LITHUANIA DAILY NEWS BULLETIN

IN THIS ISSUE:

1. Lithuania records no illegal border crossings from Belarus
2. Siauliai to hold poll on removal of Soviet soldiers' remains from city center
3. Two 63-year-old men dead in fire at retirement home in Vilnius
4. Lithuania reports 78 new COVID-19 cases, no deaths
5. Lithuania's DefMin to spend over EUR 3.1 b on military stockpiles next ten years
6. Finance minister feels foreign banks' interest in Lithuania
7. Lithuania responsible for indirect brigade infrastructure – German minister in Vilnius
8. Deputy defmin presents Lithuania's work in strengthening cybersecurity during visit to US
9. Lithuania ready to support Ukraine's energy sector – advisor
10. Lithuanian president convenes SDC meeting to discuss defense plan, mission mandate
11. ForMin has info on more than dozen Lithuanians detained, imprisoned in Belarus (media)
12. Lithuanian ForMin calles on Minsk to halt Astravyets NPP, address security concerns

Lithuania records no illegal border crossings from Belarus

VILNIUS, Nov 03, 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 Friday morning.

Latvia reported 34 attempts at illegal border crossings on Thursday, and 86 irregular migrants were not allowed into Poland on Wednesday, according to the latest available information.

A total of 2,191 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 some 21,500 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 influx of irregular migrants to the EU's eastern member states from Belarus began in 2021 and is blamed by the West on the Minsk regime.

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

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Siauliai to hold poll on removal of Soviet soldiers' remains from city center

VILNIUS, Nov 03, BNS – A poll on the removal of Soviet soldiers' remains from the city center will start next week in Siauliai in the northwest of Lithuania.

Siauliai Mayor Arturas Visockas signed a decree on holding the poll from November 6 to February 6 next year.

Respondents will be asked whether they "approve of the transfer of the remains of Soviet soldiers from the Second World War from the grounds of the Cathedral of the Apostles Saints Peter and Paul to a cemetery managed by the Siauliai City Council”.

"If 10 percent or more of the city's voting population expresses its opinion, the Siauliai Council will base its decision on that opinion and adopt a relevant decision,” a statement issued by the local government of Siauliai quoted Visockas as saying.

On the other hand, the mayor argued that the issue of the remains of Soviet soldiers should be addressed on the national level.

According to him, no procedure has yet been drawn up to clarify how municipalities should deal with the transfer of the remains of soldiers of the occupying forces.

"It is clear that a common position needs to be developed at the national level, because the issue is really serious. The procedure has only been prepared for cases involving the transfer of victims of resistance struggles, but it does not apply to soldiers of the occupying army," Visockas said.

The local government of Siauliai, for its part, has prepared a letter on the subject addressed to the Ministries of Culture and Foreign Affairs, the Genocide and Resistance Research Center of Lithuania and the territorial departments of the Department of Cultural Heritage.

"In the context of the change in legal regulation and taking into account the fact that there are 69 burial sites of Soviet soldiers from the Second World War in 28 municipalities, it is necessary to plan and allocate funds from the 2024 budget of the Ministry of Culture for a special purpose grant, i.e. to finance the transfer of the remains," the letter states.

The burial site in Siauliai is included in the Register of Cultural Heritage. It states that 52 Soviet soldiers who died in the Second World War are buried there.

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Two 63-year-old men dead in fire at retirement home in Vilnius

VILNIUS, Nov 03, BNS – Two men aged 63 died in a fire at the Senevita retirement home in Vilnius' Balzio Street on Thursday night.

According to the Police Department, the charred bodies of two men were found in a room of the retirement home after the fire was extinguished there at around 11.54 p.m.

They were living in the same room.

A pre-trial investigation has been opened to determine the cause of death.

Petras Jurgilas, the director of Senevita, told BNS that one of the men was using a wheelchair.

"We have evacuated 36 people to the physiotherapy hall, we have mattresses there and in the morning we will transport them to Nemencine. It's a terrible disaster for us," Jurgilas told BNS at night.

He believes the fire may have been caused by the victims' smoking.

According to firefighters, some people were poisoned by smoke and were treated at the scene. Three people with smoke poisoning were taken to hospital.

Smoke was spread throughout the three-story building.

A large firefighting force was dispatched to the scene, including six tankers, a staff car and a crane.

The residents of the retirement home were also assisted by the police and the ambulance service.

The fire was declared contained at 11.58 p.m. and was extinguished a little after one hour.

The institution says that it provides social care services for elderly persons, adults with disabilities and persons suffering from Alzheimer's disease or other degenerative diseases of the central nervous system, who require complex assistance and constant specialist care.

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Lithuania reports 78 new COVID-19 cases, no deaths

VILNIUS, Nov 03, BNS – Lithuania has recorded 78 new coronavirus infections and no deaths from COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, official statistics showed on Friday morning.

The number of COVID-19 patients in hospitals stands at 113, including six ICU cases. 

The 14-day primary infection rate has reached 173.2 cases per 100,000 people, with the seven-day percentage of positive tests at 33.4 percent.

The number of new coronavirus cases hit the peak in Lithuania in early February 2022 when more than 14,000 new infections were recorded daily. Around 1.19 million people in Lithuania have tested positive for COVID-19 at least once.

COVID-19 incidence in Lithuania took an upward turn in mid-September after having stayed at a low level since May. 

Some 68.5 percent of people in the country have received at least one coronavirus vaccine jab so far, according to the statistics.

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Lithuania's DefMin to spend over EUR 3.1 b on military stockpiles next ten years

VILNIUS, Nov 03, BNS – Lithuania's Defense Ministry plans to spend more than 3.1 billion euros on the acquisition of military stockpiles over the next decade, the ministry said on Friday.

Ammunition will make the largest part of the planned military stockpiles, around 90 percent, while the rest will include various engineering solutions and explosive materials.

"As the national defense system is acquiring new state-of-the-art weapon systems, it is also acquiring the necessary ammunition and expanding its servicing and storage infrastructure. We pay a lot of attention and allocate a lot of funds to the accumulation of ammunition and other military stockpiles," Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas says.

According to the ministry, the funds allocated for ammunition stockpiling have tripled over the last three years, with almost 750 million euros earmarked for 2021-2023. On average, 16 percent of total defense spending is spent on ammunition each year.

The ministry points out that until 2020, around a tenth of the defense budget was allocated for the same purpose. The vast majority of the ammunition stockpiling is meant for basic combat ammunition.

Lithuania has signed several contracts for the purchase of ammunition this year and is acquiring medium-range surface-to-air AMRAAM missiles and Javelin anti-tank missiles from the United States, Carl-Gustaf grenade launchers and RBS-70 short-range air defense missiles from Sweden, and is also buying ammunition of various caliber (from 4.6 to 40 mm) through the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA).

According to the ministry, the national defense industry is also being incentivized as a contract was signed earlier this year with the Giraite Armaments Factory, a Lithuanian maker of small caliber ammunition, for the purchase of 7.62x51 mm ammunition.

A total of around 2.7 billion euros is planned in Lithuania's defense budget for acquisition in 2024-2026. The ministry says this means that around 45 percent of the defense budget will be allocated annually to the strengthening and upgrading of the Lithuanian army's combat power.

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Finance minister feels foreign banks' interest in Lithuania

VILNIUS, Nov 03, BNS – Lithuanian Finance Minister Gintare Skaiste says she feels the interest of foreign banks in the Lithuanian market, adding, however, the emergence of a new bank in the country may take time.

"We are trying to have additional players in the banking sector in our country because it is very concentrated. I think it's a good business opportunity, and we have interests from different private sector players, but, anyway, it's their private decision," the finance minister told reporters on Friday. "I think it might happen because interest is really present, but the outcome is not so fast because it takes time."

Speaking at a joint press conference with her German counterpart Christian Lindner, Skaiste stressed that various banks from different countries, including Germany and Poland, were considering setting up in Lithuania.

For his part, the German minister said he had no information on German banks planning activities in Lithuania, adding that this "decision is for the private sector to make“, but there are "no obstacles from the German government“.

"We support the European single market in which German banks are engaged across the European Union," he said when asked whether German banks could come to Lithuania with the planned German army brigade.

In late September, the central Bank of Lithuania announced that a new foreign bank would come to Lithuania in the near future, but it did not name a specific bank.

According to the Bank of Lithuania, 13 banks currently have bank or specialized bank licenses in Lithuania, and there are also six branches of foreign banks.

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Lithuania responsible for indirect brigade infrastructure – German minister in Vilnius

VILNIUS, Nov 03, BNS - Vilnius and Berlin are still discussing the necessary investments for Lithuania to host the planned German brigade, but the costs that are not directly related to the military unit are Lithuania's responsibility, German Finance Minister Christian Lindner has said in Vilnius.

"The financial burden of this commitment will be financed by the German budget, but the focus is on military expenditure in particular. On expenditures that are not directly connected with our troops, more of this responsibility is on the hosting country," the German minister told reporters in Vilnius on Friday.

For her part, Lithuanian Finance Minister Gintare Skaiste told the joint press conference that discussions on the necessary infrastructure and its financing were ongoing.

"Discussions are still ongoing on specific details," she said.

Lithuania plans that the bulk of the German brigade will be deployed in Lithuania in 2026. The joint Lithuanian-German working group has agreed to sign the deployment plan by December 22.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said earlier that not only military infrastructure, but also social infrastructure, such as schools and leisure facilities, would have to be put in place for the arrival of the German brigade in Lithuania.

This is needed, he said, because German troops will rotate every three years, meaning that their families will also be coming to Lithuania.

Lithuania and Germany started discussing the deployment of a German brigade in Lithuania after Russia invaded Ukraine. The brigade's Forward Command Element is already deployed in Lithuania.

Germany has also led an international NATO battalion deployed in Lithuania since 2017.

By Augustas Stankevičius

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Deputy defmin presents Lithuania's work in strengthening cybersecurity during visit to US

VILNIUS, Nov 03, BNS – Lithuanian Defense Vice-Minister Greta Monika Tuckute has discussed the situation of cyber security threats in the Baltic Sea region and presented Lithuania's achievements in this area at meetings in the United States this week.

"Lithuania has confirmed its commitment to the fight against cyber criminals on the international level," a press release from the Defense Ministry quoted Tuckute as saying in comments about her visit.

She took part in a high-level meeting organized by the White House to bring together 50 countries and international organizations in the fight against ransomware cyber-attacks under the Counter Ransomware Initiative (CRI).

Lithuania is one of the leaders of the initiative, leading the Information Sharing Working Group, according to the press release.

At the meeting, the vice-minister presented Lithuania's work on the information sharing platform, which has been implemented for a year by the Regional Cyber Defense Center (RCDC) in Kaunas.

According to the ministry, important work has been done in recent years to ensure that this solution proposed by Lithuania is useful for the CRI countries. In particular, Lithuania has started to conduct introductory training on information sharing in cooperation with the Belgian Cyber Security Center.

"We say that cyber criminals have no boundaries, but what is special about the 50 countries working together is that by working together we also have no barriers. We want different regions – from the Baltic Sea to the Asia-Pacific – to be able to share information about threats in their countries," Tuckute said.

"Together with Belgium, we are promising additional thematic training for allies in 2024, to attract more countries to use our platform, to increase knowledge and build mutual trust," she added.

During her visit to the United States, the vice-minister also met with the country's top cybersecurity officials and shared Lithuania's experience in strengthening resilience to cyber threats.

During a meeting with Mieke Eoyang, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Cyber Policy, the vice-minister discussed the cybersecurity threat situation in the Baltic Sea region, support to Ukraine, participation of the United States in the activities of the RCDC, cooperation with the Asia-Pacific region, and further support for the development of the Army Cyber Defense Unit.

"Lithuania's experience – not only in countering cyber threats from Russia and China, but also in sharing lessons learned with partners – is relevant to the Transatlantic and Asia-Pacific partners. Cybersecurity consultations with the United States help Lithuania to enhance its knowledge and skills in strengthening its national cyber capabilities," Tuckute said.

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Lithuania ready to support Ukraine's energy sector – advisor

VILNIUS, Nov 03, BNS - Lithuania stands ready to provide support to Ukraine's energy sector, as it did last winter, Jarek Niewierowicz, an advisor to Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, at a virtual remote meeting of the Ukrainian president's Peace Formula working group on energy security on Friday.

"In order to ensure the resilience of the energy sector and security of energy supply, we need to join forces and work together. Lithuania will be together with Ukraine this winter as well," Niewierowicz later told BNS.

So far, Lithuania has already provided Ukraine with two high-capacity autotransformers, 274 transformers and their accessories, other grid support equipment, as well as more than 1,000 generators and a mobile thermal boiler house. Additional support is planned soon. 

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Lithuanian president convenes SDC meeting to discuss defense plan, mission mandate

VILNIUS, Nov 03, BNS – Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda is convening a State Defense Council meeting on Monday.

State leader will discuss the State Defense Plan, which enshrines the principle of universal defense, "where all state resources – state institutions, the private sector, NGOs and citizens – are mobilized“, the presidential office told BNS.

The plan is being prepared by a group of experts from the presidential office, led by the president.

The SDC will also discuss the state of the State Mobilization System and the mandate for international operations and deployments in 2024-2025.

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ForMin has info on more than dozen Lithuanians detained, imprisoned in Belarus (media)

VILNIUS, Nov 03, BNS – Lithuania's Foreign Ministry says it has information on more than a dozen Lithuanian citizens detained or serving sentences in Belarus, the delfi.lt news website reports on Friday.

"Right now, we have information on more than a dozen Lithuanian citizens detained or serving sentences in Belarus. The Belarusian authorities do not always immediately inform the Lithuanian authorities about the cases of detention of Lithuanian citizens," the ministry told the website.

Lithuanian citizens may also be illegally detained in Belarus ruled by the Lukashenko regime, the ministry pointed out, adding that Latvia also reported some time ago about the detention of its citizens.

The Foreign Ministry also reminded of the Belarusian authorities' stepped up hostile and provocative actions against Lithuanian citizens in Belarus, and warned that Lithuanian citizens may also be detained unlawfully in Belarus. Lithuanian citizens are urged not to travel to Belarus and to leave immediately, if they are now in Belarus.

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Lithuanian ForMin calles on Minsk to halt Astravyets NPP, address security concerns

VILNIUS, Nov 03, BNS - The Lithuanian Foreign Ministry has urged Minsk to suspend the operation of Unit 1 and Unit 2 of the Astravyets nuclear power plant and to address security issues.

The Foreign Ministry said on Friday it had sent a diplomatic note to the Belarusian Foreign Ministry urging it to "immediately address environmental, nuclear and radiation safety issues at the Belarusian NPP in accordance with international requirements and standards".

The Lithuanian ministry did so in response to Belarusian media reports in late October that the country's institutions had issued a license for the start of industrial operation of the nuclear facility's Unit 2.

"Belarus continues ignoring the international community's requests to address all safety concerns first by pursuing this unsafe nuclear power project," the ministry said.

The unsafe nuclear power plant in Astravyets poses a serious threat to Europe as a whole, it said, and Lithuania "strongly demands the suspension of the operation of Unit 1 and Unit 2 of the Belarusian nuclear power plant until all safety issues are resolved".

Lithuania's National Nuclear Power Safety Inspectorate warned in late October that Unit 2 of the Astrayets nuclear facility, situated some 50 km from Vilnius, was being launched without resolving all safety issues.

It also said that since the very beginning of the Belarusian NPP project implementation, Belarus has not provided specific information to Lithuanian authorities on how it selected the site for the construction of the nuclear power plant in Astravyets and assessed the distribution and density of neighboring country Lithuania's population in the surrounding territory.

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LITHUANIA DAILY NEWS BULLETIN

IN THIS ISSUE:

1. Three irregular migrants turned away on Lithuania's border with Belarus
2. Lithuanian court starts hearing case of Zamolskis accused of murders
3. Vilnius blames insufficient industrial capacity for delays in EU supply of shells to Kyiv
4. Lithuania reports 799 new COVID-19 cases, no deaths
5. Lithuanian president to decide on London ambassador only after independent probe – advisor
6. Lithuanian president to decide on London ambassador only after independent probe – advisor (expands)
7. Funding sources remain in question as EU mulls extra money for Ukraine – advisor
8. Lithuanian legislation does not provide for independent probe over London ambassador – PM
9. Lithuanian parlt decides to investigate SSD whistleblower story
10. Lithuanian court to rule on Irish citizens' cases in late November
11. Army, allies to conduct helicopter training over Lithuania’s largest cities
12. Russia adds advisor to Lithuanian defmin to its wanted list
13. Lithuanian president calls for political will for breakthrough as Moldova seeks to join EU

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

VILNIUS, Oct 31, BNS – Lithuanian border guards have in the past 24 hours turned away three migrants attempting to cross into the country from Belarus illegally, the State Border Guard Service (SBGS) said on Tuesday morning.

Latvia reported 79 attempts at illegal border crossings on Monday, and 93 irregular migrants were not allowed into Poland on Sunday, according to the latest available information.

A total of 2,191 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 some 21,500 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 influx of irregular migrants to the EU's eastern member states from Belarus began in 2021 and is blamed by the West on the Minsk regime.

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

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Lithuanian court starts hearing case of Zamolskis accused of murders

VILNIUS, Oct 31, BNS – The Panevezys Regional Court on Tuesday starts hearing the case of Romas Zamolskis, accused of murders committed several decades ago.

The case will be heard without the defendant, who has been living in Russia for many years and is currently serving a sentence for crimes committed in that country, but Russia has refused to hand him over to Lithuania.

Lithuanian law allows for cases to be heard in absentia in certain cases, such as those involving defendants in hiding and the like.

The criminal case was referred to court more than two and a half years ago, in February 2021, but the Lithuanian courts failed to open it and it was even returned to the prosecutor's office.

In June 2021, the Court of Appeal finally ruled that the criminal case of Zamolskis, who is serving a prison sentence in Russia, can be heard by the Panevezys Regional Court.

Zamolskis, who is currently in prison in Russia, is accused of having committed extremely serious crimes in Lithuania decades ago.

He is accused of the murder of two people, the attempted murder of 14 people, illegal possession of firearms, ammunition and explosives, and robbery.

Civil claims amounting to more than 0.5 million euros have been lodged and 18 persons have been recognized as victims in this criminal case.

In Russia, Zamolskis and his two accomplices were convicted of crimes committed in the Sverdlovsk region between 2003 and 2006.

The accused was informed in Russia of the allegations made against him in Lithuania, but he did not admit his guilt and refused to testify.

By Ingrida Steniulienė

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Vilnius blames insufficient industrial capacity for delays in EU supply of shells to Kyiv

VILNIUS, Oct 31, BNS – Delays in the provision of artillery shells promised by the European Union (EU) to Ukraine stem from insufficient military industrial capacity, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said.

"We have to admit that we have not yet reached the volumes that are necessary to continue providing this military support to Ukraine," he told the LRT television on Monday.

His comment came after Bloomberg reported last week that the bloc is falling behind on plans to provide Ukraine, which is fighting back against Russia's invasion, with a million artillery shells. 

According to Bloomberg, the EU has so far only achieved about 30 percent of the target of delivering the artillery ammunition rounds to Ukraine by March 2024 and, based on the volume of contracts signed to date, risks missing it.

Speaking about the new 50-billion-euro financial package to support Kyiv, Nauseda said that "the political will is definitely there". However, there are ongoing discussions on where to get these funds from, either through a reallocation of the EU budget or a commitment to new national contributions.

Nauseda hoped that a consensus would be found within a few months.

The new financial instrument, consisting of grants and loans, was proposed by the European Commission in the summer.

"The question is whether this money will be enough, because we are talking about a longer period of time, which means [the amount] has also to be divided into years. Then we end up with an average annual amount that will be less than the 18 billion [euros] granted this year," Nauseda said.

However, the Lithuanian leader stressed that the countries had agreed to go back to this issue should Kyiv really need more funds.

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Lithuania reports 799 new COVID-19 cases, no deaths

VILNIUS, Oct 31, BNS – Lithuania has recorded 799 new coronavirus infections and no deaths from COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, official statistics showed on Tuesday morning.

The 14-day primary infection rate has risen to 189.9 cases per 100,000 people, with the seven-day percentage of positive tests at 31.4 percent.

The number of new coronavirus cases hit the peak in Lithuania in early February 2022 when more than 14,000 new infections were recorded daily. Around 1.19 million people in Lithuania have tested positive for COVID-19 at least once.

COVID-19 incidence in Lithuania took an upward turn in mid-September after having stayed at a low level since May. 

Some 68.5 percent of people in the country have received at least one coronavirus vaccine jab so far, according to the statistics.

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Lithuanian president to decide on London ambassador only after independent probe – advisor

VILNIUS, Oct 31, BNS – Lithuanian president is still waiting for an independent inquiry into allegations against the country's Ambassador to the UK, Eitvydas Bajarunas, who has been summoned to Vilnius for consultations, before he can make a decision on his fate, Asta Skaisgiryte, an advisor to Gitanas Nauseda, has said.

"The president is certainly waiting for an independent investigation, which would be carried out in accordance with all institutional procedures. If a person is accused of something, that something must be investigated, proven and findings must be presented. The president could decide on the fate of Bajarunas after receiving such findings, but now there is simply no material that would allow the president to make a decision one way or another," she told the Ziniu Radijas radio station on Tuesday.

Some time ago, Bajarunas was accused by staff in London of misconduct and the violation of working conditions. Having looked into the complaints, the Inspectorate General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs found irregularities and proposed considering Bajarunas' suitability to head the embassy.

In mid-October, Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis suspended Bajarunas and summoned him to Vilnius for consultations. Nauseda then called the decision half-hearted.

For his part, Bajarunas has requested an independent investigation, claiming that he is being subjected to psychological abuse by the ministry, because his reputation is being damaged by information leaks to the media.

Meanwhile, Conservative MP Matas Maldeikis asked the Chief Official Ethics Commission (VTEK) to assess a visit to the opera in London by the president and the ambassador and their spouses. The VTEK said it would still seek additional material to decide whether to open an investigation.

Skaisgiryte told the news radio that the subject of the VTEK investigation "is different from the subject of Bajarunas' activities", as the ambassador is accused of mobbing.

"In this case, we don't have institutionally confirmed evidence in black and white, and as long as the investigation is not carried out properly, I don't see this case moving forward ... If a person can be convicted in a lynch mob without institutional proof, it is a bad precedent for the future", she noted.

By Ignas Jačauskas

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Lithuanian president to decide on London ambassador only after independent probe – advisor (expands)

VILNIUS, Oct 31, BNS – Lithuanian president is still waiting for an independent inquiry into allegations against the country's Ambassador to the UK, Eitvydas Bajarunas, who has been summoned to Vilnius for consultations, before he can make a decision on his fate, Asta Skaisgiryte, an advisor to Gitanas Nauseda, has said.

"The president is certainly waiting for an independent investigation, which would be carried out in accordance with all institutional procedures. If a person is accused of something, that something must be investigated, proven and findings must be presented. The president could decide on the fate of Bajarunas after receiving such findings, but now there is simply no material that would allow the president to make a decision one way or another," she told the Ziniu Radijas radio station on Tuesday.

Some time ago, Bajarunas was accused by staff in London of misconduct and the violation of working conditions. Having looked into the complaints, the Inspectorate General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs found irregularities and proposed considering Bajarunas' suitability to head the embassy.

In mid-October, Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis suspended Bajarunas and summoned him to Vilnius for consultations. Nauseda then called the decision half-hearted.

For his part, Bajarunas has requested an independent investigation, claiming that he is being subjected to psychological abuse by the ministry, because his reputation is being damaged by information leaks to the media.

Meanwhile, Conservative MP Matas Maldeikis asked the Chief Official Ethics Commission (VTEK) to assess a visit to the opera in London by the president and the ambassador and their spouses. The VTEK said it would still seek additional material to decide whether to open an investigation.

Skaisgiryte told the news radio that the subject of the VTEK investigation "is different from the subject of Bajarunas' activities", as the ambassador is accused of mobbing.

"In this case, we don't have institutionally confirmed evidence in black and white, and as long as the investigation is not carried out properly, I don't see this case moving forward ... If a person can be convicted in a lynch mob without institutional proof, it is a bad precedent for the future", she noted.

The Delfi news portal reported earlier that an investigation had also been launched over the conduct of Lithuania's Ambassador to NATO Deividas Matulionis who allegedly failed to comply with the mandate given by state institutions and might have weakened Lithuania's negotiating position during the negotiations on the documents of the NATO summit in Vilnius.

According to Skaisgiryte, Matulionis is under investigation, the commission of inquiry has also interviewed the ambassador himself, and the Foreign Ministry's divergent behavior towards the two diplomats shows double standards.

"Unlike the Bajarunas' case, such a commission of inquiry has been set up in the case of NATO Ambassador Matulionis, which means that it can be done. It has not only interviewed other staff members, it has also interviewed the ambassador himself, which is different from the treatment of Bajarunas, who has not yet been interviewed ... Double standards are never a good way to resolve conflicts," she pointed out.

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Funding sources remain in question as EU mulls extra money for Ukraine – advisor

VILNIUS, Oct 31, BNS – EU member states agree on additional funds for Ukraine in the EU's revised long-term budget, but they disagree on the sources of such funds, Asta Skaisgiryte, an advisor to Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, says.

"On Ukraine, in principle, even the austerity-backing countries did not object to the need for additional money for the country. The only question that remains as to where that money will come from, from the redistribution of the existing funds or from new ones", Skaisgiryte told the Ziniu Radijas news radio on Tuesday.

"I think that the European Council meeting in December will be very stormy in this respect and we will need to get well prepared," the presidential advisor said. 

The additional billions for Ukraine are the most divisive issue among EU member states in their debate on the 2021-2027 budget review as the EU's austerity wing are calling for the money to be provided by taking it away from other areas, rather than simply providing additional funding.

A decision on additional funds for Ukraine in the EU's revised budget will be made during the European Council meeting in December, Skaisgiryte said, adding that the Lithuanian president is in favor of creating a special EU fund for Ukraine.

The EC proposed revising the EU budget last summer and to create a new financial instrument to support Kyiv. Made up of grants and loans, this fund should amount to around 50 billion euros.

Further financial support for Ukraine is supported by almost all 27 EU countries, and only Hungary and Slovakia are against.

By Giedrius Gaidamavičius

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Lithuanian legislation does not provide for independent probe over London ambassador – PM

VILNIUS, Oct 31, BNS – With the presidential office saying that the head of state is still waiting for an independent inquiry into allegations against the country's Ambassador to the UK, Eitvydas Bajarunas, who has been summoned to Vilnius for consultations, the prime minister says that there are no provisions for such an inquiry in the country’s legislation.

“In accordance with [existing] legislation, the Law on the Diplomatic Service actually does not provide for such a genre – some kind of independent investigation,” Ingrida Simonyte told reporters on Tuesday.

“All investigations and all assessments of specific problems and specific situations are described in the statute of the Diplomatic Service and, in fact, neither the initiative itself is clear, on what basis it was created, nor why such a proposal had to be made in the first place."

Her comments came after Asta Skaisgiryte, an advisor to the Lithuanian president, said earlier on Tuesday that Gitanas Nauseda could only decide on the fate of Bajarunas after receiving the findings of “an independent investigation, which would be carried out in accordance with all institutional procedures”.

Some time ago, Bajarunas was accused by staff in London of misconduct and the violation of working conditions. Having looked into the complaints, the Inspectorate General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs found irregularities and proposed considering Bajarunas' suitability to head the embassy.

In mid-October, Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis suspended Bajarunas and summoned him to Vilnius for consultations. Nauseda then called the decision half-hearted.

For his part, Bajarunas has requested an independent investigation, claiming that he is being subjected to psychological abuse by the ministry, because his reputation is being damaged by information leaks to the media.

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Lithuanian parlt decides to investigate SSD whistleblower story

VILNIUS, Oct 31, BNS – The Lithuanian parliament on Tuesday decided to conduct a parliamentary inquiry into the whistleblower's story related to the actions of the State Security Department's leaders in checking the then presidential candidate's Gitanas Nauseda's inner circle of people.

The parliament set up a temporary inquiry commission to investigate the circumstances disclosed by the whistleblower, and the finding should be presented by March 10. The commission will be chaired by Vytautas Bakas of the opposition Democrats "For Lithuania".

62 MPs voted in favor of establishing such a commission, 36 were against and three abstained.

Supporters of this inquiry argue that the whistleblower's story has left unanswered questions, while opponents argue that it would be directed against the president in order to undermine his popularity in the run-up to the presidential election that will be held in the spring.

The commission is tasked with investigating the whistleblower's information on possible unlawful collection of personal information, possible unlawful influence on intelligence activities, possible interference on the electoral process during the 2019 presidential election, possible unlawful support to the presidential campaign, possible violations of the whistleblower's rights, possible unlawful influence on the imposition of sanctions against Belarus.

The initiative to set up the commission came after the Prosecutor General's Office stated last spring that the whistleblower's (an intelligence officer's) report, submitted four years ago, to the then chair of the parliamentary Committee on National Security and Defense on the actions of the SSD leadership had not been properly investigated.

The whistleblower contacted Bakas the then CNSD chair, in 2019.

New details about this case emerged in the book The Whistleblower and the President by journalists Dovydas Pancerovas and Birute Davidonyte.

In The Whistleblower and the President, the now former SSD officer, claimed that, in July 2018, he received several sheets of paper with many names and a verbal order from the department's deputy director Remigijus Bridikis to "check one candidate's election team and a list of possible supporters". It turned out that the list includes Nauseda's supporters and associates.

Having looked into the situation at the time, the CNSD stated that the SSD had acted lawfully in checking people close to the presidential candidates, but also urged the SSD to refrain from verbal orders in such situations.

SSD representatives said they had checked all the candidates' teams, while the whistleblower assured that only Nauseda's team had been checked and Bridikis confirmed to him that the lists had been obtained from Nauseda.

The president categorically denies having asked the SSD to check his team.

By Milena Andrukaitytė

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Lithuanian court to rule on Irish citizens' cases in late November

VILNIUS, Oct 31, BNS - The Supreme Court of Lithuania will rule on November 22 whether the criminal proceedings against two Irish citizens for terrorism offenses were justly terminated after the statute of limitations expired.

The court took up the Irish cases on Tuesday after the prosecution service appealed against previous court decisions.

In September 2022, the Vilnius Regional Court dismissed the criminal case of Irish citizen Liam Campbell for attempting to provide support to the Real IRA terrorist group. The same court also dropped the case of Brendan McGuigan, another Irish citizen accused of terrorist offenses.

In January, the Lithuanian Court of Appeal confirmed that the cases against the Irish citizens for terrorism offenses had been dismissed justly as the statute of limitations expired, and dismissed the prosecutor's appeals against the rulings of the Vilnius Regional Court.

Campbell and McGuigan were not present in court and were represented by their Lithuanian lawyers. 

As stated in the cassation appeal to the SCL, the statute of limitations starts on January 22, 2008, but, according to the prosecutor, the period should have expired after fifteen years, not ten years, due to the change in legislation, i.e. on January 22, 2023, instead of January 22, 2018, as stated in the opinion of the regional court.

Nevertheless, the prosecutor is asking in his appeal for the criminal case to be dismissed, but only because the statute of limitations has already expired this year.

Campbell's lawyer stressed that, when deciding on a person's criminal liability, one cannot apply an article that was not in force at the time of the offense.

Currently, the law provides for a sentence of up to ten year in prison for the offense of supporting a terrorist organization, whereas before 2013 the Criminal Code provided for a sentence of between 10 and 20 years for such an offense.

The Irish duo is accused of crimes committed between 2006 and 2008.

As reported in 2008, Michael Campbell, a member of the radical Irish Republican organization, had been arrested in Vilnius during a joint operation by Lithuanian and Irish police and international security organizations, and was later convicted.

Campbell's brother, Liam stood trial in Vilnius last year, some 15 years after the alleged crime as Ireland had previously refused to extradite him to Lithuania because of poor prison conditions.

Lithuanian and foreign law enforcement officials found out that in November 2006-January 2007, a group of Irish citizens, including the Campbell brothers, allegedly sought to acquire arms in Lithuania for a terrorist group, and agreed to find out whether the arms could be used for terrorist acts.

At least three firearms, large quantities of high-power explosives, ammunition, automatic rifles, sniper rifles, pistols, grenade launchers, grenade launcher exhausts, cartridges, detonators with capsules, incendiary rope, detonating cord, and grenades may have been illegally obtained in Lithuania.

The acquired weapons were to be shipped to Ireland and members of the terrorist group were to be trained in Lithuania to use of the acquired weapons, with 100,000 allocated for that.

In August 2007, the weapons were tested in a homestead in Lithuania's western Raseiniai District. A few days later, the weapons and ammunition were inspected at the Rokai training area in Kaunas District.

The Irish asked the undercover agents posing as arms suppliers to explain the mechanism of action of TNT, a plastic explosive, its power, to demonstrate its performance, and to indicate the quantity of explosives that would be sufficient to blow up a police or armored government car.

According to law enforcement authorities, the Irish also asked for an explanation of possible safe hiding places for the weapons and the cost of the weapons. The foreigners explained that they would purchase 1,000 electronic detonators, a detonating cord, 100 clockwork fuses, grenade launchers, grenade launcher exhausts, electric fuses, TNT briquettes, and other armaments.

By Greta Zulonaitė

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Army, allies to conduct helicopter training over Lithuania’s largest cities

VILNIUS, Oct 31, BNS – The Lithuanian Armed Forces and allies will conduct helicopter training over the cities of Vilnius, Kaunas and Klaipeda, the army said on Tuesday.

The joint exercise between the Lithuanian Armed Forces and the German Bundeswehr, during which helicopters will be flown, will take place between October 30 and November 19.

According to the army, the flights will take place all over Lithuania, but in most cases it will be the residents of Vilnius, Kaunas and Klaipeda, the country’s largest cities, who will be able to hear and see the helicopters flying at low altitude.

NATO Air Police fighter jets conducted training over Siauliai last week.

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Russia adds advisor to Lithuanian defmin to its wanted list

VILNIUS, Oct 31, BNS – The Kremlin has added Kamile Seraite-Gogeliene, an advisor to Lithuanian Defense Minister Arvydas Anusausauskas and chairwoman of the Historical Memory Commission of the City Council of Vilnius, to the list of wanted persons, the Russian news portal Mediazona has reported.

The Russian Interior Ministry states that she is "wanted under an article of the Criminal Code", but it is not clear in which case.

As the chair of the capital's Historical Memory Commission, Seraite-Gogeliene regularly speaks out for the removal of Soviet symbols in Vilnius.

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Lithuanian president calls for political will for breakthrough as Moldova seeks to join EU

VILNIUS, Oct 31, BNS - Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda had a phone conversation with Moldovan President Maia Sandu on Tuesday and called on Chisinau to pool political will for a breakthrough in Moldova's bid to become an EU member state.

Chisinau has made progress in implementing European reforms and EC recommendations, but it needs to make additional efforts and pool the political will for a decisive breakthrough, the Lithuanian leader said.

"Lithuania strongly supports Moldova's ambition to become an EU member state. The country demonstrates respect for European values, supports the EU's common foreign policy and is effectively implementing reforms. EU enlargement would help to ensure peace and stability in Europe," Nauseda was quoted as saying in a statement released by his press service.

He says the next few months will be important for Moldova's Euro-integration as the EC will publish a report on the progress made in implementing the recommendations on November 8, and the European Council will make decisions on the opening of EU membership negotiations in December.

Moldova applied for EU candidate status alongside Georgia in March 2022. Ukraine also applied fr it earlier. In June 2022, EU member states granted this status to Ukraine and Moldova, but not to Georgia, arguing that the country still needed more work.

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