LITHUANIA DAILY NEWS BULLETIN

IN THIS ISSUE:

1. Upcoming events in Lithuania for Thursday, June 22, 2023
2. Vilnius Airport's runway reopened after closure due to aircraft malfunction 
3. Lithuanian parliament to vote on appointing Petroniene as election chief 
4. Lithuanian president, EU ambassadors to discuss Russia sanctions, support for Ukraine
5. Lithuania records no illegal border crossings from Belarus
6. Lithuanian MPs to vote on ban on flavored heated tobacco products
7. Lithuania bans flavored heated tobacco products (updates)
8. Lithuania to scrap facilitated entry rules for pets from Ukraine as of July – watchdog 
9. Lithuanian PM vows extra funding for new army division
10. Lithuanian formin congratulates his new Finnish counterpart, discusses security issues
11. Main construction works completed at Rokantiskes military facility in Lithuania
12. NATO draws up 1st draft of Vilnius Summit Declaration, negotiations begin
13. Lithuanian formin says 'no discussion' on arms supplies to Ukraine in NATO format
14. Petroniene appointed head of Lithuania's election watchdog 
15. Lithuania's appeal court ends hearings in MG Group case, verdict due in November 
16. Lithuanian president calls for new sanction package for Russia, including Rosatom
17. Lithuanian minister calls Wednesday's incident at Vilnius airport 'serious'
18. NATO draws up 1st draft of Vilnius Summit Declaration, negotiations begin (expands)
19. Stadler Rail that will make trains for Lithuanian leaving Belarus – minister
20. NATO has to negotiate political commitments, not arms to Ukraine – Lithuanian formin
21. Lithuanian customs officers bust EUR 2.3 mln worth of cigarettes hidden under cucumbers
22. Lithuania's total support to Ukraine reaches EUR 1 b – ministry
23. 456 Ukrainians take natl university entrance test in Lithuania
24. Lithuanian court acquits former Ignalina NPP executives in auction case
25. Upcoming events in Lithuania for Friday, June 23, 2023

Upcoming events in Lithuania for Thursday, June 22, 2023

VILNIUS, Jun 22, BNS – The following events are scheduled in Lithuania for Thursday, June 22, 2023:

PRESIDENT Gitanas Nauseda to meet with EU ambassadors accredited to Lithuania at 10 a.m.

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Vilnius Airport's runway reopened after closure due to aircraft malfunction 

VILNIUS, Jun 22, BNS – Vilnius Airport's runway reopened for operations on Wednesday evening after a temporary closure due to an aircraft's landing gear failure.  

"With the permission of the airline and the aircraft manufacturer, the aircraft was removed from the taxiway on the runway. The runway at Vilnius Airport was opened for operations from 20:40," Lietuvos Oro Uostai (Lithuanian Airports, LTOU), said in a tweet.

This incident affected 24 flights. Five incoming aircraft were diverted by airlines to Kaunas Airport and one to Riga, and nine flights were cancelled, including four arrivals and five departures. 

The incident was reported at 4:20 p.m. after the landing gear of a Brussels-bound flight malfunctioned.

"At around 4:20 p.m., a Brussels-bound plane experienced an incident when the landing gear failed during taxiing to the runway, resulting in the runway being blocked," LTOU spokesman Marius Zelenius told BNS on Wednesday.

He gave no details, saying that an investigation was ongoing.

 

By Augustas Stankevičius, Greta Zulonaitė

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Lithuanian parliament to vote on appointing Petroniene as election chief 

VILNIUS, Jun 22, BNS – The Lithuanian parliament is expected to vote on Thursday on Lina Petroniene's appointment as chairwoman of the Central Electoral Commission (CEC). 

Petroniene, who now heads the CEC's Political Parties and Campaign Finance Control Division, has been nominated for the post by Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen, speaker of the parliament.

The candidate told the Seimas last week that the CEC must not only organize elections, but also take care of prevention of potential violations of the new Electoral Code.

"It is very important for the CEC to do its homework too, to inform those concerned about the changes, to provide methodological information, advice and monitoring, and if mistakes are noticed, to remind them of the new provisions and provide advice and explanations," she said.

After the Electoral Code, which consolidates all of Lithuania's electoral laws into a single document, took effect last year, the CEC came under criticism for its organization of municipal elections as hundreds of candidates were threatened with removal from the lists due to their failure to follow the requirements for filing their documents.

Petroniene holds a Master's degree in Informatics from Vilnius University and a Master's degree in Law from Mykolas Romeris University.

She has been working for the CEC since 1996 and has previously worked in the Office of the Seimas.

The election watchdog has had no permanent chairperson since the resignation of Jolanta Petkeviciene in late March amid criticism over the organization of mayoral elections in Anyksciai and Visaginas.

The CEC chairperson is nominated by the speaker of the Seimas and appointed by the full parliament. 

The commission is reconstituted after each parliamentary election. 

 

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Lithuanian president, EU ambassadors to discuss Russia sanctions, support for Ukraine

VILNIUS, Jun 22, BNS – President Gitanas Nauseda is on Thursday meeting with EU member countries' ambassadors to Lithuania to discuss the tightening of sanctions against Russia, and support for Ukraine.

They will also address the EU's key policy issues in the run-up to the European Council's summit on June 29-30, and Russia's war in Ukraine and its responsibility for war crimes and aggression, Ridas Jasiulionis, the president's adviser, has told BNS.

Other topics to be discussed include defense and security, the fight against illegal migration, the EU's competitiveness and resilience, and relations with China and Latin American countries.

On Wednesday, the EU agreed an 11th package of sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, including measures against evasion of restrictions already in place.

 

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Lithuania records no illegal border crossings from Belarus

VILNIUS, Jun 22, BNS – Lithuanian border guards have in the past 24 hours recorded no attempts to cross into the country from Belarus illegally, the State Border Guard Service (SBGS) said on Thursday morning.

Latvia reported 30 attempts at illegal border crossings on Wednesday, and 103 irregular migrants were not allowed into Poland on Tuesday, according to the latest available information.

A total of 1,234 irregular migrants have been barred from entering Lithuania from Belarus at non-designated places so far this year. Over 11,200 irregular migrants were turned away in 2022.  

Lithuanian border guards have prevented about 20,500 people from crossing in from Belarus since August 3, 2021, when they were given the right to turn away irregular migrants. The number includes repeated attempts by the same people to cross the border.

The SBGS says that illegal migration to Lithuania and the EU is being facilitated by Belarusian officials.

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 MPs to vote on ban on flavored heated tobacco products

VILNIUS, Jun 22, BNS – The parliament is to decide on Thursday whether to ban the sale of heated tobacco products with an added aroma or flavor in Lithuania as of October 23 and whether to oblige manufacturers to put a health warning on heated tobacco packages 

The MPs will vote on the respective amendments to the Law on Control of Tobacco, Tobacco Products and Related Products.

Health warnings are required by a European Commission directive. Lithuania has until July 23 to adopt the restrictions that are aimed at reducing the use of the products.  

The amendments, drafted by the government, also call for banning the sale in Lithuania of heated tobacco products containing additives that may enhance or modify their smell, taste or smoke intensity. 

The ban currently only applies to cigarettes and rolling tobacco.

The government also proposes to scrap the exemption from the health warning requirement that is currently in place for heated tobacco products.

Wholesale trade in heated tobacco products jumped by 27.3 percent in Lithuania last year, according to data from the State Tax Inspectorate.

A study carried out by the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences last year showed that the factors that influenced a person's choice to start using e-cigarettes or heated tobacco products were the example of friends, colleagues or others (30.6 percent) and the availability of products with different flavors and aromas (28.3 percent).

 

By Sniegė Balčiūnaitė

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Lithuania bans flavored heated tobacco products (updates)

VILNIUS, Jun 22, BNS – The Lithuanian parliament on Thursday banned the sale of heated tobacco products with an added aroma or flavor in the country as of October 23 and obliged manufacturers to put a health warning on their packages. 

The respective amendments to the Law on Control of Tobacco, Tobacco Products and Related Products passed in a vote of 103 to one with four abstentions. 

The Seimas also banned the sale in Lithuania of heated tobacco products containing additives that may enhance or modify their smell, taste or smoke intensity. This currently only applies to cigarettes and rolling tobacco.

"This uniformity is important in order to provide consumers with accurate information on the health harms of heated tobacco," MP Aidas Gedvilas told the parliament. 

The Seimas also scrapped the exemption from the health warning requirement that is currently in place for heated tobacco products.

Health warnings are required by a European Commission directive. Lithuania has until July 23 to adopt the restrictions that are aimed at reducing the use of the products.  

Wholesale trade in heated tobacco products jumped by 27.3 percent in Lithuania last year, according to data from the State Tax Inspectorate.

 

By Sniegė Balčiūnaitė

Editor: Roma Pakėnienė

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Lithuania to scrap facilitated entry rules for pets from Ukraine as of July – watchdog 

VILNIUS, Jun 22, BNS – EU member countries, including Lithuania, are scrapping the facilitated entry requirements for pets from Ukraine, the State Food and Veterinary Service (SVVT) said on Wednesday.

All of the EU rules on the movement of cats, dogs and ferrets from Ukraine to the EU will be reinstated on July 1, it said.

"In light of the situation at the border with Ukraine and Ukraine's position, expressed during the  General Session of the World Organization for Animal Health, that its competent veterinary services are capable of ensuring adequate animal health control and enforcing the EU's requirements for pets, the European Commission and EU member states decided to cancel the exemption (from the rules)," Alicija Zarankovich, senior veterinarian at the SVVT Border Food and Veterinary Control Division, said in a press release. 

Among other things, pets entering the EU must be microchipped and vaccinated against rabies.

 

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Lithuanian PM vows extra funding for new army division

VILNIUS, Jun 22, BNS – Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte has vowed to allocate additional funding for the creation of an army division, and the money will not be included in the national defense budget that is estimated to reach around 2.5 percent of GDP next year.

"We'll need to set the dates and start developing that capability. This will exceed the existing 2.52 percent of GDP allocations. Basically, we'll have 2.5, plus military mobility and host nation support, plus the start of the development of the division capability," the prime minister told reporters at the parliament on Thursday.

More details on defense spending will be provided after the Finance Minister drafts the 2024 budget, she added, adding that actual defense spending "will be 2.7-2.8 percent of GDP", including military mobility and host nation support and division funding. 

"We may have different options and percentages in that accounting, but it seems to me that this is not the point. What is important is that we have stable funding the parties agreed on, and then we have several projects that are on top of that," Simonyte said.

In his State of the Nation Address earlier this week, President Gitanas Nauseda said the existing defense funding would not be sufficient to set up an army division in Lithuania.

Lithuania's State Defense Council agreed to establish an army division in early May, and Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas promised to submit the necessary bills to the Seimas in June.

The ministry estimates that the cost of creating the division will amount to an average of 200 million euros annually.

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Lithuanian formin congratulates his new Finnish counterpart, discusses security issues

VILNIUS, Jun 22, BNS – Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis on Thursday had a telephone conversation with Finland's new Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen to congratulate her on her appointment and to discuss bilateral and regional cooperation and security issues.

The two ministers also discussed NATO's upcoming summit in Vilnius in mid-July, the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry said in a press release.

"We congratulate Finland on becoming the 31st member of NATO," it quoted Landsbergis as saying. "This historic decision and step by Finland will significantly strengthen security in the Baltic Sea region."

Finland joined NATO in April. The move, triggered by the Kremlin's war in Ukraine, means that the Alliance's border with Russia has doubled in size.

Landsbergis said during the phone conversation that it is important to further step up cooperation among the Nordic and Baltic countries.

"There is a large potential in the Nordic-Baltic cooperation format, especially in the current geopolitical context," the Lithuanian minister said. 

"We are like-minded nations, so we must be even more active together," he said.

The top diplomats of Lithuania and Finland "also discussed the need to continue supporting Ukraine and take measures to ensure Russia's accountability for war crimes against Ukraine," according to the press release.

 

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Main construction works completed at Rokantiskes military facility in Lithuania

VILNIUS, Jun 22, BNS - The main construction works at the Rokantiskes military facility in Vilnius District have been completed, and now the work on the interior and exterior infrastructure is being done, Lithuania's Defense Ministry said on Thursday.

The Rokantiskes facility will cover an area of 17.7 hectares, and troops from the Duke Vaidotas Mechanized Infantry Battalion, now temporarily stationed in Marijampole, will move to this new facility.

Two separate military facilities are under construction near Lithuania's northern city of Siauliai and in the western district of Silale.

"The construction of the three military facilities is a project of special strategic importance for the Lithuanian Army. Equipped in a modern manner and modern army standards, the new military facilities will contribute to the improvement of military service and living conditions and to the growth of the Lithuanian army's capabilities," Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas said after inspecting the construction of the military facilities.

The construction of the three military facilities is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2023 or early 2024, and up to 2,400 troops or civilian employees of the national defense system will be able to work and serve there.

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NATO draws up 1st draft of Vilnius Summit Declaration, negotiations begin

VILNIUS, Jun 22, BNS - NATO produced the first draft of the Vilnius Summit Declaration this week as allied members begin negotiations on the final text.

The fact has been confirmed to BNS by several sources speaking on condition of anonymity as they are not authorized to comment on the negotiating process.

"The first draft of the summit declaration has already been prepared and now discussions are starting on the text," one official told BNS on Thursday.

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Lithuanian formin says 'no discussion' on arms supplies to Ukraine in NATO format

VILNIUS, Jun 22, BNS – Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said on Thursday that "there will be no discussion on supporting Ukraine with arms in the NATO format".   

His comment came after German Chancellor Olaf Scholz urged NATO leaders to focus on ramping up Ukraine's fighting capacity at their summit in Vilnius in mid-July. 

The Alliance's leaders should "focus in Vilnius on what is now an absolute priority – that is, to strengthen the fighting power of Ukraine", Scholz was quoted as saying. 

Landsbergis told reporters in Vilnius on Thursday that "NATO has failed to find a consensus in more than a year of war on how to supply Ukraine with weapons". 

"Either the EU has found (how to do so) via the European Peace Facility, or nations are supporting (Ukraine) bilaterally," the minister said. 

"So there will be no discussion on supporting Ukraine with arms in the NATO format," he said. 

"Maybe some other commitments are possible, but I don't see them for now, so one of the main discussions is the political track, in other words, what NATO can politically commit to Ukraine," said Landsbergis. 

"So far there has been a lot of talk about unity, but it is obvious that opinions diverge," he added.

 

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Petroniene appointed head of Lithuania's election watchdog 

VILNIUS, Jun 22, BNS – Lina Petroniene, who has worked at Lithuania's Central Electoral Commission (CEC) for almost three decades, was appointed its chairperson on Thursday. 

In a secret ballot, 68 members of the Seimas voted in favor of her appointment, nine voted against and nine abstained.

Petroniene, who now heads the CEC's Political Parties and Campaign Finance Control Division, was nominated for the post by Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen, speaker of the parliament.

The candidate told the Seimas last week that the CEC must not only organize elections, but also take care of prevention of potential violations of the new Electoral Code.

"It is very important for the CEC to do its homework too, to inform those concerned about the changes, to provide methodological information, advice and monitoring, and if mistakes are noticed, to remind them of the new provisions and provide advice and explanations," she said.

After the Electoral Code, which consolidates all of Lithuania's electoral laws into a single document, took effect last year, the CEC came under criticism for its organization of municipal elections as hundreds of candidates were threatened with removal from the lists due to their failure to follow the requirements for filing their documents.

Petroniene holds a Master's degree in Informatics from Vilnius University and a Master's degree in Law from Mykolas Romeris University.

She has been working for the CEC since 1996 and has previously worked in the Office of the Seimas.

The election watchdog has had no permanent chairperson since the resignation of Jolanta Petkeviciene in late March amid criticism over the organization of mayoral elections in Anyksciai and Visaginas.

The CEC chairperson is nominated by the speaker of the Seimas and appointed by the full parliament. 

The commission is reconstituted after each parliamentary election. 

 

 

By Jūratė Skėrytė

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Lithuania's appeal court ends hearings in MG Group case, verdict due in November 

VILNIUS, Jun 22, BNS – The Lithuanian Court of Appeal on Thursday concluded hearings in a high-profile political corruption case involving MG Group, one of Lithuania’s biggest business groups formerly known as MG Baltic, with the verdict to be handed down in November.

The panel of judges "plan to deliver the judgement at 10 a.m. on November 22," Judge Albinas Bielskis said at the close of Thursday's hearing.

The Court of Appeal's verdict will become final on the day of its publication, but can still be appealed to the Lithuanian Supreme Court within three months.

In the appeal, the prosecutors are seeking a conviction against the defendants who were acquitted by the court of first instance.

The prosecutors want Raimondas Kurlianskis, a former vice-president of MG Baltic, to be found guilty of bribery and influence peddling and sentenced to six and a half years in prison.

A seven-year jail sentence is sought for Eligijus Masiulis, a former leader of the Liberal Movement.

Other defendants include Labor Party MP Vytautas Gapsys, and two former Liberal parliamentarians – Gintaras Steponavicius and Sarunas Gustainis. 

Kurlianskis was charged with giving bribes to politicians to push through decisions favorable for his business group in the parliament. 

All other defendants were charged with receiving bribes in various forms from MG Baltic, except for Steponavicius who was charged with abuse of power.  

The prosecutors also asked the court to impose fines of around 1.5 million euros on MG Grupe as a legal entity, of around 565,000 euros on the Liberal Movement and of almost 373,000 euros on the Labor Party.  

Vilnius Regional Court acquitted all defendants in the political corruption case on April 19, 2022, saying that it found no elements of a criminal offence in their actions.

The court accepted the version that 90,000 euros stuffed in a vodka bottle box given by Kurlianskis to Masiulis back in 2016 were a loan rather than a bribe.

Masiulis said that he had borrowed the money from Kurlianskis to invest in real estate, and Kurlianskis said that he had supported the Liberal leader's political activities because he liked him.

 

By Ingrida Steniulienė

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Lithuanian president calls for new sanction package for Russia, including Rosatom

VILNIUS, Jun 22, BNS – As the European Union adopted a new package of sanctions for Russia earlier this week, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda on Thursday urged the block to already start thinking about the next package and it should also include Russia's nuclear energy giant Rosatom.

The president made the remarks during his meeting with EU ambassadors residing in and accredited to Lithuania.

"For sanctions to work effectively, we call for avoiding exceptions that create new ways of avoiding sanctions," Nauseda was quoted as saying in a statement released by the presidential press service.

On Wednesday, the EU agreed on an eleventh package of sanctions for Russia in response to its ongoing invasion of Ukraine, and it includes measures to counter the circumvention of previously adopted sanctions.

During their meeting, the Lithuanian president and EU ambassadors discussed key issues on the European agenda ahead of the upcoming European Council, thanked Sweden for its EU presidency in the first half of this year, and its efforts to pool support for Ukraine.

Nauseda also welcomed the decisions made on the allocation of additional 3.5 billion euros in support for the European Peace Facility.

The Lithuanian president called on EU member states to set up an international tribunal to investigate the crime of aggression, and suggested that EU countries should use Russian funds frozen in EU countries for Ukraine's post-war reconstruction. Nauseda also reminded of the initiative to pay more attention to Europe's historical memory, thus countering Russian disinformation and propaganda.

The Lithuanian leader also spoke about Lithuania's support for Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic integration.

"We would send a positive signal to Ukraine by starting negotiations on its EU membership as early as this year," Nauseda was quoted as saying in the statement, adding that he welcomed Moldova's efforts to implement reforms and Albania, Montenegro, Kosovo and North Macedonia's commitment to the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy.

Moreover, the meeting discussed irregular migration, the need to boost the EU's competitiveness by continuing to pursue energy independence, deepening the EU's internal market and, in particular, by removing barriers to the movement of services and building more resilient supply chains.

Nauseda also expressed his hope that the synchronization of the Baltic electricity grids with continental Europe would be completed by next spring.

Speaking about the review of the EU's multi-annual budget, the Lithuanian president stressed that it must be targeted and focus on support for Ukraine and the challenges posed by the Russian war, such as the fight against illegal migration and strengthening border protection, funding for military mobility, and support for war refugees. In addition, the EU budget's adequate flexibility must be ensured to respond to possible new challenges, Nauseda said.

He also briefed EU ambassadors on Lithuania's ambition for Vilnius to host the new anti-money-laundering authority that is being established, and he also wishes Spain success as the country is set to take over the rotating EU presidency.

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Lithuanian minister calls Wednesday's incident at Vilnius airport 'serious'

VILNIUS, Jun 22, BNS – Lithuanian Transport Minister Marius Skuodis on Thursday described as "serious" Wednesday's incident where Vilnius Airport's runway was blocked for several hours due to the landing gear failure of a Brussels Airlines aircraft, 

"I can't comment and I won't dare to comment, because these are sensitive issues and the investigation is ongoing," the minister told reporters at the Lithuanian capital's airport.

"But naturally, since Vilnius Airport was closed, the incident was serious," he added.

Marius Zelenius, spokesman for Lietuvos Oro Uostai (Lithuanian Airports, LTOU), said on Thursday that the Vilnius Airport incident was exceptional, noting that usually the airline is responsible for the technical condition of its aircraft.

"The airline is responsible for the maintenance of its plane. They regularly carry out these inspections," he told BNS. "It is the responsibility of the airline to ensure that it is in good working order."

The aircraft's wheel fell off because of a serious landing gear failure, the spokesman said, adding that it was "a huge stroke of luck" that this happened before the plane took off.

Zelenius said it was not yet clear how much financial damage the incident has caused to the airport. 

"It is too early to say. We'll see how the airlines and passengers react. I think we might know next week," he said.  

The landing gear of the Brussels-bound flight failed while the plane was taxiing to the runway. 

The incident, which was reported at around 4:20 p.m. on Wednesday, affected 24 flights. 

 

By Goda Vileikytė

Editor: Roma Pakėnienė

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NATO draws up 1st draft of Vilnius Summit Declaration, negotiations begin (expands)

VILNIUS, Jun 22, BNS - NATO produced the first draft of the Vilnius Summit Declaration this week and member states begin negotiations on the final text.

The fact has been confirmed to BNS by several sources speaking on condition of anonymity as they are not authorized to comment on the negotiating process. 

"The first draft of the summit declaration has already been prepared and now discussions are starting on the text," one official told BNS on Thursday.

Lithuanian politicians and diplomats have so far refrained from making broader comments because the specific content of the talks is confidential.

Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis told the parliament on Thursday that Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas and he voiced Lithuania's expectations on deterrence and defense in their letter to NATO last week. 

"We proposed to certain wording in the declaration to define our special security needs," he said. "It is difficult to say how successful the talks will be, but we will do our best".

Lithuania seeks that NATO leaders commit at their summit in Vilnius on July 11-12 to deploy more troops in the region and set two percent of GDP on defense as "a floor". 

Among other things, Vilnius also expects the Alliance's member states to find a consensus on Ukraine's NATO membership perspective.

However, opinions on a political commitment to Ukraine differ in the Alliance, at least for now.

Major NATO members believe that Ukraine cannot be invited to join the Alliance while the war is going on and say that the country must meet all the requirements for a potential candidate.

Therefore, they say that the focus should be on practical support to Kyiv.

 

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Stadler Rail that will make trains for Lithuanian leaving Belarus – minister

VILNIUS, Jun 22, BNS - Stadler Rail, a Swiss train maker that will produce 15 electric and battery-powered trains for Lithuania for more than 200 million euros, will not use any parts made at its factory in Minsk, Lithuanian Transport and Communications Minister Marius Skuodis says, adding that the Swiss company is already pulling out of Belarus and is no longer producing anything there.

"Not a single part produced (in Minsk - BNS) will be produced for our trains," Skuodis said during the Government Hour in the Seimas on Thursday. "Every transaction is assessed by the commission (the government Commission for Coordination of Protection of Objects of Importance to Ensuring National Security - BNS), and the deal for the purchase of the trains was allowed."

The Swiss company is already leaving Minsk, the minister said.

"As far as I know from general information, production is no longer taking place there, the company has withdrawn or is in the process of withdrawing," he said.

MP Algirdas Butkevicius earlier raised doubts about the winner of the passenger train tender launched by LTG Link, the passenger arm of Lietuvos Gelezinkeliai (Lithuanian Railways, LTG), the country's state-owned railway company, as, he claimed, the Swiss group not only has a company in Minsk, but its CEO also has good relations with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.

LTG Link plans to buy 15 new electric and battery-powered trains from Stadler Rail's Polish subsidiary Stadler Polska for 226.5 million euros, under the contract signed in Vilnius on Wednesday.

By Sniegė Balčiūnaitė

Editor: Roma Pakėnienė

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NATO has to negotiate political commitments, not arms to Ukraine – Lithuanian formin

VILNIUS, Jun 22, BNS – NATO leaders meeting in Vilnius in July have to hold talks on political commitments to Ukraine in its membership bid, rather than on arming the country, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said on Thursday.   

His comment came after German Chancellor Olaf Scholz urged NATO leaders to focus on ramping up Ukraine's fighting capacity at their summit in the Lithuanian capital. 

The Alliance's leaders should "focus in Vilnius on what is now an absolute priority – that is, to strengthen the fighting power of Ukraine", Scholz was quoted as saying. 

Landsbergis told reporters in Vilnius on Thursday that "NATO has failed to find a consensus in more than a year of war on how to supply Ukraine with weapons". 

"Either the EU has found (how to do so) via the European Peace Facility, or nations are supporting (Ukraine) bilaterally," the minister said. 

"So there will be no discussion on supporting Ukraine with arms in the NATO format," he said. 

"Maybe some other commitments are possible, but I don't see them for now, so one of the main discussions is the political track, in other words, what NATO can politically commit to Ukraine," said Landsbergis. 

"So far there has been a lot of talk about unity, but it is obvious that opinions diverge," he added.

Lithuania and some other Eastern flank countries believe that NATO membership can ensure long-term peace in Ukraine, according to the minister.

"We have to talk about this and we have to map out a path for how we are going to achieve this," he said. 

Opinions on a political commitment to Ukraine differ in the Alliance, at least for now.

Major NATO members believe that Ukraine cannot be invited to join the Alliance while the war is going on and say that the country must meet all the requirements for a potential candidate.

Therefore, they say that the focus should be on practical support to Kyiv.

"The discussion has moved to Brussels now; it is no longer among capitals," said Landsbergis.

NATO has this week produced a first draft of the Vilnius Summit Declaration and the Alliance's member countries have started negotiations on the final text.

Defense spending

Scholz said in his speech that Germany will meet NATO's two percent of GDP defense spending target next year.

Germany's defense spending has accounted for only around 1.5 percent in the last years, but Russia's war in Ukraine has sparked a major shift in Berlin's security and defense policy.

Landsbergis said he hopes that other NATO members will follow Berlin's lead. 

"Could this give a push to others? I have hope, but I can't guarantee it," the minister said.

"In any case, it is a strong signal," he added.

At their summit in July, NATO leaders are expected to agree on two percent of GDP on defense as "a floor" for all member states. However, some members, such as Canada, are skeptical about the idea.

Asked if Berlin's pledge to boost defense funding could have an impact on German troops' increased presence in Lithuania, Landsbergis said that the decision on higher spending "implies to partners that commitments are serious".

"We hope that the commitments made to Lithuania will be fulfilled," he said. 

Last year, the Lithuanian and German leaders signed a joint communiqué on the assignment of a brigade to Lithuania. 

Vilnius is seeking the continuous presence of the brigade in the country, but Berlin has so far only deployed its forward command element. 

 

By Augustas Stankevičius

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Lithuanian customs officers bust EUR 2.3 mln worth of cigarettes hidden under cucumbers

VILNIUS, Jun 22, BNS – Lithuanian customs officers last week intercepted a road tractor with a semi-trailer with Russian cucumbers near the southern city of Alytus and found 2.3 million euros worth of cigarettes inside, which is one of this year's highest-value cigarette stash this year.

The Customs Criminal Service said on Thursday that the seizure of 1,122 boxes of illegal cigarettes was reported after the completion of immediate pre-trial investigations.

The vehicle driven by a Russian national arrived in a warehouse and garage area near Alytus, and a Belarusian national working on a construction site nearby was also there. The former told the officers he was taking 15 tons of cucumbers through Lithuania to Russia's Kaliningrad region but he could not explain exactly what he was doing near the warehouses.

The customs officers decided to check the vehicle and found only three rows of crates with cucumbers stacked at the back of the semi-trailer, used to disguise the real cargo. The rest of the Schmitz semi-trailer was full of boxes of Belarusian cigarettes.

A total of 1,122 boxes, or 561,000 packets of cigarettes, were seized, with their value estimated at more than 2.3 million euros, including taxes.

The Customs Criminal Service points out that this is one of the biggest seizures of illegal cigarettes in Lithuania this year after 1,130 boxes were seized in Kaunas in January, and 2,000 boxes of smuggled cigarettes were seized at the Raigardas road checkpoint in March.

Three people were detained and questioned in connection with the latest incident, and they included the Belarusian and Russian nationals as well as a local Alytus resident.

By Milena Andrukaitytė

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Lithuania's total support to Ukraine reaches EUR 1 b – ministry

VILNIUS, Jun 22, BNS – Lithuania's total support to Ukraine, which is fighting back against Russia's military aggression, has reached a billion euros, the Economy and Innovation Ministry said on Thursday. 

"Lithuania's total military, humanitarian and financial support to Ukraine is estimated to have reached 1 billion euros, which accounts for 1.42 percent of GDP for 2022," it said in a press release.

Economy and Innovation Minister Ausrine Armonaite discussed support for Ukraine and its post-war reconstruction during a conference in London on rebuilding the war-ravaged country. 

"Being part of this conference gives me the opportunity not only to make a political statement, but also to meet with business representatives to discuss Ukraine's very specific needs and further reconstruction efforts," Armonaite said at the Ukraine Recovery Conference.

"This is very important because the reconstruction of Ukraine would be almost impossible without the involvement of private businesses and organizations," the minister said.

"Efforts to rebuild a modern, resilient and innovative Ukraine also require a focus on innovation and digitalization where Ukraine already has a strong foundation and ensures the proper functioning of technology even in wartime," she added.

Armonaite also took part in a session on Ukraine's digital transformation, where participants were briefed on the country's digitization achievements, vision for the future and the resilience of the sector.

Lithuania is currently carrying out a number of projects to rebuild Ukraine's infrastructure.

 

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456 Ukrainians take natl university entrance test in Lithuania

VILNIUS, Jun 22, BNS – Some 456 Ukrainians took the national test in Lithuania in June to enroll in higher education institutions, the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport said on Thursday.

Having passed this test, students will be able to enroll in undergraduate or postgraduate studies in both Lithuanian and Ukrainian higher education institutions.

A total of seven remote national test sessions were held, the ministry said.

The national exam tested the knowledge of final-year Ukrainian students of their language, mathematics, Ukrainian history, foreign languages (Spanish, English, German, French), physics, chemistry and biology.

452 Ukrainians registered to take the national test in Lithuania last year.

Thousands of Ukrainians arrived in Lithuania last year after the start of the Russian invasion.

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Lithuanian court acquits former Ignalina NPP executives in auction case

VILNIUS, Jun 22, BNS – The regional court in Lithuania's northern city of Panevezys on Thursday acquitted all the defendants in the criminal case regarding a 1.5 million euro auction organized by the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant, Rasa Stundziene, spokeswoman for the court, told BNS.

However, the verdict is not final and can be appealed with the Lithuanian Court of Appeal.

There were a total of six defendants in this case, including former Ignalina NPP executives Darius Janulevicius and Osvaldas Ciuksys as well as former chief commercial officer Lauras Puslys. The latter two were also charged with illegal possession of radioactive materials.

Law enforcement officials grew suspicious of an auction launched by the Ignalina NPP in 2014 when the enterprise sold 2,000 tons of copper tubes contaminated with radioactive materials. It was alleged that the auction's winning bidder, Germany's Sypra, was known in advance.

In May 2022, the Lithuanian Court of Appeal heard a civil case and annulled the contract between the Ignalina NPP and Sypra, as well as subsequent additional agreements, and decided to impose unilateral restitution, ordering the German company to pay 89,200 to the Ignalina NPP.

By Ingrida Steniulienė

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Upcoming events in Lithuania for Friday, June 23, 2023

VILNIUS, Jun 23, BNS – The following events are scheduled in Lithuania for Friday, June 23, 2023:

PRESIDENT Gitanas Nauseda to meet with PRIME MINISTER Ingrida Simonyte at 9.30 a.m.

SPEAKER OF THE SEIMAS Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen to meet with members of an US Senate delegation at 11 a.m.

JUSTICE MINISTER Ewelina Dobrowolska to meet with Israeli Ambassador Hadas Wittenberg Silverstein at 10 a.m.

FOREIGN MINISTER Gabrielius Landsbergis to meet with members of an US Senate delegation at 10 a.m.

 

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LITHUANIA DAILY NEWS BULLETIN

IN THIS ISSUE:

1. Upcoming events in Lithuania for Monday, June 19, 2023
2. Two irregular migrants turned away on Lithuania's border with Belarus
3. Pernavas takes up office as Lithuania's anti-corruption chief
4. Vilnius-based, Belarusian-owned Advanced Optics Worldwide fails to exit Russia  (media)
5. Lithuania reports 3 new COVID-19 cases, no deaths
6. Democrats "For Lithuania" want to join European Green Party
7. Bruzga appointed Lithuania's ambassador to Israel
8. Lithuanian architects pool European counterparts to preserve cultural heritage in Ukraine
9. NATO jets in Baltics scrambled four times over Russian aircraft last week
10. Lithuania expects to set up 100 km of patrol trail along Belarus border this year
11. Lithuania's Customs intercepts more than EUR 27,000 smuggled from Belarus
12. Repair workshop for Vilkas IFVs completed in Lithuania's Rukla
13. Lithuania expects to set up 100 km of patrol trail along Belarus border this year (expands)
14. Military mobility use adds importance to Via Baltica – Lithuanian PM  
15. CNSD chair suggest makings resistance course mandatory for civil servants in Lithuania
16. Vilnius-based Yukon Advanced Optics Worldwide says it's ceasing operations in Russia
17. Upcoming events in Lithuania for Tuesday, June 20, 2023

Upcoming events in Lithuania for Monday, June 19, 2023

VILNIUS, Jun 19, BNS – The following events are scheduled in Lithuania for Monday, June 19, 2023:

PRESIDENT Gitanas Nauseda to swear in Linas Pernavas, the new director of the Special Investigation Service, and his deputies at 11 a.m.  

PRIME MINISTER Ingrida Simonyte and TRANSPORT MINISTER Marius Skuodis to attend at 10 a.m. a ceremony launching the upgrading of the longest Via Baltica section between Marijampole and the border with Poland. 

FOREIGN MINISTER Gabrielius Landsbergis to meet with Sweden's ambassador to Lithuania. 

 

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

VILNIUS, Jun 19, BNS – Lithuanian border guards have in the past 24 hours turned away two migrants attempting to cross into the country from Belarus illegally, the State Border Guard Service (SBGS) said on Monday morning.

Latvia reported 30 attempts at illegal border crossings on Sunday, and 142 irregular migrants were not allowed into Poland on Saturday, according to the latest available information.

A total of 1,225 irregular migrants have been barred from entering Lithuania from Belarus at non-designated places so far this year. Over 11,200 irregular migrants were turned away in 2022.  

Lithuanian border guards have prevented about 20,500 people from crossing in from Belarus since August 3, 2021, when they were given the right to turn away irregular migrants. The number includes repeated attempts by the same people to cross the border.

The SBGS says that illegal migration to Lithuania and the EU is being facilitated by Belarusian officials.

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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Pernavas takes up office as Lithuania's anti-corruption chief

VILNIUS, Jun 19, BNS – Linas Pernavas, a former police commissioner general, is on Monday taking office as director of Lithuania's Special Investigation Service (SIS).

Until his new appointment, Pernavas served as Lithuania's police attaché to the United Kingdom 

The parliament gave the green light for Pernavas' appointment in May even though the parliamentary Committee on National Security and Defense – the lead committee on the matter – had voted against his nomination.

Pernavas graduated from the then Lithuanian University of Law in 1999 and received a Master's degree in Law from Vilnius University in 2005. 

He joined the interior affairs system in 1995 and climbed the career ladder to serve as Lithuania's police commissioner general from 2014 to 2019.

The Federation of Lithuanian Law Enforcement Officers has criticized Pernavas' nomination, saying that a police reform initiated by the then commissioner general was detrimental to the system and that his appointment as director of the SIS will weaken the anti-corruption agency as well.

The position of the anti-corruption body's director has been vacant since March when the term of office of Zydrunas Bartkus expired. 

The agency's main functions are the investigation of corruption cases, corruption prevention, analytical anti-corruption intelligence.

 

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Vilnius-based, Belarusian-owned Advanced Optics Worldwide fails to exit Russia  (media)

VILNIUS, Jun 19, BNS – Yukon Advanced Optics Worldwide, a Vilnius-based manufacturer of optical instruments, has not yet exited Russia, the LRT online news site reported on Monday. 

Established by Belarusians, Yukon Advanced Optics Worldwide has been operating in Lithuania for almost two decades.

The group denounced Russia's aggression against Ukraine immediately after Moscow launched the full-scale invasion of its neighbor.

Although the company announced last year that it was suspending production at its facility in Smolensk, Russia, due to the war, operations are still ongoing, according to LRT.  

Information collected by the Lithuanian public broadcaster and international partners from Scanner Project show that Mezon-A, which is part of the Yukon Group, has received at least 2.3 million euros in sales revenue from Russian customers since the start of the war. Data from Russian registers indicate that the revenue might exceed 3 million euros. 

Mezon-A's main customers included the CEK group of companies, which sells optical instruments and carries out the Russian state's defense orders.

According to LRT, Yukon Advanced Optics Worldwide's Pulsar-branded night sights were handed over to the Russian forces fighting in Ukraine in early February this year.

The journalistic investigation has revealed that the model handed over to the Russians in February was manufactured by the Yukon Group's Beltex Optic company in Belarus. This company was the main supplier to the Russian market. Since the start of the war, Mezon-A has paid 1 million euros to Beltex Optic for the equipment and work. The Belarusian company's revenue came in 34 million euros last year.

LRT and its partners say they have identified dozens of other cases where Pulsar-branded equipment was sent to the front.

Vilnius-based Yukon Advanced Optics Worldwide says that the devices could have been sold before the war, adding that it cannot control individual cases of its equipment ending up at the front, according to the website. 

The Russian company provided loans totaling 3.4 million euros to Belarus' Beltex Optic last year and this year.

 

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Lithuania reports 3 new COVID-19 cases, no deaths

VILNIUS, Jun 19, BNS – Lithuania has recorded three new coronavirus infections and no deaths from COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, official statistics showed on Monday morning.

The 14-day primary infection rate has edged down to 17 cases per 100,000 people, with the seven-day percentage of positive tests at 6.7 percent.

The number of COVID-19 patients in hospitals now stands at 53, including three ICU cases.

The daily number of new coronavirus cases remains well below the peak of over 14,000 reached in early February 2022.

Around 1.19 million people in Lithuania have tested positive for COVID-19 at least once.

Some 69.8 percent of people in the country have received at least one coronavirus vaccine jab so far.

 

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Democrats "For Lithuania" want to join European Green Party

VILNIUS, Jun 19, BNS – The opposition Democrats "For Lithuania" decided at its party's convention on Saturday to seek membership of the European Green Party.

"This party has 72 members in the European Parliament and is the fourth largest group. So far, no Lithuanian party belongs to the EGP, so our union's decision is a new step. EGP brings together national parties that are guided by green values and are active not only in Europe," MP Lukas Savickas said in a statement. "It also talks about stopping climate change, creating new jobs, strengthening human rights, empowering young people."

The convention also amended the party's statutes, empowering the party's community to set up an analytical center, the Institute of Democracy.

Established in January 2022, the Democrats "For Lithuania" is a center-left political force that has 16 members in the Lithuanian Seimas and is led by ex-Lithuanian Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis.

The party has not taken part in the EP election yet as its political group in the Seimas was established after the majority of its members left the Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union group.

By Augustas Stankevičius

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Bruzga appointed Lithuania's ambassador to Israel

VILNIUS, Jun 19, BNS – President Gitanas Nauseda has appointed Audrius Bruzga as Lithuania's ambassador to Israel.  

Bruzga, currently director of the Foreign Ministry's Directorate for Global Affairs, is expected to take up his new duties on September 1, replacing Lina Antanaviciene, the outgoing ambassador.

The diplomat has in the past represented Lithuania in Finland, the US and Turkey. He served as foreign policy adviser to Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevicius in 2013 to 2015. 

Nauseda has recalled Gintautas Vasiulis, Lithuania's ambassador to Kazakhstan, as of August 16, and Jurate Raguckiene, the ambassador to Croatia, and Giedrius Cekuolis, the ambassador to Sweden, as of August 31 due to the expiry of their terms.

In Lithuania, ambassadors are appointed and dismissed by the president on the government's proposal and with the approval of the parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs.

 

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Lithuanian architects pool European counterparts to preserve cultural heritage in Ukraine

VILNIUS, Jun 19, BNS - Lithuanian architects are bringing together European and Ukrainian counterparts to preserve cultural heritage in Ukraine.

During the three-year cultural project, European and Ukrainian architects will work on the preservation and restoration of Ukraine's cultural heritage through research, workshops, public discussions, events, refresher courses and architectural studies.

Dubbed "U-RE-HERIT. Architects for Ukraine's Heritage: Recovering Memory and Identity", the project will be funded by the EU's Creative Europe program and the Lithuanian Council for Culture.

"As the Russia-caused war in Ukraine continues, the world and Ukraine are also preparing intensively for the country's reconstruction. The cultural sector is one of the areas in need of attention and funding, and cultural heritage is one of the most important resources for sustainable cultural, social, environmental and economic recovery," the Lithuanian Union of Architects says.

The project consortium consists of 12 architectural organizations from Europe and Ukraine, including those from Sweden, Austria, Denmark, Romania, Italy, Estonia and Germany.

One million euros has been allocated for this project under the Creative Europe program.

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NATO jets in Baltics scrambled four times over Russian aircraft last week

VILNIUS, Jun 19, BNS – NATO's fighter jets policing Baltic airspace were last week scrambled four times to intercept Russian aircraft flying in international airspace over the Baltic Sea in violation of flight rules, the Lithuanian Defense Ministry said on Monday.

On June 13, NATO jets took off twice to identify and escort a Russian AN-30 reconnaissance plane, a TU-134UBL passenger plane, an IL-20 attack plane, an IL-78 refueling plane and an AN-72 transporter.

On June 14, NATO fighter jets were scrambled to identify and escort two Russian SU-27 fighter jets, and an IL-20.

On June 18, an IL-76 was identified and escorted.

The majority of the Russian aircraft had no pre-filed flight plans, were flying with their onboard transponders off but maintained radio communication with the regional traffic control center.

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

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Lithuania expects to set up 100 km of patrol trail along Belarus border this year

SALCININKAI DISTRICT, Lithuania, Jun 19, BNS – Lithuanian Interior Minister Agne Bilotaite expects just over 100 kilometers of patrol trail along the border with Belarus to be set up by the end of this year.

"The first stage has started and 10 million euros have been earmarked for it," she told reporters on Monday. "We expect to complete these works by the end of this year." 

The second phase, worth 40 million euros, will involve installing another 250 kilometers, according to the minister. 

"We will do our best to maximize that infrastructure," she said.

The patrol trail will be up to 3.5 meters wide and will be accessible by foot, off-road vehicle, quad bike and other special equipment.

The patrol trail is already in place in some places, but it has to be upgraded, according to Bilotaite.

The installation of the border patrol trail is an ongoing project to beef up the protection of the EU's external borders. The project costs an estimated 10 million euros, with 75 percent of the funding coming from the EU and the remaining 25 percent from the national budget. 

 

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Lithuania's Customs intercepts more than EUR 27,000 smuggled from Belarus

VILNIUS, Jun 19, BNS – Customs officers at Lithuania's Raigardas road post have busted Belarusian citizens as they attempted to smuggle over 27,000 euros into the country, the Customs service's Kaunas territorial office said on Monday. 

The Belarusian citizens entered Lithuania from Belarus via the Raigardas road checkpoint in an Opel car and attempted to smuggle the money – more than 27,000 euros and 1,145 US dollars – without declaring it and hiding it from customs officers.

The smuggled money was seized and a pre-trial investigation was opened.

The Lithuanian Customs reminds that people are required to declare cash amounts exceeding 10,000 euros or an equivalent amount in another currency when crossing the EU's external borders.

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Repair workshop for Vilkas IFVs completed in Lithuania's Rukla

VILNIUS, Jun 19, BNS – A repair workshop, the bigger of the two, for the Vilkas (Wolf) infantry fighting vehicles and other military transport equipment has been completed in Lithuania's Rukla, the country's Defense Ministry said on Monday.

"We pay great attention to the development of infrastructure for the maintenance and storage of newly acquired weapons and military equipment, and we are very pleased that the construction of the workshop for the Vilkas IFVs has been completed on time and we can ensure the quality operation of this advanced equipment," Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas was quoted as saying in the statement.

Signed last spring, the design and construction contract for the workshop, worth around 12 million euros, was implemented by Jungtiniai Projektai.

The workshop is designed to accommodate nearly 100 specialists, and both military and civilian maintenance and repair specialists will be able to work here. 

Other important military infrastructure projects have been completed or being implemented in Rukla. The smaller IFV repair workshop was built last year, and there are plans this year to build a car wash and a simulation system building.

Lithuania is investing around 10 percent of its total defense budget into the development of infrastructure for the army.

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Lithuania expects to set up 100 km of patrol trail along Belarus border this year (expands)

SALCININKAI DISTRICT, Lithuania, Jun 19, BNS – Lithuanian Interior Minister Agne Bilotaite expects just over 100 kilometers of patrol trail along the border with Belarus to be set up by the end of this year.

"The first stage has started and 10 million euros have been earmarked for it," she told reporters on Monday. "We expect to complete these works by the end of this year." 

The second phase, worth 40 million euros, will involve installing another 250 kilometers, and the third phase, the most difficult one, will be carried out in the marshy areas of the border, according to the minister. 

"We will do our best to maximize that infrastructure," she said.

Rustamas Liubajevas, commander of the Lithuanian State Border Guard Service (SBGS), told reporters after his visit to Kurmelionys, a village in the district of Salcininkai, that the first phase of the project focuses on places which are badly in need of repair.

The patrol trail will be up to 3.5 meters wide and will be accessible by foot, off-road vehicle, quad bike and other special equipment.

The path is already in place in some places, but it has to be upgraded, according to Bilotaite.

"The patrol trail was installed back in 2002-2003, (...) but the infrastructure has since worn out, and (...) the path was damaged during the installation of the physical barrier and the surveillance systems," said Liubajevas.

The border guard chief said that around eight kilometers of patrol trail are currently in place. 

"The work is being done in difficult conditions. The border runs through (...) districts that are very far away from the main infrastructure elements, and the contractors' work is being hampered by the landscape, water, forests, marshy places and the geographical location," he said. 

According to Liubajevas, the authorities have signed contracts with four contractors.

The installation of the border patrol trail is an ongoing project to beef up the protection of the EU's external borders. The project costs an estimated 10 million euros, with 75 percent of the funding coming from the EU and the remaining 25 percent from the national budget. 

Asked if such preventive measures will help cut down on smuggling and irregular migration, the SBGS commander said that provocations are still possible and that smugglers are changing their tactics. 

"With the physical barrier and the surveillance systems in place, smugglers' tactics have changed somewhat: more and more contraband is being transported by drones," he said. "So we can say that the volume of smuggling is decreasing, but the number of cases is increasing."

When it comes to irregular migration, the situation remains tense, but more favorable than in neighboring countries, Liubajevas said, adding that the authorities prepare for possible provocations during NATO's summit in Vilnius in mid-July.

"We see the involvement of Belarusian border guards, so we prepare for possible provocations during the NATO summit," he said. "It possible that Alexander Lukashenko's regime may use it to destabilize the situation in our country."

Tightened controls will be in place at the border during the event in the Lithuanian capital, according to Liubajevas.  

Lithuanian border guards have prevented about 20,500 people from crossing in from Belarus since August 3, 2021, when they were given the right to turn away irregular migrants. The number includes repeated attempts by the same people to cross the border.

The SBGS says that illegal migration to Lithuania and the EU is being facilitated by Belarusian officials.

Some 530 kilometers of fencing and 360 kilometers of concertina barrier have been installed on Lithuania's border with Belarus over the past year. Also, the entire border is covered by surveillance systems.

Lithuania and Belarus share a border of 679 kilometers, including more than 100 kilometers along rivers and lakes.

 

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Military mobility use adds importance to Via Baltica – Lithuanian PM  

VILNIUS, Jun 19, BNS – Via Baltica is very important because it will be used not only for civilian purposes but also for military mobility, Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte said on Monday as Lithuania starts upgrading one of the international motorway's longest stretches between the southern town of Marijampole and the border with Poland.  

The motorway "would be a transport artery and a gateway for those coming to Lithuania and, what is extremely important, it would be a part of the military mobility infrastructure", Simonyte said at a ceremony marking the launch of the upgrading project. 

"This road will have to meet the requirements of military mobility as well," she said. 

Asked why the construction of the motorway in Lithuania is slower than in Poland, the prime minister said this is due to the lengthy process of taking land for public use and to the country having other priorities. 

"It could have been done earlier, but it is always a question of priorities," Simonyte said.

"A significant amount of extra money was earmarked for roads in 2020, during the COVID-19 (pandemic). The prices were lower back then (...), but the land procedures had not been completed, and there is a lot of these, because you have to buy private land before starting design work." 

Transport Minister Marius Skuodis said that 30 kilometers of Via Baltica between Marijampole and Poland are expected to be completed by the end of 2024, leaving another 12 kilometers to be built near the border. 

"The contractors plan to finish this 16-kilometer section, probably the most difficult one, by the end of summer next year," he said at Monday's event. 

"In other words, we will have all 30 kilometers of the motorway by the end of next year, and we will still have 12 kilometers to go right up to the Polish border," he said. "I do hope that we will be able to start that work by the end of this year." 

Marius Svaikauskas, director general of the Lithuanian Road Administration, says that preparatory work on the last section of Via Baltica – from the northern town of Panevezys to the border with Latvia, is also underway.

"We are already preparing for the upgrading of the next section of Via Baltica, from Panevezys to the Latvian border: pre-project solutions are being finalized and territorial planning procedures are planned to begin," he was quoted as saying in the Transport Ministry's press release. 

The entire 40-kilometer road between Marijampole and the Polish border will become a four-lane motorway in 2025, the ministry said, noting that this marks the largest road infrastructure construction project in Lithuania since independence.

 

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CNSD chair suggest makings resistance course mandatory for civil servants in Lithuania

VILNIUS, Jun 19, BNS - Laurynas Kasciunas, chair of the Lithuanian parliamentary Committee on National Security and Defense, has proposed making a course on civil resistance mandatory for all civil servants.

Kasciunas has registered an amendment to the Law on the Civil Service, and it would oblige civil servants who have not undergone training on mobilization and civil resistance in times of mobilization and war to do so within one year of joining the civil service.

"Given the current geopolitical and security situation in the region, all civil servants must acquire knowledge of mobilization, host nation support and civil resistance. Each of them must know how to behave in times of mobilization and war," Kasciunas told BNS.

Under his proposal, the changes would come into force as of January 1.

The Defense Ministry has been has been organizing training on mobilization readiness, host country support and civil resistance since 2006 but such training is mandatory only for persons included into the reserve of civilian mobilization personnel.

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Vilnius-based Yukon Advanced Optics Worldwide says it's ceasing operations in Russia

VILNIUS, Jun 19, BNS - Yukon Advanced Optics Worldwide, a Vilnius-based Belarusian-owned optical equipment manufacturer, said on Monday it’s in the process of winding up its operations in Russia and it is no longer producing or selling its products in Russia and Belarus.

The company's statement followed the Lithuanian public broadcaster LRT's report earlier in the day that Yukon has so far not withdrawn from Russia.

"Mezon-A (the group's company in Russia - BNS) booked new transactions with Russian customers for 165,000 euros since the beginning of the war in 2022, and there were no sales at all in 2023," the company said in its statement.

The company has no production staff and has only 9 administrative staff, it said, adding that they are necessary to ensure its liquidation process. 

According to the LRT, Yukon Advanced Optics Worldwide announced last year it was suspending operations at its facility in Smolensk, Russia, due to the war. However, operations there are still ongoing. Data collected by the LRT and its international partners from Scanner Project Mezon-A has received at least 2.3 million euros in product sales from its Russian customers since the start of the war, and its main customers included the CEK group, an optics group that sells optical devices and receives orders from Russia's defense sector.

Belarusian-made Yukon Advanced Optics Worldwide-branded Pulsar night sights were handed over to Russian forces fighting in Ukraine in February, and dozens of cases of Pulsar equipment being sent to the front have also been identified by journalists, the LRT says.

For its part, Yukon says all of these devices entered Russian hands through illegal channels despite the company's ban.

"The company told the LRT that "the spotted device was manufactured in the Republic of Belarus before 2020, before the reduction of the factory's production volumes (...). Therefore, we do not rule that it was purchased on the secondary market", the company said in its statement.

According to the LRT, Yukon Advanced Optics Worldwide representatives say devices sold earlier, not in 2022, might have ended up on the front-line, adding that the company cannot control individual cases of equipment ending up on the front-line.

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Upcoming events in Lithuania for Tuesday, June 20, 2023

VILNIUS, Jun 20, BNS – The following events are scheduled in Lithuania for Monday, June 19, 2023:

PRESIDENT Gitanas Nauseda to deliver is State of the Nation Address at 10 a.m.

CULTURE MINISTER Simonas Kairys to meet with Japanese Ambassador Ozaki Tetsu at 2 p.m.

THE ARMY

Portugal's new Chief of Defense General Jose Nunes da Fonseca to pay an official visit to Lithuania.

 

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