as defense bonds would allow the state to borrow its citizens, meaning that the funds raised would remain within the country.

"It would not be a burden on lower-income earners, like the consumption tax currently proposed by some politicians," she said.

Eugenijus Gentvilas, the elder of the Liberal Movement political group in the Seimas, which is part of the ruling coalition, earlier also suggested borrowing from the Lithuanian population for defense needs.

In October, when lawmakers started deliberating next yea's state budget, Laurynas Kasciunas, chair of the CNSD, proposed starting discussions on sustainable national defense funding and suggested introducing a defense tax.

Next year, Lithuania plans to allocate a total of 2.06 billion euros on national defense. According to the Defense Ministry, the total defense budget in 2024 is expected to reach 2.71 percent of GDP. 2.52 percent will come from the budget, and the rest will be received from the existing temporary bank solidarity levy.

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Allied support for Lithuanian division will depend on bilateral discussions – NATO admiral - BNS INTERVIEW

VILNIUS, Nov 27, BNS - NATO does not require the creation of a division in Lithuania, Rob Bauer, chair of the NATO Military Committee says, adding that allied support for such a military unit will depend on bilateral discussions.

Lithuania plans to establish the unit by 2030, given the country's current defense funding. However, it would not be fully manned another five years, which means that Lithuania would have to ask for allied support during this period and will need long-range artillery, rocket artillery, reconnaissance or aviation units.

"That is a discussion that other nations can have with Lithuania. There is not a hard requirement from NATO for a division in Lithuania, but it is good to have a division in Lithuania, of course," the admiral said in an interview with BNS last week. "So everyone will look at this, and if nations can and are able to help Lithuania with that, they can decide so and at the same time, Lithuania has to build those capabilities over the coming years. And so the fact that it is not there now shouldn't be treated as a negative thing. It is a normal thing that if you build such a large unit, like a division, it will take time."

The Lithuanian foreign minister has recently said that Russia is mobilizing resources for a war with NATO. Nonetheless, German experts predict that after the end of the intense fighting in Ukraine, it will take the Moscow regime 6 to10 years to rebuild its armed forces. Is the Alliance ready for war?

The alliance is always ready. And that is our duty because we are a defensive alliance. (...) NATO started to work on a new military strategy in 2018. What was produced saw the light of day in 2019. It was a threat-based military strategy and the threat is both Russia and terror groups. So that was a big change in the thinking because for a long, long time, almost 20 years, NATO saw Russia as a partner. But once Russia’s aggressive behavior started, we started developing new military strategies. One is for the defense of the Euro-Atlantic area, and the other is to make sure we are also ready for future threats.

All this work on collective defense meant that when the Russians invaded Ukraine on the 24th of February 2022, NATO was ready and we immediately had 120 aircraft airborne within hours and we had more and more ships at sea and 40,000 troops under the command of NATO within less than two weeks. So that was how NATO was able to respond, and that was not even a situation where we were attacked, the Alliance itself.

If you want peace, you need to prepare for war and strengthen your deterrence. That is the best way to prevent war from ever happening. We are not at war with Russia and I think the Russians don't want a war with NATO because I'm convinced they know that they will lose that.

But even German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has admitted that the European Union will not be able to produce one million artillery shells for Ukraine. Do you see any risks that the European military industry is adapting too slowly to the changed geopolitical environment?

For me, supporting Ukraine and strengthening our own defenses are two different things. I fully agree with the German minister that we need to ramp up production to support Ukraine. Because we see that the Russian economy is changing to a wartime economy. And that means that the Russian economy is serving the war efforts as the main effort, and that is not the case in Europe. It is a little bit more the case in the US where they have more instruments to basically order the industry to give preference to defense in terms of production. So yes, the European industry needs to ramp up faster. But in most liberal economies that takes longer because we deal with private investors, with all sorts of regulations, and therefore I am talking about this subject a lot because we need this, we need this faster and we need it in larger numbers.

Doesn't that imply that Europe is too dependent on the US and its military capabilities in that case?  

NATO’s defense and deterrence is a combined effort of all the allies. The United States Armed Forces are the biggest and therefore they play a very important role.  However, it is important that the Canadian and European Armed Forces start playing a bigger role in providing capabilities. The plans that have been approved in Vilnius during the summit in July are actually aiming at a larger contribution from the European and Canadian Armed Forces in order to rebalance that a little bit.

Speaking specifically of Lithuania. The agreement between Vilnius and Berlin makes Lithuania the only country in the eastern flank with a brigade size unit from a NATO ally. Lithuania, obviously, is pleased with this decision, but how doesn't that reduce your ability as a planner to deploy forces where they are most needed?

Not necessarily. The good thing about the German brigade in Lithuania is that with these regional plans, there is a better connection between the national defense plans and their regional NATO plants. So, as a result of that, the nations are focusing more on their own region. It doesn't mean they cannot be everywhere, but the nations in the region will first and foremost look at deploying their forces to neighboring countries or countries that are close by, and therefore this decision from the German and the Lithuanian governments is a logical one because it is building on this long-standing relationship since the start of eFP in 2016. 

But how do you feel about Lithuania being the only country in the eastern flank with this kind of brigade?

The decision in Madrid was to have 8 battle groups along the eastern flank with the minimum size of an enabled battalion. That was the decision that is being realized and the decision was always that those battle groups needed to be able to beef up to a brigade if it is necessary, based on intelligence. A number of nations already have seen exercises with a brigade coming to them, so you see that the mechanism works and the battle groups can be beefed up to a brigade if necessary.

The decision by Germany and Lithuania to permanently ramp up to a brigade does not go against NATO plans, it complements our plans. The decision is a clear show of solidarity between allies. It requires a lot of investments on both sides. But it sends a clear message that NATO is ready to defend every inch of allied territory. And that is exactly the goal of our regional plans: to make sure we combine forward defense with strategic flexibility in order to protect every inch in all domains.

Do you see any possibilities for other countries to beef up their battalions to a brigade in the nearest future?

That's up to nations and it's up to the lead nations. We see a deal between Latvia and Canada where more people from Canada come to Latvia for a reason that is also understandable because if you are in Canada with a lot of troops and material, it takes more time to get to Latvia. So they beef up their presence and as a result, there will be more troops in Latvia as well, like in Lithuania.

Lithuania plans to create a division in 2030. However, initially, for at least five years, Lithuania will not have the so-called enabler units of its own and is seeking to have them from NATO. Do you see any opportunities for this?

That is a discussion that other nations can have with Lithuania. There is not a hard requirement from NATO for a division in Lithuania, but it is good to have a division in Lithuania, of course. So everyone will look at this. If nations can and are able to help Lithuania with that, they can decide so and at the same time, Lithuania has to build those capabilities over the coming years. And so the fact that it is not there now shouldn't be treated as a negative thing. It is a normal thing that if you build such a large unit like a division, it will take time.

Lithuania is also looking for partners that could deploy air defense elements in the country on a rotational basis, replacing the air policing mission. Almost half a year has passed since defense ministers agreed on such a model, but no agreement has been signed. When could a breakthrough be expected?

All these things take time. This is about capabilities that nations do not necessarily immediately have, about making sure that nations can deploy to, in this case, Lithuania or any other Baltic nation. We're going to talk about this at the February meeting of defense ministers.

Thank you for your time.

By Augustas Stankevičius

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Lithuanian president continues to lead popularity rating – poll

VILNIUS, Nov 27, BNS – People in Lithuania continue to have the most favorable opinion of the country's President Gitanas Nauseda, according to the latest poll by Vilmorus for the Lietuvos Rytas daily, published on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis, who leads the ruling conservative Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats, saw its public approval rating plummet the most this month.

According to the poll, 64.6 percent of the respondents had a favorable opinion of Nauseda in November, while 16.4 percent had a negative one, compared to 64.2 and 16.5 percent respectively in October.

MEP Vilija Blinkeviciute, the leader of the opposition Lithuanian Social Democratic Party, is the second most popular politician in the country, with 51.9 percent of positive opinions and 23.2 percent of negative ones, almost unchanged from October – 50.8 and 22.9 percent.

"This is her highest personal assessment since such polls began," Vladas Gaidys, head of Vilmorus, told BNS.

Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas comes in third with 43.9 percent of favorable opinions and 25.7 percent of negative ones, from 43.9 and 23.3 percent respectively in October.

He's followed by Speaker of the Seimas Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen, who leads the Liberal Movement, part of the ruling block, with 36 percent of favorable opinions and 37.6 percent of unfavorable ones (35.5 and 35.7 percent in October).

Ex-Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis, the leader of the opposition Democrats "For Lithuania", comes next with 33.5 percent of positive opinions and 39.5 percent of negative ones, compared to 34.7 and 36 percent respectively in October.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Landsbergis' public approval rating has nosedived this month as 67.7 percent had an unfavorable opinion of him, compared to 61 percent in October. And 15.8 percent had a positive opinion of the politician, compared to 19 percent in October.

Economy and Innovation Minister Ausrine Armonaite, the leader of the Freedom Party, another member of the ruling coalition, has a public disapproval rating of 59.3 percent, and 14.6 percent have a positive opinion of her, compared to 59.8 percent and 13.2 percent respectively in October.

Meanwhile, 59.2 percent have an unfavorable opinion of Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte and 21.9 percent have a positive one, compared to 54.9 percent and 24.9 percent respectively in October.

Among the most unpopular politicians is MEP Waldemar Tomaszewski, the leader of the Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania – Christian Families Alliance as 58.3 percent have an unfavorable opinion of him and 6.1 percent have a positive one (56 and 6.1 percent in October).

Vilmorus polled 1,000 people on November 9-19 November.

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NATO jets in Baltics scrambled twice over Russian aircraft last week

VILNIUS, Nov 27, BNS – NATO's fighter jets policing Baltic airspace were last week scrambled twice to identify and escort Russian aircraft flying in international airspace over the Baltic Sea in violation of flight rules, the Lithuanian Defense Ministry said on Monday.

On November 20, NATO's jets intercepted an IL-20 attack aircraft flying from mainland Russia to its Kaliningrad exclave.

Another IL-20 was intercepted en route from Kaliningrad from mainland Russia on November 25.

Neither of the Russian aircraft were using their onboard transponders or keeping radio contract with the Regional Traffic Control Center. They had not filed flight plans either.

The NATO Baltic air policing mission is carried out from air bases in Lithuania and Estonia.

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EU Commissioner Sinkevicius leads list of Lithuanian democrats' EP candidates

VILNIUS, Nov 27, BNS – European Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevicius has received the biggest level of support from the opposition Democrats (For Lithuania) as the party's chapters started nominating candidates for the upcoming European Parliament election.

The party chapter can nominate their candidates until January 7, and half of the party's chapters have already submitted their nominations, the party said on Monday.

Several names are most frequently mentioned among the contenders and they include Sinkevicius, the party's leader Saulius Skvernelis, MPs Lukas Savickas, Algirdas Butkevicius, Tominas Tominas and Olga Vebriene.

Lithuania will elect its 11 MEPs on June 9.

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SocDems top party popularity rating in Lithuania

VILNIUS, Nov 27, BNS - If the Seimas election were held on the upcoming Sunday, the opposition Lithuanian Social Democratic Party would get the highest number of votes, and the ruling Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats would get only half of what the Social Democrats would receive, according to the latest poll by Vilmorus for the Lietuvos Rytas daily, published on Saturday.

It shows that 20.3 percent vote for the Social Democrats, compared to 18 percent in October.

"This is the highest result for this party since the last election," Vladas Gaidys, head of Vilmorus, told BNS.

The HU-LCD comes in second with 8 percent, which is the lowest number since the 2020 elections. A month ago, 9.3 percent would have voted for the party.

The opposition Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union would receive 7.7 percent, up from 7.3 percent in October), pushing the opposition Democrats "For Lithuania" into fourth place with 6.7 percent (7.5 percent).

The Liberal Movement, part of the ruling coalition, would get 5.7 percent (4.7 percent in October), followed by the opposition Labor Party with 2.8 percent (2.9 percent), the Freedom and Justice Party with 2.7 percent (2.1 percent), the People and Justice Union (centrists, nationalists) with 2.4 percent (7.7 percent), the Lithuanian Regions Party with 2.3 percent (2.4 percent), the Freedom Party, another member of the ruling coalition, with 1.9 percent (2.4 percent), the Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania – Christian Families Alliance with 1.3 percent (1.6 percent).

1.4 percent of the respondents said they would vote for "another party", and, according to Gaidys, often mentioned the National Alliance when asked to name it.

10.9 percent said they would not vote at all and 25.9 percent were undecided, compared to 10.8 and 27.4 percent respectively a month ago.

Vilmorus polled 1,000 people on November 9-19 November.

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Fire and rescue service remains most trusted institution in Lithuania – poll

VILNIUS, Nov 27, BNS – The fire and rescue service continues to enjoy the highest public trust among all institutions in Lithuania, according to the latest Vilmorus opinion poll published by Lietuvos Rytas on Saturday.

It found that 88.9 percent of respondents trusted the fire and rescue service and 1.6 percent did not, compared to 91.9 percent and 1.6 percent, respectively, a month ago.

"The level of trust in firefighters has been high for many years," Vilmorus CEO Vladas Gaidys told BNS.

Other highly trusted institutions in November were the police with 63.8 percent trust and 9.3 percent mistrust (64.2 percent and 8.6 percent in October), and the Armed Forces with 60.7 percent and 11 percent (63.9 percent and 9 percent), respectively.

Some 51.4 percent of those polled said they had confidence in Sodra and 12.2 percent said they did not trust the state social insurance fund (53.2 percent and 10.2 percent in November).

Among positively viewed services and institutions were border guards, trusted by 45.5 percent and mistrusted by 11.3 percent of respondents (46.7 percent and 8.3 percent).

Further down the list in terms of public trust were education with 43.7 percent and 11.9 percent (40.7 percent and 16.8 percent), the president's office with 42.7 percent and 18.3 percent (45.2 percent and 15.9 percent), and the Church with 42.5 percent and 20.3 percent (43.2 percent and 21.5 percent).

Political parties were viewed positively by 5.9 percent of respondents, and negatively by 52.4 percent (6.1 percent and 53.3 percent in November).

Some 8.5 percent of those polled trusted the parliament and 57 percent did not (10.7 percent and 53.4 percent).

The government was trusted by 12.5 percent of respondents and mistrusted by 44.6 percent (17.5 percent and 41.6 percent).

Vilmorus polled 1,000 people in Lithuania between November 9 and 19. The results of the representative survey, commissioned by Lietuvos Rytas, have an error margin of up to 3.1 percent.

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Growing inflow of migrant workers poses threat for Lithuania's security – minister

VILNIUS, Nov 27, BNS –The growing inflow of foreigners coming to Lithuania for work is a threat to Lithuania's security, Interior Minister Agne Bilotaite says, adding that newcomers are being used as a cover by the intelligence services of hostile countries.

"The growing inflow is a threat because it is becoming obvious that it is more difficult to ensure control and integration processes. The State Security Department has also pointed out that a worrying trend has recently emerged where immigrants are becoming a cover for the intelligence services of hostile countries," the minister told a press conference on Monday.

Some 50,000 foreigners have come to work in Lithuania this yea, she said, adding that these are mainly citizens of Belarus, Uzbekistan, Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan. The number of foreigners coming from Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan is also increasing.

"This year, 16,000 decisions have been made to ban the entry of foreign citizens to Lithuania due to threats to national security," the interior minister said. For the same reason, she added, 411 Belarusian citizens have had their residence permits revoked and 562 have been refused temporary residence permits.

"This year, the State Border Guard Service has refused to allow 527 Russian citizens and 600 Belarusian citizens to enter Lithuania due to threats to national security. This shows that our prior decisions and restrictive measures are really bearing fruit," Bilotaite said.

MPs Laurynas Kasciunas and Paulius Saudargas have drafted amendments to the Law on the Legal Status of Aliens, which would allow a foreigner who has lived in Lithuania for five years and wishes to extend their temporary residence permit to be issued such a document only if they present documents to prove their proficiency in the state Lithuanian language.

According to the lawmakers, the practice shows that people tend to renew their temporary residence permit for an indefinite period of time and are therefore not subject to the requirements to have sufficient command of the Lithuanian language and have basic knowledge of the Lithuanian Constitution when applying for a permanent residence permit. This, they argue, creates a risk of the formation of foreign diasporas.

The two lawmakers also propose increasing employers' responsibility when employing foreigners. The amendments seek to establish that a temporary residence permit issued on the basis of employment shall be revoked or a new one denied if the employer has had a period of non-insurability for more than 90 days in the previous 180 days for any of the foreigners employed.

In addition, the amendments would provide that a foreigner in Lithuania would be able to change their employer no earlier than six months after the date of obtaining a temporary residence permit.

Under the current regulations, employers commit to employing a foreigner for six months, but in practice, after a month or so, foreigners often asked the Migration Department to allow them to change employers.

Kasciunas and Saudargas are also proposing limiting the number of temporary residence permits issued to persons of Lithuanian origin or to foreigners entitled to restore Lithuanian citizenship. According to the bill, a temporary permit would be issued to them only once. After living in Lithuania for five years, they would have to learn the Lithuanian language, pass the exam on the basic knowledge of the Constitution and could obtain a permanent residence permit.

By Jūratė Skėrytė

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Many Lithuanian cos could make dual-purpose products – industry rep

VILNIUS, Nov 27, BNS – Many Lithuanian industrial enterprises could manufacture dual-purpose products, from explosives to weapons, Vidmantas Janulevicius, president of the Lithuanian Confederation of Industrialists (LCI), said on Monday.

"Many industrial enterprises could also produce dual-purpose products. That is what we talked about today," Janulevicius said after the first meeting of the National Coordination Council for Total Defense at the Presidential Palace on Monday.

"In a few months, the LCI will submit to the Council lists of companies with specific products that we could produce, with or without additional funding," he added.

According to the LCI president, Lithuanian businesses could produce a wide range of dual-purpose goods, from drones to explosives and weapons.

"Some metalworking companies could make weapons that could fully comply with NATO standards and needs," he noted.

Janulevicius added that in preparation for manufacturing dual-use goods, legislative amendments would be need to loosen the regulation of production in emergencies.

The LCI president listed food production, pharmaceuticals and energy as key industries in an emergency situation.

"Let's hope that there will be no such thing (war), but we should ensure that all the links operate so that the people of Lithuania and its soldiers have access to food," he said.

"We are also talking about the health industry and energy, which is a crucial infrastructure part because without energy, we can hardly carry out any other activities."

The National Coordination Council for Total Defense is an advisory and expert group that brings together representatives from NGOs, businesses, industry, the parliament and the government to discuss the implementation of the objectives set out in the National Defense Plan.

The president-chaired State Defense Council earlier this month approved the plan and envisaged mechanisms for its execution and cooperation, including the establishment of the National Coordination Council for Total Defense.

By Milena Andrukaitytė

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Gas prices for Lithuanian households may fall 4-7 cents from January – regulator

VILNIUS, Nov 27, BNS – Natural gas prices for households in Lithuania may go down by 4-7 euro cents per cubic meter from January, compared to the price they currently pay, Renatas Pocius, chairman of the National Energy Regulatory Council (NERC), said on Monday.

"For those using natural gas in gas stoves, we have received a draft proposal from Ignitis indicating a decrease of 7 cents per cubic meter," Pocius told reporters, commenting on the draft tariffs submitted by the electricity and gas supplier.

"For the second group of consumers heating their homes with natural gas, the reduction in tariffs is 4 cents per cubic meter," he said.

Currently, consumers using the least amount of gas (mainly for cooking) 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 natural gas tariffs, but the scheme will be scrapped starting from January.

The NERC is expected to approve the final natural gas tariffs and state-regulated public supply electricity tariffs on Thursday.

By Giedrius Gaidamavičius

Editor: Roma Pakėnienė

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Growing inflow of migrant workers poses threat for Lithuania's security – minister (expands)

Updated version: updates throughout

She and several other politicians on Monday presented new migration restrictions.

For the first time, the total number of foreigners living in Lithuania has exceeded 200,000, of which 62,000 are Belarusian citizens, she pointed out. This year alone, the number has increased by 14,000.

Visa centers to be closed

The existing legislation allows employers to abuse the system for the employment of foreigners, Bilotaite said.

"We see a lot of new companies being set up which do not employ foreigners, but, I would say, sublease them to other companies," the interior minister said.

She also announced that she would initiate an inter-institutional working group to develop a new migration policy strategy in line with the existing threats.

In addition, there are plans to close visa centers in some countries where foreigners can apply for national visas and temporary residence permits in Lithuania. There are currently 34 of them.

Laurynas Kasciunas, chair of the Seimas Committee on National Security and Defense, says that not only labor market needs, but also threats to national security and cultural proximity will be assessed when deciding which centers to close.

He's also proposing consulting the State Security Department before establishing visa centers abroad.

According to the interior minister, her ministry will propose introducing additional controls for the recruitment of foreigners, the activities of their employers and the presence of foreigners in Lithuania, and also imposing a tax on the use of mediation letters for companies that invite foreigners to work.

Learn the language

"There are attempts to bypass the integration mechanism. (...) There is a very clear path to prevent the formation of closed diasporas, which would create parallel societies, and for those communities to integrate into the life of the country through the knowledge of the state language," the CNSD chair explained.

The MPs will also propose adopting an amendment stating that if a residence permit is suspended or revoked in Lithuania, the foreigner will have to leave the country immediately.

Saudargas says that if such a person appealed to courts, they would no longer be able to wait for their judgments in Lithuania.

In addition, the amendments would provide that a foreigner in Lithuania would be able to change their employer no earlier than six months after the date of obtaining a temporary residence permit.

Restrictions for Belarusians

Kasciunas also confirmed plans to get back to the idea of tightening restrictions for Belarusian citizens.

"We are getting back to restrictions for Belarusians. Next week, we will meet with the minister and discuss specific wordings, possible extension of the restrictions for Belarusian citizens," he told journalists.

Bilotaite says her ministry has never given up its position that the Belarusians should be subject to the same restrictions that the Russians are. Now, the proposal, initially rejected by the Lithuanian parliament, can be considered again because the context had changed.

"We have consistently spoken, as a ministry, on these measures and we have not changed our position, and these discussions continue," the minister said. "Especially after the State Security Department made its arguments public, identified real threats, I think we need to get back to this debate and to talk to MPs because there is a new context and new circumstances that need to be assessed," she added.

Lithuania now has a law in place on restrictive measures for Russian and Belarusian citizens, but Russian citizens are subject to more restrictions that Belarusian nationals. Both Russians and Belarusians face restrictions on obtaining Lithuanian visas and electronic resident status, but Russian citizens face additional difficulties in entering Lithuania, purchasing real estate and having their applications for residence temporarily rejected.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda maintained that Belarusian citizens should be subject to the same sanctions as Russian nationals, but the Seimas overrode his veto on the grounds that Belarusian citizens should be subject to a more relaxed regime.

Secondary migration on the rise

Speaking on illegal migration, Bilotaite said it had been taken under control but he also stressed the importance of staying vigilant.

More than 500 asylum applications have been received this year, half of them from Belarusian citizens, she said.

"We see that secondary migration is also on the rise. This year, more than 1,000 migrants from the Latvian side have been detained," the minister said.

This year, Lithuanian border guards have prevented a total of 2,505 irregular migrants from entering Lithuania from Belarus at non-designated locations.

And more than 21,800 migrants have been refused entry from Belarus since August 3, 2021 when Lithuanian border guards were given the right to turn irregular migrants away. Some of them have tried to enter Lithuania more than once.

The influx of migrants from Belarus to the EU's eastern member states started in 2021 and the West blames the Minsk regime for it. Almost 4,200 migrants entered Lithuania illegally from Belarus at the time, but most of them have since left the country after movement restrictions were lifted.

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Upcoming events in Lithuania for Tuesday, November 28, 2023

VILNIUS, Nov 28, BNS – The following events are scheduled in Lithuania for Tuesday, November 28, 2023:

PRESIDENT Gitanas Nauseda to welcome participants of the Ukraine Green Recovery Conference at 11 a.m.; to light up the Christmas tree at the Presidential Palace with the First Lady at 3 p.m.

PRIME MINISTER Ingrida Simonyte to attend a business conference at 9 a.m.; to take part in a discussion with young people at the European Commission Representation in Lithuania at 1 p.m.

SOCIAL SECURITY AND LABOR MINISTER Monika Navickiene to attend an EPSCO meeting in Brussels.

FOREIGN MINISTER Gabrielius Landsbergis to attend the Berlin Foreign Policy Forum.

INTERIOR MINISTER Agne Bilotaite to attend the 91st Interpol General Assembly in Vienna.

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Nov 29 2023

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