LITHUANIA DAILY NEWS BULLETIN

 

IN THIS ISSUE:

 

1. Upcoming events in Lithuania for Thursday, March 28, 2024
2. Firefighters put out massive fire at Vilnius car scrapyard, remain on standby
3. Lithuania's whistleblower inquiry panel to present findings to parliament 
4. Lithuania's 4 pct defense spending initiative fails to identify funding sources – PM 
5. Up to 10 opposition figures were under protection in Lithuania during Russian election
6. Lithuania should consider building small nuclear reactors – PM
7. Lithuania will never be alone, it's safe to live here – NATO Colonel Nielsen
8. Final shopping basket amount to be rounded off in Lithuania from May 2025
9. Lithuanian parlt OKs Jarukaitis, Norkus as candidates for CJEU positions
10. US allocates USD 228 mln to Baltic security, Lithuania to get third
11. President calls NATO membership 'Lithuania's best investment' 
12. VAT increase for defense 'debatable', corporate tax should come first – Lithuanian defmin
13. Lithuania's air base could be ready to host US F-35 fighters by late 2025 – defense chief 
14. Court rejects Ryanair, Wizz Air appeals against new Vilnius Airport charges
15. Lithuania could borrow for temporary defense projects – president 
16. Lithuanian defmin expects deal on air defense systems for training before NATO summit 
17. Lithuanian defmin makes vicemins in charge of universal defense, German brigade issues
18. President ready to discuss small nuclear reactors in Lithuania
19. Lithuania's SIS refuses to probe alleged corruption in defense system 
20. Terrorism threat level in Lithuania remains low after attacks in Russia – SSD
21. Lithuania's Kretinga Council against European Energy's green fuel plant
22. Upcoming events in Lithuania for Friday, March 29, 2024

 

 

Upcoming events in Lithuania for Thursday, March 28, 2024

 

VILNIUS, Mar 28, BNS – The following events are scheduled in Lithuania for Thursday, March 28, 2024.

 

PRESIDENT Gitanas Nauseda to attend a ceremony to mark 20 years of Lithuania’s NATO membership at the Lithuanian Air Force Base in Siauliai at noon.

 

THE SEIMAS to hold a commemoration of the 20th anniversary of Lithuania's NATO membership at 10 a.m.

 

DEFENSE MINISTER Laurynas Kasciunas to attend a ceremony to mark 20 years of Lithuania’s NATO membership at the Lithuanian Air Force Base in Siauliai at noon.

 

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

 

 

Firefighters put out massive fire at Vilnius car scrapyard, remain on standby

 

VILNIUS, Mar 28, BNS – Firefighters remain on standby at the scene after putting out a massive fire at a car scrapyard in Vilnius on Thursday morning.

 

Donatas Gurevicius, a spokesman for the Fire and Rescue Department, told BNS that the fire in Paneriu Street, which broke out on Wednesday, was extinguished at 5:32 a.m.  

 

"There are no signs of any ignition source, no sources of smoke; work is ongoing," he said. 

 

According to the spokesman, around 60 firefighters were involved in tackling the fire on an area of about 1,300 square meters and managed to contain the blaze at around 10:22 p.m. on Wednesday.

 

No people were injured in the fire.

 

Gurevicius also said that part of Paneriu Street is still closed as firefighters remain on standby at the fire site.

 

The good news is that were no casualties or injuries," the spokesman said.

 

"Large oil-filled high-power transformers on a nearby site owned by (the electricity and natural gas distribution company) ESO were also protected because there would have been a threat," he added. 

 

The fire-hit car scrapyard is owned by Ruvis, a company specializing in the purchase, processing and export of ferrous and non-ferrous scrap. It leases the plot of land from Lietuvos Gelezinkeliai (Lithuanian Railways, LTG) 

 

Experts are still to determine the cause of the fire.

 

Vilnius Municipality has issued recommendations for schools within the pollution impact zone to organize remote learning and advised parents not to take their children to kindergartens located in this area. 

 

Over 90 educational establishments in the capital fall within the 1-2 kilometer pollution zone.

 

 

 

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., +370 5 205 85 08, Vilnius newsroom

 

 

Lithuania's whistleblower inquiry panel to present findings to parliament 

 

VILNIUS, Mar 28, BNS – The Seimas' temporary commission that carried out an inquiry into the State Security Department's whistleblower case is expected to present its findings to the Lithuanian parliament on Thursday. 

 

The commission concluded after the five-month inquiry that President Gitanas Nauseda is vulnerable and may have broken his oath of office by refusing to answer the panel's questions. 

 

Vytautas Bakas, chairman of the commission, told a news conference on Wednesday that the inquiry had revealed "a rather shocking circumstance that several dozen persons from the inner circle of citizen Gitanas Nauseda, then a presidential candidate, are linked not only to Belarus' fertilizer business, but also (...) to the existing intelligence services of the former USSR, and maintain contacts with Russian and Belarusian diplomats, politicians and state services of hostile countries". 

 

The commission's findings, published on Tuesday, say, among other things, that "the contacts maintained by President Gitanas Nauseda and his inner circle with persons linked to persons involved in Belarus' fertilizer business and the managers (shareholders) and representatives of business companies make the president vulnerable".

 

The panel says it has gathered evidence that "some persons involved in the Belarusian fertilizer business have attempted to become, and have become, the heads of state bodies of importance to national security, and presidential advisers". 

 

The commission's members say they cannot name these persons because the information is classified.

 

According to the panel, SSD Director Darius Jauniskis was aware of the links between Nauseda's inner circle and the persons posing a risk, "but he withheld this information from the commission and decision-makers".

 

The findings also say that five years ago, Jauniskis helped Nauseda by collecting intelligence on people from his inner circle, including members of his team, members of his election HQ staff and supporters.

 

The document says that Jauniskis received the list of people to be vetted either from Nauseda himself or from someone instructed by him.

 

It also alleges that Linas Pernavas, director of the Lithuanian Special Investigation Service (SIS), abused his duties by withholding information from parliamentarians about a criminal intelligence investigation related to the SSD whistleblower's case and that Jauniskis, the intelligence agency's chief, provided misleading information to the inquiry commission.

 

The panel also says that Jauniskis is "directly responsible for the disclosure of the identity" of Tomas Gailius, the whistleblower. 

 

Nauseda and the SSD and SIS directors have dismissed the commission's findings as untrue, denying any wrongdoing and accusing the investigators of overstepping their authority.

 

At Prosecutor General Nida Grunskiene's request, the parliamentary Commission for Ethics and Procedures on Wednesday launched an investigation into whether the commission's composition and actions were in line with the law and justified.

 

Among other things, the temporary parliamentary inquiry commission looked into information provided by Gailius, a former SSD employee, on alleged actions by the intelligence agency's heads in vetting the inner circle of Nauseda as he ran for president in 2019. 

 

The MPs also investigated alleged illegal financial support for the 2019 presidential election campaign, a possible violation of the whistleblower's rights, and possible unlawful influence on the imposition of sanctions against Belarus.

 

Bakas of the Democratic Union "For Lithuania" was the only opposition member of the commission, as other opposition MPs refused to take part in the inquiry. 

 

 

 

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., +370 5 239 64 16, Vilnius newsroom

 

 

Lithuania's 4 pct defense spending initiative fails to identify funding sources – PM 

 

VILNIUS, Mar 28, BNS – Lithuanian businesses' initiative to seek an agreement on 4 percent of GDP defense spending fails to identify funding sources, Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte said on Thursday. 

 

"I'm happy that people care and understand that defense costs money, but what I still don't see in this discussion is a very clear declaration that we not only care (...), but we're also ready to pay more for it," she told the Ziniu Radijas radio station.  

 

Simonyte reiterated that "the state has nothing but taxpayers' money".

 

"Taxpayers have to somehow voice their decision whether they accept a lower level of social welfare in other areas or agree to pay higher taxes so that defense is funded more but other areas aren't affected either," she said.  

 

The prime minister said that she would first like to reach an agreement on defense spending of at least 3 percent of GDP.

 

In an effort to encourage the public and politicians to agree on higher defense funding, some business associations and companies have announced recently that they are joining the Four Percent initiative by the Lithuanian Business Confederation, the startup association Unicorns Lithuania, and the Lithuanian Confederation of Industrialists.

 

 

 

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

 

 

Up to 10 opposition figures were under protection in Lithuania during Russian election

 

VILNIUS, Mar 28, BNS – The Operational Response Counter-attack Team (ORKA), the special unit of Lithuania's Public Security Service's, protected up to 10 Russian opposition figures in Lithuania during the Russian presidential election, the authorities said on Thursday, adding that the situation is now under control and no capacity is being allocated for this task.

 

Acting PSS commander Arunas Paulauskas told journalists during the presentation of the ORKA selection in the Karmelava area that officers from this special unit had helped to protect Russian opposition figures.

 

"In cooperation with the police and other units, we contributed to this function," Paulauskas said on Wednesday.

 

Asked whether official response and the security situation changed after the recent attack in Vilnius on Leonid Volkov, an associate of late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, he said that the situation was under control.

 

"Fortunately, there has been no increase in assaults. Speaking of opposition members, fortunately there have been none of them (assaults - BNS). At the moment, the situation is sufficiently under control and we are not devoting additional capacity to it. (...) At the moment, we are not protecting anyone because the protection operation is over," Palauskas said.

 

ORKA chief Ricardas Alzbergas told journalists that the protection of opposition members was one of the latest operations carried out by the special unit when ORKA officers assisted other services.

 

He did not disclose the specific timing of the operation but noted that it lasted for "several weeks". He later told BNS that it took place during the pre- and post-election period of the Russian presidential election.

 

"These people are now at the disposal of other services," Alzbergas said.

 

He did not name the exact number of opposition figures protected by ORKA but said there were "up to 10" of them.

 

In his words, Volkov was not under the protection of the PSS's special forces at the time of the attack.

 

"This person was not part of our task, we were not conducting an operation at that time", the ORKA chief said.

 

Volkov was attacked in mid-March in Vilnius in a car near his home.

 

Navalny's former spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh said that the attacker broke the car window, tear-gassed him and started hitting Volkov with a meat hammer.

 

A pre-trial investigation into the incident continues.

 

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

 

 

Lithuania should consider building small nuclear reactors – PM

 

VILNIUS, Mar 28, BNS – As Lithuania's Ministry of Energy foresees the possibility of developing small nuclear reactors in Lithuania after 2030, Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte agrees that such an alternative should be considered.

 

"Looking at the way technology is developing in the world, all options should be considered. This does not mean that this option will be accepted because there is still a very, very long way to go. But as a theoretical alternative, as an option, depending on how technology developers do, I think it should be on the table," Simonyte told the Ziniu Radijas news radio on Thursday.

 

"In the overall context, that question will depend on the technology's acceptability and the answers that we will get from the trials that are being carried out by manufacturers and developers," she added.

 

The prime minister also points out that even if Lithuania were fully self-sufficient in terms of renewable energy, it would need "stabilizing resources".

 

"There are not many of them. Either it is gas, which is a fossil fuel with the CO2 footprint and so on, or it is some other solutions, like small nuclear reactors, for example," the prime minister said. 

 

On Wednesday, Energy Minister Dainius Kreivys said political decisions would have to be made between 2028 and 2030 for Lithuania to have a low-power nuclear reactor around 2040.

 

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

 

 

Lithuania will never be alone, it's safe to live here – NATO Colonel Nielsen

 

VILNIUS, Mar 28, BNS – As Lithuania marks its 20th anniversary of NATO membership, Colonel Peter Nielsen, commander of the NATO Force Integration Unit in Lithuania, says it is a safe place to live and will never be alone in the Alliance.

 

"I have been living here for almost three years now and people ask me all the time if it is still safe to live in Lithuania. And my answer is always the same: yes," he said at a commemoration ceremony at the Seimas on Thursday.

 

"You are safe, we are NATO and together we are safe," the NATO officer said.

 

In his words, NATO's new regional defense plans, approved last year, are comprehensive, all units will be trained to implement them, and that will be the most effective deterrent imaginable.

 

"This will prevent Russia from attacking NATO," the colonel stressed.

 

NATO must adapt to threats

 

For her part, Speaker of the Seimas Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen said Lithuania's NATO membership has enabled it to enjoy a period of relative stability, allowing it to focus on economic growth and social progress. 

 

She acknowledged, however, that even when Russia attacked Georgia in 2008, the "echoes of aggression" were not loud enough to make the country more concerned about its national defense. 

 

She also stressed the need to double or even triple Lithuania's defense efforts in the face of geopolitical threats.

 

"The key thing is to have the political will to defend ourselves and the ability to constantly adapt to changing security challenges. Let us wish that the anniversary NATO summit in Washington will be another step towards a safer, more stable and fairer world," she said.

 

Lithuania applied to join NATO on January 4, 1994 and became a full member on March 29, 2004.

 

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., +370 5 239 64 16, Vilnius newsroom

 

 

Final shopping basket amount to be rounded off in Lithuania from May 2025

 

VILNIUS, Mar 28, BNS - The final amount of a basket of goods or services in Lithuania will be rounded off from May 2025, thus gradually phasing out the 1 and 2 cent coins after 65 lawmakers on Thursday voted in favor of such changes, 20 were against and 31 abstained.

 

Mindaugas Linge, chairman of the parliamentary Committee on Budget and Finance, says the rounding is a win-win situation. 

 

From May 2025, the final amount of a purchase will only be rounded up to the nearest multiple of 5 cents for cash payments: an amount ending in 1 or 2 cents, 6 or 7 cents would be rounded down to 0 or 5 cents, and rounded up to 5 or 10 cents for amounts ending in 3 and 4 cents, or 8 and 9 cents. 

 

The coins will not be withdrawn from circulation and can continue to be used for payment.

 

Rounding would not be used for non-cash payments, currency exchange, cash transfers, cash deposits and withdrawals. 

 

Six EU countries now round off the final amount of goods in order to move away from one and two cent coins. Estonia is also planning to introduce the rounding of small cents from 2025.

 

Editor: Roma Pakėnienė

 

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., +370 5 239 64 14, Vilnius newsroom

 

 

Lithuanian parlt OKs Jarukaitis, Norkus as candidates for CJEU positions

 

VILNIUS, Mar 28, BNS – Lithuanian lawmakers on Thursday approved the nomination of Irmantas Jarukaitis as a judge the Court of Justice of the European Union and of Rimvydas Norkus to as an advocate general of the CJEU.

 

Jarukaitis has served as a CJEU for the past five years and six months. He was the only candidate to meet the selection requirements.

 

Meanwhile, Lithuania is nominating its first candidate for as an advocate general of the CJEU.

 

Under the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, the judges and advocates general of the CJEU are appointed by common accord of the governments of member states for a term of office of six years, after consultation of a statutory committee.

 

Norkus served as president of the Supreme Court of Lithuania in 2014-2019, was president the Judicial Council in 2016-2019, and also worked at the Court of Appeal and at Mykolas Romeris University.

 

The CJEU is made up of 27 judges and 11 advocates general, appointed by common accord of member states for a term of six years.

 

The court monitors the legality of acts of EU institutions, ensures that member states comply with their obligations under the treaties and interprets EU law at the request of national courts.

 

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., +370 5 239 64 16, Vilnius newsroom

 

 

US allocates USD 228 mln to Baltic security, Lithuania to get third

 

VILNIUS, Mar 28, BNS - The United States has allocated 228 million US dollars for security assistance to the Baltic states, and Lithuania will get a third of this amount, Lithuania's Defense Ministry said on Thursday.

 

Earlier this week, the US Congress this week passed a government funding bill that includes this aid. Lithuania will get funding to strengthen the army's critical capabilities, such as air defense, maritime surveillance, ammunition, and a regional long-range artillery capability.

 

"The US is a strategic partner of Lithuania and one of the key allies for the security of the Baltic region. The Americans are very actively involved in the implementation of security measures in the Baltic states, strengthening regional security and stability," Defense Minister Laurynas Kasciunas was quoted as saying in the statement.

 

According to the Defense Ministry, last year the US provided around 200 million US dollars in support to Lithuania alone through various funding mechanisms, including security assistance to the Baltic states.

 

In recent years, agreements have been concluded with the Americans on the purchase of HIMARS artillery systems and AMRAAM missiles, and Lithuania is also buying 500 JLTV armored all-terrain vehicles, four Black Hawk helicopters, Switchblade drones, Javelin anti-tank missile systems, and communications equipment from the US.

 

Since 2019, rotating US army battalions have been serving continuously in Lithuania.

 

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., +370 5 205 85 08, Vilnius newsroom

 

 

President calls NATO membership 'Lithuania's best investment' 

 

VILNIUS, Mar 28, BNS – Lithuania's decision to join NATO was its best ever investment, President Gitanas Nauseda said on Thursday as the nation marks 20 years since it became a full-fledged member of the defense alliance on March 29, 2004. 

 

"Becoming a member of the Alliance was the best decision Lithuania took, the best investment we have ever made. It has also brought us the best friends one could have," Nauseda said in Siauliai.

 

"Our duty is to make sure (Russian President Vladimir) Putin fails to cut the transatlantic link and split the Allies. Our duty is to make sure that Ukraine wins and that democracy and freedom, and respect to human rights flourish in Europe for many generations to come," he said. 

 

The president noted that Lithuania spends 2.75 percent of its GDP on defense, adding that "we are striving for more".

 

Siauliai is hosting on Thursday an event marking Lithuania’s NATO membership anniversary and the launch of the Alliance's Baltic air policing mission 20 years ago.

 

The commemoration coincides with a hand over-take over ceremony of the mission flown from Siauliai, the Defense Ministry said in a press release.  

 

"The symbolic key to the Baltic airspace will be passed from the Belgian and French contingent commanders to the Spanish and Portuguese contingent commanders," it said. 

 

Defense Minister Laurynas Kasciunas said during the event that Lithuania, as a member of the Alliance, is the safest it has ever been "throughout the nation's history."

 

"We should move forward; we are in the strongest alliance in the world. (...) We need to think how to move forward with rotational air defense," he said.

 

NATO member countries agreed on a rotational air defense model last June in response to calls from the Baltic states to reinforce the current air policing mission due to Russia's war in Ukraine.

 

Arvydas Anusauskas, the then defense minister, said in early March that a rotational air defense system would be operational later this year and that Patriot air defense systems would be deployed in Lithuania. However, he did not name any specific countries or give dates.

 

Chief of Defense General Valdemaras Rupsys described Lithuania's NATO membership as 20 years of continuous growth and improvement for the country's armed forces.

 

"For us, (NATO membership) means peace and security, and being able to live in freedom, build our state and our well-being, grow, strengthen, and survive," he said at the event in Siauliai.

 

Admiral Joachim Ruehle, Chief of Staff at NATO Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), said, "The Lithuanian people chose to join NATO because they believe in the ideals the Alliance represents, such as democracy, human rights and the rule of law."

 

He called Lithuania a committed ally.

 

The first air policing mission was launched at the same time as Lithuania became a full -fledged member of NATO.

 

The first Allied F-16 fighter jets of the Belgian Air Force entered Baltic airspace and touched down at the Lithuanian Air Force's base in Siauliai at 4:47 p.m. on March 29, 2004. 

 

The current rotation conducted by the Belgian and French contingents from Siauliai is the 64th one since its launch in 2004.  

 

"So far, 17 Allies deployed their equipment and other capabilities to the mission in the Baltic states conducted from the Lithuanian Air Force Base in Siauliai and from Amari in Estonia," the ministry said.

 

  

 

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

 

 

VAT increase for defense 'debatable', corporate tax should come first – Lithuanian defmin

 

SIAULIAI, Lithuania, Mar 28, BNS – As Lithuania looks for additional sources of income for defense, Defense Minister Laurynas Kasciunas says a VAT increase could be considered, but the first step would be to increase the corporate tax, and then other might follow.

 

"I would certainly not rule out a VAT increase, but for the time being, I would focus on other taxes, on a different composition that would have the effect we need as we need an additional 400-500 million euros per year," the minister told reporters in Siauliai, northern Lithuania, on Thursday.

 

"We will certainly start with a higher corporate tax. And then we'll see the others," he added. 

 

Kasciunas believes the four alternatives for additional defense funding prepared by the Finance Ministry could be used to "create a composition" where an increase in defense funding to 3 percent of GDP "is possible even without VAT". 

 

"Corporate income tax is inevitably an integral part of this, and we will certainly not avoid it. The question is by how much," Kasciunas said.

 

In order to increase the fixed funding for national defense from 2.5 percent to 3 percent of GDP, The Finance Ministry has recently proposed four options for the state budget to raise additional revenue. These include increasing the rates of VAT and corporate income tax, scrapping some tax exemptions, and reducing municipalities' share of personal income tax revenue.

 

Editor: Roma Pakėnienė

 

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

 

 

Lithuania's air base could be ready to host US F-35 fighters by late 2025 – defense chief 

 

SIAULIAI, Lithuania, Mar 28, BNS – An expansion would allow the Lithuanian Air Force's Siauliai air base to accommodate US F-35 fighter jets for NATO's air policing mission by the end of 2025, Chief of Defense General Valdemaras Rupsys said on Thursday. 

 

"Of course, we still need to do some homework to be able to host fifth-generation F-35 aircraft," Rupsys told reporters in Siauliai.

 

"I believe we'll do this by the end of 2025, and the newest aircraft will arrive here to conduct air policing, and maybe even under a rotational air defense model," he added

 

The F-35 is the world's most advanced fighter jet, capable of gathering intelligence, striking deep into enemy territory and engaging in air duels.

 

Siauliai is hosting on Thursday an event marking Lithuania’s NATO membership anniversary and the launch of the Alliance's Baltic air policing mission 20 years ago. 

 

The commemoration coincides with a hand over-take over ceremony of the mission flown from Siauliai.  The symbolic key to Baltic airspace was to be passed from the Belgian and French contingent commanders to the Spanish and Portuguese contingent commanders. 

 

Rupsys described the Siauliai air base as a leading one in the Baltic states.

 

NATO member countries agreed on a rotational air defense model last June in response to calls from the Baltic states to reinforce the current air policing mission due to Russia's war in Ukraine.

 

Arvydas Anusauskas, the then defense minister, said in early March that a rotational air defense system would be operational later this year and that Patriot air defense systems would be deployed in Lithuania. However, he did not name any specific countries or give dates.

 

The first Allied F-16 fighter jets of the Belgian Air Force entered Baltic airspace and landed in the Siauliai air base at 4:47 p.m. on March 29, 2004. 

 

 

 

By Greta Zulonaitė

 

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

 

 

Court rejects Ryanair, Wizz Air appeals against new Vilnius Airport charges

 

VILNIUS, Mar 28, BNS - A Vilnius court has rejected appeals by Irish and Hungarian airlines Ryanair and Wizz Air against increased charges at Vilnius Airport in 2023, Lietuvos Oro Uostai (Lithuanian Airports, LTOU), the airport operator in Lithuania, said on Thursday.

 

On March 27, the Vilnius Chamber of the Regional Administrative Court rejected the airlines' appeals as they sought to have the orders signed by the head of LTOU and the Lithuanian Transport Safety Administration in 2022 annulled.

 

"The court's decision to reject the appeals of Ryanair and Wizzair confirms that Lithuanian Airports, when setting the new charge rates, properly applied the legislation regulating the setting of charges and complied with all the procedural rules laid down in the legislation," LTOU spokesman Marius Zelenius told BNS.

 

"The decision to change the charges from January 1, 2023 was dictated by the significant increase in costs in various areas over the last few years, and the above-mentioned charges for airlines at Vilnius Airport had not been changed since 2018," he added.

 

A year ago, both airlines claimed that the decisions by LTOU and the LTSA were unjustified.  

 

Back in February 2023, a court rejected the companies' request to suspend the orders and to apply the charges in force before January 2023. 

 

LTOU argued at the time that both Ryanair and Wizzair frequently complain about charges at airports in other countries. 

 

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

 

 

Lithuania could borrow for temporary defense projects – president 

 

VILNIUS, Mar 28, BNS – Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda sees additionally borrowing by the state as one of the ways to ramp up defense spending.

 

The president believes that Lithuania "should apply a mixed method", borrowing for short-term defense projects and funding ongoing, long-term ones through a defense tax.

 

"Borrowing is suitable for projects that are temporary or one-off," Nauseda told reporters in Siauliai on Thursday when asked about businesses' initiative to boost defense funding to 4 percent of GDP.  

 

"For continuous projects that require constant financial resources, the idea of a defense tax might be more appropriate," he said.  

 

The president said that Lithuania has room to borrow more. 

 

Nauseda said that the so-called Four Percent initiative is welcome, but that businesses themselves should show solidarity and contribute to additional defense spending.

 

He does not back a proposal to increase the VAT rate to raise funds for defense. 

 

Nauseda believes that priority in increasing defense financing should be given to business taxes.

 

"I'd like to see a package (of measures), but I'd prioritize business taxes, primarily business ones," he said.

 

In a bid to encourage the public and politicians to agree on higher defense funding, some business associations and companies have announced recently that they are joining the Four Percent initiative by the Lithuanian Business Confederation, the startup association Unicorns Lithuania, and the Lithuanian Confederation of Industrialists.

 

Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte said earlier on Thursday that the initiative fails to identify specific funding sources. 

 

Andrius Romanovskis, president of the Lithuanian Business Confederation, said on Thursday that businesses are willing to contribute to national defense by paying higher taxes. 

 

 

 

Editor: Roma Pakėnienė

 

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

 

 

Lithuanian defmin expects deal on air defense systems for training before NATO summit 

 

VILNIUS, Mar 28, BNS – Defense Minister Laurynas Kasciunas is optimistic about reaching a deal on additional air defense systems for training in Lithuania before this summer's NATO summit in Washington, D.C.  

 

"We expect to reach an agreement so that before the Washington summit, we already have additional air defense systems in Lithuania, at least for training purposes, which would mean in principle that the rotational model is gaining momentum," the minister told journalists on Thursday.

 

"Intensive negotiations are currently underway. I won't name the countries now, but (talks) are taking place with at least several NATO countries that have such ground-based systems," he added. 

 

NATO member countries agreed on a rotational air defense model last June in response to calls from the Baltic states to reinforce the current air policing mission due to Russia's war in Ukraine.

 

Arvydas Anusauskas, the then defense minister, said in early March that a rotational air defense system would be operational later this year and that Patriot air defense systems would be deployed in Lithuania. However, he did not name any specific countries or give dates.

 

Kasciunas said that "the rotational air model can be of two types".

 

"There can be fighter jets with a combat mandate or ground-based air defense systems, including Patriot," the new defense minister told reporters. 

 

Lithuania has discussed the possibility of deploying air defense capabilities in the region with Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, Italy and Greece, but has not announced any concrete agreements yet.

 

 

 

By Greta Zulonaitė

 

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., +370 5 205 85 08, Vilnius newsroom

 

 

Lithuanian defmin makes vicemins in charge of universal defense, German brigade issues

 

SIAULIAI, Lithuania, Mar 28, BNS – Lithuania's new Defense Minister Laurynas Kasciunas has assigned new functions to deputy ministers, making Zilvinas Tomkus and Renius Pleskys in charge of universal defense and the reception of the German brigade respectively.

 

Other members of the ministry's leadership will work on a temporary basis for no, the minister told reporters in Siauliai, northern Lithuania, on Thursday.

 

"I will have a vice minister for global defense, Tomkus, and Pleskys will be in charge of the German brigade. We have agreed with both the other vice minister and the chancellor that we will work on a temporary basis, and that temporary basis may evolve into something else, depending on the results," the minister said.

 

Up until now, Tomkus has been responsible for defense policy and planning, military personnel policy and strategic communication, and Pleskys has been in charge of the development of the military infrastructure.

 

Chancellor Kristina Deviatnikovaite will continue working at the ministry, as well as another vice minister, Greta Monika Tuckute, who is responsible for cyber security policy and acquisitions of the national defense system.

 

Kasciunas was appointed minister on Monday, replacing Arvydas Anusauskas who resigned at Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte's request.

 

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

 

 

President ready to discuss small nuclear reactors in Lithuania

 

VILNIUS, Mar 28, BNS – Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda says he is ready to discuss the possibility of developing low-power nuclear reactors in Lithuania as the Energy Ministry foresees such a possibility after 2030.

 

"In principle, I am in favor of such a discussion as we should not be afraid of the discussion itself," Nauseda told reporters in Siauliai, northern Lithuania, on Thursday. "New and really safe nuclear technologies are emerging - small and medium-sized reactors – and they are gaining popularity in the world. Therefore, I really think that we can openly discuss such an alternative and the future of our energy, and I am ready to do so."

 

Presented to the Seimas on Wednesday, the National Energy Independence Strategy until 2050 also envisages the development of nuclear energy through the construction of small power reactors. 

 

"Nuclear power plants create a steady supply and could be the nucleus around which we would build other energy sources," Nauseda stressed.

 

According to the president, there has been a "slightly different attitude towards nuclear energy" since 2012, when the Lithuanian population rejected plans to build a nuclear power plant in a referendum as there were no more advanced, safer technologies available yet at the time.

 

Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte said on Thursday Lithuanian should consider developing new-generation nuclear energy "as a theoretical alternative, as an option".

 

Energy Minister Dainius Kreivys said on Wednesday the so-called fourth-generation nuclear reactors were safer than the ones built before. He said that political decisions would have to be made between 2028 and 2030 in order to have a low-power nuclear reactor around 2040.

 

Editor: Roma Pakėnienė

 

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

 

 

Lithuania's SIS refuses to probe alleged corruption in defense system 

 

VILNIUS, Mar 28, BNS – Lithuania's Special Investigation Service (SIS) has refused to open a pre-trial investigation into alleged corruption in the national defense system, a spokeswoman confirmed on Thursday.

 

"The decision has now been submitted to the General Prosecutor's Office, which will assess whether it is in line with the law and justified," Dovile Andrijauskaite, the anti-corruption agency's spokeswoman, told BNS.  

 

"Once the prosecutors make a decision, more details about the decision will be provided," she added. 

 

The SIS started looking into the circumstances following public remarks by Arvydas Anusauskas, who stepped down as defense minister in mid-March, about alleged attempts to bribe national defense system employees and pressure related to public procurement.

 

Anusauskas said after handing in his resignation that he "had to close the door to companies" that tried to bribe national defense employees, adding that these companies "found their way into the Seimas".

 

Kestutis Budrys, Gitanas Nauseda's chief national security advisor, said after the president's meeting with Anusauskas that the outgoing minister had named "certain" people who might pose corruption risks.

 

Anusauskas later tried to soften his tone, saying that he was raising the issue of undeclared meetings between politicians and lobbyists.

 

In clarifying information, the SIS has questioned Anusauskas and his successor, Laurynas Kasciunas, former Deputy Defense Minister Vilius Semeska, Economy and Innovation Minister Ausrine Armonaite, and Liberal MP Raimundas Lopata.

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

Terrorism threat level in Lithuania remains low after attacks in Russia – SSD

 

VILNIUS, Mar 28, BNS - The possibility of a terrorist act in Lithuania remains low, the country's State Security Department said on Thursday in response to the recent attack in Russia.

 

According to the SSD, Thursday's meeting of its counter-terrorism working group discussed "the evolving terrorism situation in Europe, last week's terrorist attack in Russia and the possible impact on the security situation in Lithuania".

 

"The meeting concluded that there is currently no evidence of any plans to carry out an attack in Lithuania, so the threat level of a terrorist attack remains low," the SSD said.

 

The group also discussed the existing trend of rapid immigration of Central Asian nationals to Lithuania and the potential risk of radical Islamism.

 

According to the Migration Department, the Central Asian diaspora in Lithuania has grown more than 10-fold over the last three years, from 2,000 to more than 23,000. Among them, about 8,000 have come from Uzbekistan, about 6,000 have arrived from Kyrgyzstan and some 5,700 people have come from Tajikistan. Many of them have come on work permits, and a smaller number of such people have come on study permits. For some of them, Lithuania is an intermediate country for further migration to Western Europe.

 

The SSD says it has identified individuals with radical Islamist views within the immigration flow. Several of them have been declared a threat to state security, and in some cases, recommendations have been given not to issue a visa or temporary residence permit in Lithuania.

 

According to the SSD, no persons with terrorist intentions have been identified among Central Asian arrivals in Lithuania, but their growing diaspora creates conditions for the formation of closed communities where radicalization processes are possible.

 

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

 

 

Lithuania's Kretinga Council against European Energy's green fuel plant

 

VILNIUS, Mar 28, BNS – The local council in Lithuania's western city of Kretinga has objected to Danish renewable energy company European Energy's plans to build a green fuel plant in the district. 

 

On Thursday, 22 councilors voted in favor of keeping the methanol and hydrogen industry out of the area of Darbenai, one abstained and there were no votes against. 

 

Kretinga Mayor Antanas Kalnius told BNS that the council's decision was a clear political declaration meant for European Energy and state institutions.

 

"We will send those letters to both the Environment Ministry and the company, saying that we are against the construction of the plant, and we will ask them to stop the environmental impact assessment process," Kalnius told BNS. 

 

In January, European Energy announced its plans to invest around 400 million euros into an e-methanol and green hydrogen plant in Lithuania. The company is now in the process of picking a site in Kretinga and Akmene Districts and expects to make the final decision in 2025 and wants the facility start operations in 2028. The company says it will be the most powerful plant of this type in the Baltic and Scandinavian countries.

 

However, local communities in the potential areas are concerned about the future project and its potential environmental and health impact. 

 

Editor: Roma Pakėnienė

 

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

 

 

Upcoming events in Lithuania for Friday, March 29, 2024

 

VILNIUS, Mar 29, BNS – The following events are scheduled in Lithuania for Friday, March 29, 2024.

 

PRESIDENT Gitanas Nauseda to meet with the commanders of NATO military units in Lithuania at 9 a.m.; to open the exhibition NATO20: Animus in Consulendo Liber at 10 a.m.; to take part in a ceremony to mark the 20th anniversary of Lithuania’s NATO membership at the Presidential Palace at noon.

 

SPEAKER OF THE SEIMAS Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen to take part in a ceremony to mark the 20th anniversary of Lithuania’s NATO membership at the Presidential Palace at noon.

 

INTERIOR MINISTER Agne Bilotaite to attend a ceremony to mark the 20th anniversary of Lithuania’s NATO membership at the Presidential Palace at noon.

 

The commemoration of the 20th anniversary of Lithuania's NATO membership

 

A solemn ceremony marking the 20th anniversary of Lithuania's NATO membership to be held at Daukantas Square in central Vilnius at noon. During the event, Lithuania will be greeted by two Mirage fighter jets of the French Air Force and four helicopters of the United States Air Force, which are currently conducting NATO's air policing mission in the Baltic states.

 

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

 

LITHUANIA DAILY NEWS BULLETIN

IN THIS ISSUE:

1. Upcoming events in Lithuania for Thursday, January 11, 2024
2. Lithuania records no illegal border crossings from Belarus for 10th straight day
3. Polish, Romanian foreign ministers to come to Vilnius ahead of Snow Meeting
4. Economy minister, Swiss defense start-up to discuss drone production in Lithuania
5. Lithuanian Agriculture Council decides to continue protests
6. Lithuanian justice minister warns against populism in discussion about Russian schools
7. Lithuanian economy minister, defense start-up to discuss drone production (corrects)
8. Lithuania joins STRIKFORNATO HQ
9. Air defense rotation in NATO's east would be proper response to Russia – Lithuanian formin
10. Demining coalition in Vilnius discusses Ukraine's needs, possible partner contributions
11. Upcoming events in Lithuania for Friday, January 12, 2024

Upcoming events in Lithuania for Thursday, January 11, 2024

VILNIUS, Jan 11, BNS – The following events are scheduled in Lithuania for Thursday, January 11, 2024.

SPEAKER OF THE SEIMAS Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen to attend the Snow Meeting at 6.30 p.m.

THE DEFENSE MINISTRY

Greek Defense Minister Nikolaos Dendias to pay a visit to Lithuania. The welcome ceremony to take place outside the Defense Ministry in central Vilnius at 11 a.m., followed by the ministers; joint press conference at 11.50 a.m.

SOCIAL PROTECTION AND LABOR MINISTER Monika Navickiene attending an informal meeting of the EU's Employment and Social Affairs Council (EPSCO) in Belgium.

FOREIGN MINISTER Gabrielius Landsbergis to meet with his Romanian and Polish counterparts and the Greek defense minister; to hold a joint press conference with the Romanian foreign minister at 11.40 p.m.

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

Lithuania records no illegal border crossings from Belarus for 10th straight day

VILNIUS, Jan 11, BNS – Lithuanian border guards recorded no attempts to cross into the country from Belarus illegally for the tenth day in a row on Wednesday, the State Border Guard Service (SBGS) said on Thursday morning.

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

The SBGS notes that no attempts to enter Lithuania from Belarus illegally have been recorded so far this year.

Since the start of the migration crisis, there has been only one longer period when no foreign nationals attempted to cross the Lithuanian border illegally. It lasted for 12 consecutive days between February 18 and March 1 last year.

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 almost 22,000 people from crossing in from Belarus since August 3, 2021, when they were given the right to turn away irregular migrants. The number includes repeated attempts by the same people to cross the border.

The influx of irregular migrants to the EU's eastern member states from Belarus began in 2021 and is blamed by the West on the Minsk regime.

Almost 4,200 irregular migrants crossed into Lithuania from Belarus illegally in 2021. However, the vast majority of them fled Lithuania once they were allowed to move freely.

 

 

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., +370 5 239 64 16, Vilnius newsroom

Polish, Romanian foreign ministers to come to Vilnius ahead of Snow Meeting

VILNIUS, Jan 11, BNS – Foreign Ministers Radoslaw Sikorski of Poland and Luminita Odobescu of Romania are coming to Vilnius on Thursday ahead of the annual Snow Meeting of foreign and security policy experts. 

The ministers are to meet with their Lithuanian counterpart Gabrielius Landsbergis in the capital on Thursday.

The meeting between Landsbergis and Poland's new top diplomat will focus on strengthening regional security, long-term support for Ukraine and tightening sanctions against Russia and Belarus, the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry has said in a press release.

The Lithuanian and Romanian ministers will discuss common European security trends and prospects, and possible responses to emerging challenges, as well as support for 'Kyiv's accession to NATO, and the European integration of Ukraine, Moldova and other countries, it said. 

 

 

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

Economy minister, Swiss defense start-up to discuss drone production in Lithuania

VILNIUS, Jan 11, BNS – Lithuanian Economy and Innovation Minister Ausrine Armonaite on Thursday is presenting the government's plans to beef up the country's defense industry to the Swiss defense industry startup Unmanned Defense Systems (UDS). 

At their meeting, Armonaite and the UDS founders will discuss the prospects for manufacturing the company's unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in Lithuania, the Economy and Innovation Ministry has said in a press release. 

"The famous Catfish Target drone developed by UDS has been successfully used in battles in Ukraine, including the fight for the legendary Snake Island, and has received positive feedback from the Ukrainian Armed Forces," it said. 

The startup also produces other drones, including a reconnaissance UAV and a mapping UAV for civilian use.

 

 

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

Lithuanian Agriculture Council decides to continue protests

VILNIUS, Jan 11, BNS - The Lithuanian Agriculture Council has decided to continue farmers' protests that took place on Monday as a new round of protests is planned for late January. 

"Executing the will of its members, the Lithuanian Agriculture Council has no choice but to start the second stage of protests when agricultural machinery will be brought to Vilnius. This action will require maximum concentration and effort from our farming community," the Lithuanian Agriculture Council said in a statement on Thursday. 

Its chair Ignas Hofmanas told the public radio LRT on Thursday that farmers plan to gather in Vilnius on January 23-26. 

On Monday, farmers across Lithuania lit bonfires to protest against the government's agricultural policy, increased excise duties on liquefied petroleum gas, the restoration of perennial meadows, and called for the resolution of the dairy crisis and other problems.

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

Lithuanian justice minister warns against populism in discussion about Russian schools

VILNIUS, Jan 11, BNS – Justice Minister Ewelina Dobrowolska said on Thursday that minority education in the country is facing problems, but they must be deal with by finding ways to help Lithuanian citizens obtain quality education rather than by closing schools.

"If we talk about national minority schools, whether Russian or Polish, there are challenges in terms of quality, exam performance, enrolment and teaching the Lithuanian language," Dobrowolska told the Ziniu Radijas radio station.

"I do wish there was no populism and I'd very much like to see education experts sitting down and discussing how to help our citizens," she added. 

The minister said that both national and international student achievement surveys indicate poorer results in schools in the regions and in national minority schools, but that addressing this issue requires a strategic vision rather than just "saying that we are replacing the schools of one national minority with schools in a different language".

She also noted that minority issues are usually brought into the spotlight in election years to mobilize voters.

Education, Science and Sport Minister Gintautas Jakstas last week reignited the debate on Russian schools by saying that Lithuania should consider following the lead of Estonia and Latvia and scrap Russian-language education. 

Jakstas says that national minority schools teaching in the languages of EU countries or countries friendly to Lithuania could remain open. 

The ministry plans to draft a proposal on phasing out Russian schools in the coming weeks. 

The Department of National Minorities said last week that it did not support proposals to eliminate Russian as the language of instruction. 

The department believes that marginalizing one ethnic group would do more harm than good to the state and "destroy the structure of a multiethnic society that has been built over three decades".

The discussion on Russian schools resurfaced after an incident where teenagers attending a Russian school fired a pneumatic gun at a classmate because he said he was against the war in Ukraine. 

However, Jakstas urges against linking the renewed discussion on national minority schools to this incident.

 

By Milena Andrukaitytė

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., +370 5 239 64 16, Vilnius newsroom

Lithuanian economy minister, defense start-up to discuss drone production (corrects)

corrects the headline, lead to say that the startup is Lithuanian

VILNIUS, Jan 11, BNS – Economy and Innovation Minister Ausrine Armonaite on Thursday is presenting the government's plans to beef up the defense industry to Lithuania's defense industry startup Unmanned Defense Systems (UDS). 

At their meeting, Armonaite and the UDS founders will discuss the prospects for manufacturing the company's unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in Lithuania, the Economy and Innovation Ministry has said in a press release. 

"The famous Catfish Target drone developed by UDS has been successfully used in battles in Ukraine, including the fight for the legendary Snake Island, and has received positive feedback from the Ukrainian Armed Forces," it said. 

The startup also produces other drones, including a reconnaissance UAV and a mapping UAV for civilian use.

 

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

Lithuania joins STRIKFORNATO HQ

VILNIUS, Jan 11, BNS – Lithuania has joined the Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO (STRIKFORNATO) HQ, the Lithuanian army said on Thursday.

Since 2020, Lithuania has been sending officers to the HQ as observers.

The accession ceremony was attended by Lithuania's Navy Commander captain (Navy) Giedrius Premeneckas, and he also met with Vice Admiral Thomas Ishee, commander of the U.S. 6th Fleet, during the event. The two officers discussed the security situation in the Baltic Sea region and prospects for further cooperation.

Headquartered in Oeiraz, Portugal, STRIKFORNATO was established in 2012 after 13 NATO countries, including Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United US, signed a memorandum of understanding.

As part of deterrence and NATO's collective defense, the HQ ensures the planning and execution of joint naval operations, including anti-ballistic missile defense.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., +370 5 205 85 08, Vilnius newsroom

Air defense rotation in NATO's east would be proper response to Russia – Lithuanian formin

VILNIUS, Jan 11, BNS – NATO's rotational air defense presence in the Black and Baltic Sea regions would be an appropriate response to the Russian threat, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said as he hosted his Romanian counterpart Luminita Odobescu in Vilnius on Thursday.

NATO allies agreed on such a model last June, but it has not yet been implemented. The Baltic countries are currently in discussions with countries that could deploy air systems to the region.

"I believe a rotation of air defense both in the Black Sea region and in the Baltic region would be an appropriate response to the Russian escalation that is already taking place," Landsbergis at a joint news conference with Odobescu.

A Russian drone crashed on Romanian territory during Moscow's attack on Ukraine's port infrastructure last December, following a similar incident in September.  A Russian missile also entered Polish airspace in late December.

"Actions like the drone crashes, even if seemingly unintentional, are escalation. They would not be happening if Russia were not waging war against Ukraine," Lithuania's top diplomat said. 

Odobescu said that such incidents show how serious the security situation is not only in Ukraine but also in the Black Sea region.

The Romanian minister underlined the importance of implementing NATO's Vilnius summit commitments in order to beef up security.  

"One of these is related to security in the Black Sea region, but also with full implementation of regional plans and increased military presence in our region," she told the news conference. 

On the eve of the Vilnius summit last July, NATO approved new regional defense plans reflecting changes in the Alliance's strategy.

Previously, the approach was that the Baltic countries should try to hold off an offensive until allied reinforcements can arrive to help them. The new plans aim to ensure that NATO is ready to fight back immediately.

Call for deal on new Russia sanctions

Landsbergis also stressed the need to agree on the strongest possible new package of sanctions against Russia before the second anniversary of the war in Ukraine in late February. 

For her part, Odobescu said that her country will support Ukraine "as much as needed".

"Moreover, allowing Ukraine to achieve its objective according to its own choosing, rendering justice to the victims and fighting against impunity – all this remains a fundamental objective not only for Ukraine but also for us," she said. 

Romania remains firm in its position that only Ukraine has the political and moral legitimacy to decide whether it wants to negotiate with Russia.

At their meeting, the two ministers also discussed Romania's efforts to increase its capacity for transporting Ukrainian grain, and measures to support Ukrainian refugees.

According to the Reuters news agency, Ukraine is one of the world's biggest grain exporters, and the Romanian port of Constanta has become Kyiv's largest alternative export route since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022. 

 

By Greta Zulonaitė

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

Demining coalition in Vilnius discusses Ukraine's needs, possible partner contributions

VILNIUS, Jan 11, BNS – The Lithuania-led demining coalition in assistance to Ukraine met in Vilnius on Thursday to discuss Kyiv's needs and partners' possible contribution, the Lithuanian Defense Ministry said. 

The meeting was attended by officials from Ukraine's Defense Ministry and the Defense Staff of the Armed Forces, and representatives from 19 partner countries, joined via video link by representatives from six other nations, it said in a press release. 

"This demonstrates the unity of partner states not only in responding to urgent needs but also in supporting the long-term development of Ukraine's demining capabilities," said Vaidotas Urbelis, defense policy director at the Lithuanian Defense Ministry.

"This is the first working meeting where we sought to clarify Ukraine's needs in the area of demining and the specific contribution of each coalition partner state," he said. 

The Lithuania-led coalition aims to pool and coordinate existing and future demining assistance to Ukraine from donor countries.

A support fund is being set up to achieve the coalition's objectives, including the acquisition of tools and equipment for demining Ukrainian territory. 

 

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., +370 5 205 85 08, Vilnius newsroom

Upcoming events in Lithuania for Friday, January 12, 2024

VILNIUS, Jan 12, BNS – The following events are scheduled in Lithuania for Friday, January 12, 2024.

PRESIDENT Gitanas Nauseda to join "The Light of Victory" civic campaign at 8 a.m.; to meet with European Parliament President Roberta Metsola at 4.10 p.m.; to attend the ceremony of lighting commemorative bonfires at 5 p.m.

SPEAKER OF THE SEIMAS Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen to join "The Light of Victory" civic campaign at 8 a.m.; to take part in a solemn line-up of freedom defenders at 11 a.m.; to attend a meting of freedom defenders at noon; to attend the ceremony of lighting commemorative bonfires at 7 p.m.

PRIME MINISTER Ingrida Simonyte to meet with European Parliament President Roberta Metsola at 3.15 p.m., followed by a joint press conference at 3.50 p.m.

SOCIAL PROTECTION AND LABOR MINISTER Monika Navickiene attending an informal meeting of the EU's Employment and Social Affairs Council (EPSCO) in Belgium.

FOREIGN MINISTER Gabrielius Landsbergis to meet with European Parliament President Roberta Metsola.

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