LITHUANIA DAILY NEWS BULLETIN, October 20, 2023

LITHUANIA DAILY NEWS BULLETIN

IN THIS ISSUE:

Upcoming events in Lithuania for Friday, October 20, 2023
Seven irregular migrants turned away on Lithuania's border with Belarus
Lithuanian parlt committee to look into critical infrastructure protection
Principle of defense tax welcome, but details are key – Lithuanian president's aide
Lithuania reports 354 new COVID-19 cases, 1 death
Lithuania to pay tribute to post-war partisan commander on eve of state funeral
Half of Lithuanians against decision to strip Russian ice dancer Drobiazko of citizenship
Lithuanian president invites Australia to join Ukraine reconstruction, demining efforts
Lithuanian president invites Australia to join Ukraine reconstruction, demining efforts (expands)
Lithuania, Borodyanka, Bucha agree to develop 3D urban planning tool to rebuild Ukraine
Lithuania's Tez Tour suspends flights Sinai Peninsula, Egypt's Sharm el-Sheikh
Lithuania to buy underwater surveillance systems for LNG terminal protection – MP
Lithuanian, German army reps discuss brigade deployment issues
Most of German brigade to be deployed in Lithuania in 2026 – ministry
Vilnius-Riga passenger train to be launched next year – minister (corrects)
Major business events in Lithuania planned for next week

Upcoming events in Lithuania for Friday, October 20, 2023

VILNIUS, Oct 20, BNS – The following events are scheduled in Lithuania for Friday, October 20, 2023:

PRESIDENT Gitanas Nauseda to continue his official visit to Australia.

PRIME MINISTER Ingrida Simonyte to continue her visit to Armenia.

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

VILNIUS, Oct 20, BNS – Lithuanian border guards have in the past 24 hours turned away seven migrants attempting to cross into the country from Belarus illegally, the State Border Guard Service (SBGS) said on Friday morning.

Latvia reported 116 attempts at illegal border crossings on Thursday, and 60 irregular migrants were not allowed into Poland on Wednesday, according to the latest available information.

A total of 2,069 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 21,400 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 parlt committee to look into critical infrastructure protection

VILNIUS, Oct 20, BNS – Lithuania's parliamentary Committee on National Security and Defense (CNSD) is holding a meeting on Friday to discuss the protection of critical infrastructure.

Laurynas Kasciunas, the committee's chairman, says they will look into how the authorities are planning to beef up the protection of key facilities.

"We have invited all the institutions responsible for the protection of our critical infrastructure," Kasciunas told BNS. "We want to hear what the services lack, if anything."

"We will take stock of the current state of protection and look at our weaknesses and strengths. If there are weaknesses, we will look at how we are addressing them – in other words, how we plan to strengthen the protection of the LNG terminal, the power links with Sweden and Poland, and the whole electrical infrastructure, and other critical facilities," he said.

According to Kasciunas, the committee will also analyze how the protection system functions or could function during various provocations or emergencies, or in the event of possible military challenges.

"We have to prepare for everything and look at how prepared we are," he said.

Strategically important for national security are the energy, transportation, information technology, and telecommunications sectors, as well as other high-tech, financial, and military equipment sectors.

Concerns over the security of critical infrastructure arose earlier this month when it emerged that a leak in the Balticconnector gas pipeline linking Finland and Estonia was likely caused by external activity, raising suspicions of Russian involvement.

By Sniegė Balčiūnaitė

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Principle of defense tax welcome, but details are key – Lithuanian president's aide

VILNIUS, Oct 20, BNS – The principle of a defense tax is welcome, but when discussing it, it is important to know from whom and how it would be collected, Kestutis Budrys, President Gitanas Nauseda's chief national security advisor, has said.

"It is of course possible and worthwhile to talk about additional defense-related taxes, but only when planning a longer-term increase in defense spending," Budrys told LRT TV on Thursday.

"We have to talk about the details of what we are talking about and who is going to bear the main burden of the tax: whether it will be people through personal income tax, or whether we would introduce it through some kind of progressivity, or whether it would be through businesses, changes to corporate and value added taxes," the advisor said.

"The principle itself is very fair, civic and solidarity-based, but we can talk about the model itself, what it should look like, when it is on the table," he added.

The advisor was commenting on a recent proposal by Laurynas Kasciunas, chairman of the parliamentary Committee on National Security and Defense, that the authorities should consider introducing a defense tax.

The debate on additional funding for defense comes amid criticism from the president's office and some MPs that next year's draft national defense budget does not earmark funds for the plan, approved by the State Defense Council, to create a Lithuanian Land Force division.

Budrys reiterated his proposal that next year's budget could provide for borrowing for national defense needs as long as the public deficit remains within the Maastricht limit. Such an option is included in this year's budget law.

"These two things are not contradictory," the advisor said, referring to a defense tax and the option of borrowing.

"As for next year, including this option without changing the law is simply reasonable, accurate and fair," he said.

Currently, the government suggests allocating 2.71 percent of GDP to defense in 2024, with 2.52 percent coming from the state budget, and the rest from the so-called "solidarity contributions" by banks.

By Austėja Masiokaitė-Liubinienė

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Lithuania reports 354 new COVID-19 cases, 1 death

VILNIUS, Oct 20, BNS – Lithuania has recorded 354 new coronavirus infections and one death from COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, official statistics showed on Friday morning.

The 14-day primary infection rate has risen to 136.6 cases per 100,000 people, with the seven-day percentage of positive tests at 24.1 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 increased slightly 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 to pay tribute to post-war partisan commander on eve of state funeral

VILNIUS, Oct 20, BNS – Lithuania will pay tribute to Colonel Juozas Vitkus-Kazimieraitis, a key post-war anti-Soviet resistance leader whose remains were unearthed last year, on Friday, on the eve of his state funeral in Vilnius.

The remains of Vitkus-Kazimieraitis, the commander of the Southern Lithuania Partisan Region, will be laid in state at St. John's Church on Friday afternoon and a memorial Mass will be celebrated in the evening. He will be buried in the capital's Antakalnis cemetery on Saturday.

On Friday afternoon, wreaths from the president, the parliamentary speaker and the prime minister will be laid, and Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas and Chief of Defense General Valdemaras Rupsys will pay their respects to the partisan commander.

Vitkus-Kazimieraitis is credited as the main founder of Lithuania's partisan resistance system. As the highest-ranking officer in the partisan resistance, he played a special role in setting up headquarters and preparing documents. In 1946, he was elected commander of the Southern Lithuania Partisan Region.

His remains were found in October 2022 during an archaeological excavation in the yard of a former NKVD building in Leipalingis, in the southern municipality of Druskininkai, and identified through DNA analysis.

Vitkus-Kazimieraitis was posthumously awarded the Cross of Vytis of the First Class by presidential decree in 1997. The Lithuanian Armed Forces engineering battalion, a school in his hometown of Tirksliai, and streets in Vilnius, Kaunas and Varena have been named after him.

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Half of Lithuanians against decision to strip Russian ice dancer Drobiazko of citizenship

VILNIUS, Oct 20, BNS - Half of people in Lithuania (51 percent) do not approve the decision to strip Russian ice dancer Margarita Drobiazko of her Lithuanian citizenship, according to a new survey by Baltijos Tyrimai for the public broadcaster LRT, published on Friday.

Only slightly more than a third (35 percent) of the country's population supports the decision to strip Drobiazko of her citizenship. Another one-seventh (14 percent) had no opinion or did not answer the question.

The survey of 1,023 adults Lithuanian residents was carried out by between September 22 and October 7.

Drobiazko was stripped of her Lithuanian citizenship on September 15 after the Citizenship Commission recommended to President Gitanas Nauseda to do that, arguing that the former athlete publicly expressed support for the Kremlin regime's war in Ukraine.

For her part, Drobiazko stated in a public letter that she did not take part in Russian propaganda, but spreads "the light of culture and kindness".

Drobiazko was granted Lithuanian citizenship in 1993 for her merits in sport and for promoting the country's name. Drobiazko and her husband Povilas Vanagas have in the past represented Lithuania in various championships.

Lithuanian authorities say that Drobiazko maintains close professional and personal ties with Tatyana Navka, the wife of Dmitry Peskov, the press secretary of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Outrage in Lithuania erupted after Drobiazko and Vanagas took part in an ice show in Sochi on August 9, 2022.

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Lithuanian president invites Australia to join Ukraine reconstruction, demining efforts

VILNIUS, Oct 20, BNS – President Gitanas Nauseda invited Australia to join Lithuania's reconstruction projects in Ukraine and its initiative to build a mine clearance coalition, as he met with Governor-General David Hurley in Canberra.

Nauseda and Hurley discussed bilateral relations between Lithuania and Australia, economic and trade cooperation, support for Ukraine, and the partnership between Australia and NATO, the president's office said in a press release.

The two officials exchanged views on further efforts to isolate Russia in the international arena and to continue the policy of sanctions aimed at undermining the aggressor's military potential.

"In today's geopolitical reality, where evil forces are coordinating their efforts to attack and destroy freedom-loving societies around the world, the security of the Euro-Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific regions is closely interlinked," Nauseda said.

"Therefore, Lithuania deeply appreciates Australia's military, political, and humanitarian support for Ukraine, which is facing military aggression," the president said.

"The entire free world has to stand together for Ukraine's victory. Only such a victory will deter other potential aggressors in the world from being tempted to follow the precedent set by Russia," he added.

The president "invited Australia to join the reconstruction projects Lithuania is running in Ukraine, as well as Lithuania's initiative to form a mine clearance coalition, which would mobilize efforts to clear the territories of Ukraine that have been liberated from occupation", according to the press release.

Nauseda and Hurley also discussed "the partnership between NATO and the Indo-Pacific region, which was consolidated at the NATO Vilnius Summit, and which strengthens global security and the rules-based international order", the president's office said.

"The common interest of both regions in reducing their dependence on the Chinese market and the importance of cooperation in building resilient supply chains for key technologies and materials was also addressed," it said.

Nauseda said the growing cooperation between Lithuania and Australia opens up "huge opportunities for investment and trade, particularly in life sciences, financial technologies, and defense industries".

The president "said he was confident that a large delegation of Lithuanian business and higher education representatives, which arrived together with him in Australia, would help to establish and develop mutually beneficial economic and academic relations", according to the press release.

The two officials also discussed "the progress of negotiations on bilateral agreements between Lithuania and Australia, which would contribute to the development of business projects, student exchanges, and people-to-people contacts".

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Lithuanian president invites Australia to join Ukraine reconstruction, demining efforts (expands)

(adds last 5 paras)

The two officials exchanged views on further efforts to isolate Russia in the international arena and to continue the policy of sanctions aimed at undermining the aggressor's military potential.

"Therefore, Lithuania deeply appreciates Australia's military, political, and humanitarian support for Ukraine, which is facing military aggression," the president said.

Nauseda and First Lady Diana Nausediene wrapped up their visit to Australia with a meeting with members of the Australian-Lithuanian communities in Canberra, the president's office said in a separate press release.

Nauseda thanked the communities for "fostering the Lithuanian identity and preserving historical memory" and said he hoped "that this meeting and the conversations will be a spur to fruitful discussions on fostering the Lithuanian identity in Australia and future plans".

At the meeting, the president awarded the Medal of the Order for Merits to Lithuania to Viktor Adams, "a former member of the Australian Lithuanian Federal Council, a journalist, a long-time promoter of the Lithuanian language, traditions, national identity, spirit, and patriotism across the Lithuanian diaspora in Australia".

According to Nauseda, next year's citizenship referendum is also important for preserving the Lithuanian diaspora's ties with Lithuania.

"The president welcomed the fact that next year, for the first time, Lithuanian citizens will be able to vote in the elections at the Lithuanian Embassy in Canberra, and encouraged Australia-based Lithuanians to vote actively to express their will," according to the press release.

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Lithuania, Borodyanka, Bucha agree to develop 3D urban planning tool to rebuild Ukraine

VILNIUS, Oct 20, BNS - Lithuania and the Ukrainian towns of Borodyanka and Bucha, which have been significantly damaged during the Russia-launched war, have agreed to develop a 3D urban planning tool to help rebuild Ukraine's destroyed cities.

Such a memorandum has been signed by Lithuanian Environment Minister Simonas Gentvilas, Viktor Romaniuk, a representative of Borodyanka's local council, and Bucha Mayor Anatoliy Fedoruk, the Environment Ministry said on Friday.

"The project launch is very timely as Ukrainian cities affected by the war are starting to develop new master plans. The smart solution offered by Lithuania, the digital tool, facilitates this process, saves time and resources, increases transparency and builds trust among citizens. Moreover, it can be given to any other city in Ukraine, avoiding the risk of physical destruction," the Lithuanian minister said.

The project will be implemented by the Construction Sector Development Agency. It will see the creation of a platform that will allow having 3D images of not only the ongoing but also planned construction projects in Borodyanka and Bucha, and also seeking the impact they will have on the environment and on population.

According to Aidas Vaiculis, director of the CSDA, this tool will be convenient for all those who will contribute to the reconstruction of the destroyed cities, both in terms of design and construction work.

The first project phase will see the development of a digital platform and the collection and uploading of 3D images of cities. These would be used as a basis for the development of a 3D planning tool tailored to Ukrainian cities.

Lithuania would also provide training for municipal staff from Borodyanka and Bucha, not only on how to use the tool, but also on how to further develop and improve it.

The 3D urban planning tool is expected to be developed by the second quarter of 2024.

By Milena Andrukaitytė

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Lithuania's Tez Tour suspends flights Sinai Peninsula, Egypt's Sharm el-Sheikh

VILNIUS, Oct 20, BNS - Tez Tour, one of Lithuania's largest tour operators, will suspends direct flights to the Sinai Peninsula and Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt from November 3, the company said on Friday.

Tez Tour CEO Aleksandras Sukovas says the decision was made in response to customer demand.

"We do not see any prospect of developing tourism in this region in the near future. We are monitoring changes in travelers' preferences," he said in a statement.

Tez Tour will offer customers who want to fly to Sharm el-Sheikh after November 3 trips to another Egyptian resort, Hurghada, or suggest a different destination.

Another tour operator, Novaturas, also announced last week it would suspends trips to Jordan as it borders Israel where there's an ongoing military conflict.

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Lithuania to buy underwater surveillance systems for LNG terminal protection – MP

VILNIUS, Oct 20, BNS – In an effort to beef up the protection of the Klaipeda liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal, Lithuania is buying systems to better monitor potential underwater threats, Laurynas Kasciunas, chairman of the parliamentary Committee on National Security and Defense (CNSD), said on Friday.

"The LNG terminal (operator Klaipedos Nafta) is already in the process of procuring (systems) to bolster our capabilities in controlling underwater threats," Kasciunas told BNS after the committee's meeting on the critical infrastructure security situation.

"At the end of the year, we will have an underwater capability that will allow us to monitor various unmanned objects underwater and manage those risks," he added.

The MP noted that Lithuania is purchasing security systems to protect not only the LNG terminal, but also other companies in the energy sector.

Kasciunas said all the security system purchases discussed by the committee on Friday had been planned and launched before the incident.

"Work was underway before then," he told BNS. "Various incidents in the Baltic Sea, naturally, further reinforce the need to be more resilient and have more tools."

According to the MP, the discussion is not only about reinforcing the protection of individual companies or facilities, but also of the entire seaport of Klaipeda.

"This includes both land and underwater entrances to the port," said Kasciunas. "We are now working out a strategy for generating capabilities to ensure protection in this area."

"We must take a comprehensive approach to the port, because it has not only the LNG terminal, but also other important infrastructure to be protected," he added.

By Sniegė Balčiūnaitė

Editor: Roma Pakėnienė

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Lithuanian, German army reps discuss brigade deployment issues

VILNIUS, Oct 20, BNS - Representatives of the Lithuanian and German armies have discussed the deployment of a German brigade in Lithuania, the Lithuanian army said on Friday, adding that the meeting of a joint working group took place in Lithuania on October 18-20.

"The meeting addressed issues related to the accommodation, transportation, logistics, military training and joint training of German troops with Lithuanian soldiers, as well as the operational planning, legal framework and military infrastructure," the army said.

The German representatives were briefed on the ongoing projects in Lithuania, including the Rudninkai military training area where up to 3,000 troops will be able to live and train, as well as the military facility already under construction in Rokantiskes. Infrastructure that can be provided for the incoming Bundeswehr contingent was also presented during the meeting.

Germany has been leading an international NATO battalion deployed in Lithuania since 2017.

Berlin has vowed increase the size of this unit to brigade size once Lithuania has the necessary infrastructure in place to host German troops and if this does not interfere with other NATO plans.

The planned German brigade's Forward Command Element is already deployed in Lithuania.

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Most of German brigade to be deployed in Lithuania in 2026 – ministry

VILNIUS, Oct 20, BNS – A majority of Germany's brigade will be deployed in Lithuania in 2026, the Defense Ministry said on Friday.

"We already know the structure of the new brigade and have designated specific locations for its deployment," Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas said in a press release. "The training areas in Rukla and Rudninkai will be fully utilized for the German brigade's training and exercises."

According to the minister, the greater part of the German brigade will be stationed in Lithuania as early as 2026.

"Some of the German military personnel will be in Lithuania with their families; we will have to provide civilian infrastructure for their family members, including better transport links with Germany," he said.

The Defense Ministry hosted a meeting the Joint Lithuanian-German Working Group on October 18-20 to discuss the stationing of the German brigade in Lithuania.

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Vilnius-Riga passenger train to be launched next year – minister (corrects)

(Corrected version" corrects para 1)

VILNIUS, Oct 20, BNS - A passenger train between Vilnius and Riga will start running early next year, Lithuanian Transport and Communications Minister Marius Skuodis says, adding that the train will go via Siauliai, and discussions are also under way on a service via Daugavpils.

"Lithuania's northern municipalities are showing great interest and willingness to have a passenger train running between Vilnius to Riga via Siauliai, and parallel discussions are underway on the resumption of train services to Daugavpils. I believe we will find the best solution with my counterpart," Skuodis said, adding that the necessary agreements between Lithuanian and Latvian companies will be concluded soon.

The Baltic transport ministers agreed in Riga on Friday to speed up the implementation of the Rail Baltica, the ministry said.

The entire Rail Baltica project connecting the Baltic countries to Europe is scheduled to be completed by 2030, while the connection between Lithuania and Poland is expected to be completed by 2028.

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Major business events in Lithuania planned for next week

VILNIUS, Oct 23, BNS – The following are major business events in Lithuania scheduled for the coming week:

Monday, October 23

The State Data Agency to publish industrial output figures for September.

Eurostat to publish Q2 government debt and deficit figures.

Agriculture Minister Kestutis Navickas to attend a meeting of EU agriculture and fisheries ministers in Luxembourg.

Linas Agro Group to hold a shareholder meeting.

Tuesday, October 24

Economy Minister Ausrine Armonaite's meeting with Plug and Play.

Telia Lietuva to hold a shareholder meeting.

Wednesday, October 25

–

Thursday, October 26

The State Data Agency to publish construction cost figures for September and the 2022 figures on the waste managements in agriculture, forestry and fisheries.

Apranga to publish its nine-month results.

Friday, October 27

The State Data Agency to publish retail and public catering figures for September, inflation figures for October and the results of the latest consumer opinion survey.

Vilniaus Baldai to publish its 202 results.

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Oct 23 2023

LITHUANIA DAILY NEWS BULLETIN

IN THIS ISSUE:

Lithuania records no illegal border crossings from Belarus
Lithuanian president paying official visit to Australia
Bomb threats continue to plague Lithuania
SocDems top Lithuania's party rankings, conservatives in 2nd place – Delfi/Spinter poll
Lithuania reports 374 new COVID-19 cases, no deaths
Lithuania: ForMin says it followed procedures amid president's calls for Bajarunas probe
Lithuanian partl speaker hopes to find new opportunities for fintech cos in Taiwan
Bomb threats continue to plague Lithuania (updates)
Lithuania held migrants in inhuman conditions, Seimas ombudsperson tells ECHR
Energy battery parks mark launch of New Generation Lithuania plan – PM
Lithuanian president, in Australia, discusses cooperation, visits technology institute
EC will ask Lithuania to explain bank solidarity levy – body
Lithuanian president fails to take opportunity to address Bajarunas issue – formin
Probe into Gaza hospital strike would benefit Israel – Lithuanian formin
Lithuanian PM to visit Armenia to discuss regional security
Upcoming events in Lithuania for Thursday, October 19, 2023
Lithuanian formin, Khodorkovsky discuss state of Russian opposition, challenges

Lithuania records no illegal border crossings from Belarus

VILNIUS, Oct 18, 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 Wednesday morning.

Latvia reported 139 attempts at illegal border crossings on Tuesday, and 109 irregular migrants were not allowed into Poland on Monday, according to the latest available information.

A total of 2,056 irregular migrants have been barred from entering Lithuania from Belarus at non-designated places so far this year.

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

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

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Lithuanian president paying official visit to Australia

VILNIUS, Oct 18, BNS – Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda is paying an official visit to Australia this week.

Nauseda is scheduled to meet with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Australian Governor-General David Hurley, Premier of South Australia Peter Malinauskas, and Governor of Victoria Margaret Gardner, the president's office has said in a press release.

In Melbourne, Nauseda will open the Lithuania-Australia Business and Science Forum and will visit the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT).

In Melbourne and Canberra, the president will meet with the Lithuanian communities in Australia and honorary consuls of Lithuania.

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Bomb threats continue to plague Lithuania

VILNIUS, Oct 18, BNS – Various Lithuanian institutions, businesses and organizations last night received Russian-language emails threatening to blow them up, without specifying the exact time.

The e-mails were sent to approximately 2,000 addresses and came from five different e-mail addresses, the Police Department said.

"The threat level remains unchanged, and we urge everyone to follow the common recommendations of the police and the National Crisis Management Center. Responsible services are operating at full capacity," the police statement said.

Recipients of the threatening e-mails are asked to follow the guidelines updated on Tuesday and consult the police at phone number +370 700 60 000.

The emergency number 112 should only be called if a suspicious item is found after inspecting premises and the surrounding area.

Thousands of hoax bomb threats have been emailed to schools, kindergartens and municipal buildings across Lithuania since last Friday. Latvia and Estonia have also been flooded with similar emails.

Interior Minister Agne Bilotaite said on Tuesday that the continuing barrage of emailed bomb threats was a cyberattack on a regional scale.

Vilmantas Vitkauskas, head of the National Crisis Management Center, confirmed that the attacks were linked to Russia.

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SocDems top Lithuania's party rankings, conservatives in 2nd place – Delfi/Spinter poll

VILNIUS, Oct 18, BNS – The opposition Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (LSDP) continues to top Lithuania's political party rankings, followed in second place by the ruling conservative Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats (HU-LCD), according to the latest Spinter Tyrimai opinion poll published by Delfi on Wednesday.

Some 13.5 percent of respondents said in September they would vote for the LSDP and 9.1 percent supported the HU-LCD, compared to 13.3 percent and 11.8 percent in the previous poll in July, respectively.

The Liberal Movement, a member of the ruling coalition, ranked third with 7.5 percent (7.3 percent in July), followed by the opposition Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union with 5.6 percent (8.2 percent).

The Democratic Union "For Lithuania", another opposition party, saw support fall to 5.3 percent, from 8.4 percent of July.

Other parties would not cross the five-percent election threshold to get to the parliament.

The percentage of respondents who were undecided or did not answer the question rose to 25 percent in September, from 18.4 percent in July. The change exceeds the error margin of 3.1 percent.

When asked who they saw as best-suited to be prime minister, 10.9 percent of those polled in September chose Ingrida Simonyte, the incumbent head of government (11 percent in the previous poll).

MEP Vilija Blinkeviciute, the LSDP leader, came in second with 6.8 percent (8.9 percent in July).

When asked about the current government's performance, 67 percent of respondents said their opinion was rather negative or negative, unchanged from July.

In the representative survey commissioned by Delfi, Spinter Tyrimai polled 1,013 people aged 18 to 75 years between September 18 and 26.

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Lithuania reports 374 new COVID-19 cases, no deaths

VILNIUS, Oct 18, BNS – Lithuania has recorded 374 new coronavirus infections and no deaths from COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, official statistics showed on Wednesday morning.

The 14-day primary infection rate has risen to 125.6 cases per 100,000 people, with the seven-day percentage of positive tests at 22.7 percent.

COVID-19 incidence in Lithuania increased slightly 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: ForMin says it followed procedures amid president's calls for Bajarunas probe

VILNIUS, Oct 18, BNS – Lithuania's Foreign Ministry says it acted in accordance with the established procedures as President Gitanas Nauseda calls for an official inquiry into the mobbing allegations against the country's Ambassador to the UK Eitvydas Bajarunas.

"There has been no official investigation so far. (...) We have a letter from the Inspectorate General, but it is based on statements from unnamed people and sources, and the letter was immediately leaked to the press, which does not do any honor," presidential advisor Asta Skaisgiryte communicated the president's position when speaking with the public radio LRT radio on Wednesday.

"The president is requesting an official investigation as the law requires," she added.

For her part, Inga Cerniuk, chancellor of the Foreign Ministry, insists that the investigation was carried out in accordance with the existing internal rules.

"It saddens me that few colleagues are familiar with our equal opportunities and violence prevention procedures. The process is described there. The process says that people should be heard, that protection should be provided to people who complain, even under the Law on the protection of Whistleblowers," she said.

"The investigation was carried out in accordance with the existing procedure. People were heard, and all parties involved were acquainted with the findings," she said.

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.

The delfi.lt news website reported on the complaint regarding the ambassador's misconduct in late August. Later, other information related to the inspection of the embassy's activities and complaints from other employees was also published.

Earlier this week, Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis suspended Bajarunas and summoned him to Vilnius for consultations. Nauseda called the decision half-hearted.

Cherniuk also says the Foreign Ministry sought "to resolve this situation by helping the ambassador to deal with his managing style", but this could not be done peacefully.

Bajarunas claims that he's being subjected to psychological abused by the ministry because his reputation is being damaged by information leaks to the media.

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Lithuanian partl speaker hopes to find new opportunities for fintech cos in Taiwan

VILNIUS, Oct 18, BNS - Seimas of the Lithuanian Seimas Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen, who is set to leave for Taiwan later this week, hopes to open up more opportunities for Lithuanian fintech companies.

"Economic and cultural cooperation with Taiwan has been active in recent years and I would like it to be even more active, especially when it comes to our business sector. So this format, I believe, will open more doors for our fintech, our leading companies in this sector, which is very promising and, I believe, it should play an important role in the future of Lithuania's economy and growth," the speaker told the Ziniu Radijas news radio on Wednesday.

"Now is the time when we can open the door for our really talented, very smart businesses," she added.

The Seimas speaker will lead a Lithuanian delegation visiting Taiwan on October 21-29. It will include representatives of 14 Lithuanian companies and four business associations.

Two memoranda of understanding are expected to be signed in Taiwan – one on health and the other one on avoiding double taxation. The second one, Cmilyte-Nielsen said, will create conditions for increased Taiwanese investments in Lithuania.

By Valdas Pryšmantas

Editor: Roma Pakėnienė

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Bomb threats continue to plague Lithuania (updates)

VILNIUS, Oct 18, BNS – Various Lithuanian institutions, businesses and organizations in the early hours of Wednesday received Russian-language emails threatening to blow them up, without specifying the exact time.

The e-mails were sent to approximately 2,000 addresses and came from five different e-mail addresses at around 2-3 a.m., the Police Department said.

Ramunas Matonis, the department's spokesman, told BNS that institutions had contacted the police about 900 times in response to the emails, but no suspicious items had been found so far.

Recipients of the threatening e-mails are asked to follow the guidelines updated on Tuesday and consult the police at phone number +370 700 60 000, while continuing their activities.

Institutions and organizations are advised to review their evacuation plans and test how they work in practice.

Thousands of hoax bomb threats have been emailed to schools, kindergartens and municipal buildings across Lithuania since last Friday. Latvia and Estonia have also been flooded with similar emails.

Interior Minister Agne Bilotaite said on Tuesday that the continuing barrage of emailed bomb threats was a cyberattack on a regional scale.

Vilmantas Vitkauskas, head of the National Crisis Management Center, confirmed that the attacks were linked to Russia.

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Lithuania held migrants in inhuman conditions, Seimas ombudsperson tells ECHR

VILNIUS, Oct 18, BNS - Migrants were held in inhuman conditions in Lithuania, the Seimas ombudsperson has told the European Court of Human Rights.

The Seimas Ombudspersons’ Office said on Wednesday it had submitted its first position to the ECHR in a case concerning the detention of migrants in Lithuania.

An Iraqi national brought a case against Lithuania for restricting his freedom of movement by transferring him to temporary accommodation. He claims that Lithuania violated his right to freedom and his right not to be subjected to inhuman treatment.

Seimas Ombudsperson Erika Leonaite told the Strasbourg court that the level and nature of the accommodation conditions and de facto restrictions foreigners were subjected to de facto amounted to detention as their freedom was restricted.

"Moreover, for a certain period of time, the conditions at the Kybartai Foreigners' Registration Center amounted to inhuman and degrading treatment," the report states.

The Seimas ombudsperson stated that all asylum seekers in Lithuania were at the time accommodated at closed accommodation facilities for foreigners, without the right to free movement within the territory of the country, without individual decisions and appeals to court.

She also brought to the attention of the ECHR that foreigners were subjected to extremely tight movement restrictions at the Kybartai facility where people were not only barred from leaving the premises and the territory of the center, but were also not allowed to move freely between the different floors of the center.

Moreover, people moved to the Kybartai facility had very limited access to the outside world and were isolated.

According to the Seimas ombudsperson, the right of foreigners to receive state-guaranteed legal aid during the processing of their asylum application or to appeal against the deprivation of their freedom was only formally ensured.

Leonaite also noted that the situation in Kybartai, including the material conditions, amounted to inhuman and degrading treatment as the shower areas were open, with no privacy curtains, only cold water was available, and hot water was available only once a week in a separate building.

The Iraqi national who filed the complaint against Lithuania was detained by Lithuanian border guards on July 25, 2021 near the Lithuanian-Belarusian border. The man immediately asked for asylum and was then temporarily accommodated in Druskininkai. He was moved to a camp in Rudninkai on July 30, and was later transferred to Kybartai. During his temporary accommodation, he did not have the right to move within the territory of Lithuania.

The Iraqi national informed the Strasbourg court in October 2022 that he was living in Germany.

The ECHR said earlier it was examining complaints from Cuban, Syrian and Iraqi citizens about the refusal to allow them to enter Lithuania and the restriction of freedom of movement.

Almost 4,200 migrants arrived illegally from Belarus to Lithuania in 2021. Most of them lived for a year at registration centers without the right to leave. Most of them left Lithuania after this period ended.

Lithuania and the EU believe this wave of irregular migration was a hybrid attack orchestrated by the Belarusian regime. To counter it, Lithuanian border guards were given the right on August 3, 2021, to turn irregular migrants away and since then Lithuanian has blocked more than 20,500 of them from entering from Belarus. Some of the foreigners have tried to enter Lithuania more than once.

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Energy battery parks mark launch of New Generation Lithuania plan – PM

VILNIUS, Oct 18, BNS – Lithuania's four battery parks on Wednesday started providing the isolated operation reserve service at their full combined capacity of 200 megawatts (MW).

Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte says this electricity storage system will ensure the security, stability and uninterrupted operation of Lithuania's energy system.

"This is also a project financed under the New Generation Lithuania plan, so not only has the project itself been launched here, but it also marks the launch of the New Generation Lithuania plan designed in 2021," Simonye said at the official opening event at the Vilnius transformer substation in Traku Voke.

Energy Minister Dainius Kreivys says the significance of the battery park is shown by the recent incidents at energy infrastructure facilities in Europe.

"This system will allow our system to survive and be more resilient to any disruptions and contingencies," Kreivys said at the event.

In his words, battery parks will ensure the system's stability until the Baltic countries synchronize with Western Europe in early 2025, and then they will help to integrate renewable energy sources.

"The batteries take the security of our system to a whole new level," the minister underlined.

The other three battery parks operated by Energy Cells, the operator of the energy storage system, are located in Utena, Siauliai and Alytus.

The storage facilities will be installed and serviced by Siemens Energy of Germany and Fluence Energy, the German arm of the US group Fluence Energy. The total value of the project stands at 109 million euros, including EU funding of 87.6 million euros.

By Giedrius Gaidamavičius

Editor: Roma Pakėnienė

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Lithuanian president, in Australia, discusses cooperation, visits technology institute

VILNIUS, Oct 18, BNS – As part of this week's official visit to Australia, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda on Wednesday met with Margaret Gardner, governor of Victoria, the country's second largest state, to discuss bilateral relations and visited the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT University).

During the meeting with Gardner, Nauseda "welcomed the growing bilateral relations between Lithuania and Australia, and stressed that we have great potential to further expand trade cooperation, as well as ties in life sciences, financial technology, and defense industries", the president's office said in a press release.

"Lithuania and Australia are geographically distant countries, but our people are united by strong bonds, active cooperation in business, education and science," it quoted him as saying during the meeting.

In his meeting with the governor, the president "also underlined that Lithuania is seeking a closer dialogue on security and defense issues" and "invited Australia to join the Cyber Security Center in Kaunas".

At RMIT University, Nauseda and officials from Australian and Lithuanian universities discussed "the trends of international cooperation in higher education and the synergies between science and business", according to the press release.

"My hope is that today's meeting will enhance cooperation between the Lithuanian and the Australian scientific communities," he said. "We see this forum as an excellent opportunity to establish new partnerships, especially in the areas of biotechnology, lasers, and information technology."

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EC will ask Lithuania to explain bank solidarity levy – body

VILNIUS, Oct 18, BNS - The European Commission is examining a complaint by the Association of Lithuanian Banks regarding the bank solidarity levy introduced earlier year, the ALB says.

In a letter sent earlier this week, the EC said it would soon ask the Lithuanian authorities to provide explanations on what it considers to be unlawful state aid as a result of the additional levy on some financial market players.

In August, the ALB turned to the Commission, arguing that the bank taxation model distorted competition as the exemption of some financial market players and sectors from the levy constitutes unlawful state aid and potentially runs counter to EU law, such as the principle of non-discrimination.

"No other sectors of the economy, except for financial institutions, have had their so-called windfall profits taxed," the report says.

Eivile Cipkute, the ALB president, says the levy is discriminatory and will have consequences for the country's investment climate.

The new levy was introduced as Lithuania's commercial banks are expected to make a gross profit of around 1 billion this year euros, boosted by the ECB's interest rate hikes and bank's huge profits major on their holdings in the ECB.

Lithuania expects to collect around 400 million euros from the banks over two years and intends to use the funds for defense and military and civil transport infrastructure.

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Lithuanian president fails to take opportunity to address Bajarunas issue – formin

VILNIUS, Oct 18, BNS – President Gitanas Nauseda is not taking the opportunity to constructively address the issue of Eitvydas Bajarunas, Lithuania's ambassador to the United Kingdom, who has faced mobbing allegations, Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said on Wednesday.

Landsbergis' comment came in response to Nauseda's statement that the minister's move to summon the ambassador for consultations to Vilnius was a "half-hearted decision that does not solve anything".

"I won't comment on the president's statements," the minister told reporters. "There is a way for the president to be constructively involved in resolving this issue, but so far, the president has not chosen that path."

"My duty is to ensure that the embassy's work, which is at a standstill or at least on hold (...), is resumed as quickly as possible and that people feel safe," he said.

Some time ago, Bajarunas was accused by the embassy's staff in London of inappropriate behavior and working conditions. Following an investigation into the complaints, the Foreign Ministry's Inspectorate General said it had found irregularities and recommended looking into whether he is suitable to lead the embassy.

In response to Nauseda's calls for an official investigation into the allegations against Bajarunas, Landsbergis reiterated the position previously voiced by Inga Cerniuk, the Foreign Ministry's chancellor, who said that a review of the ambassador's performance had already been conducted as required by applicable legislation.

A presidential advisor said earlier on Wednesday that there had been no official investigation so far and that the Inspectorate General's report was based on "unnamed people and sources" and had been leaked to the media immediately.

"There are instructions; the inspector carries out an investigation and finds that something is indeed wrong, and provides a conclusion. So, my question is, should I, as the head of the institution, now distrust the investigation?" Landsbergis asked rhetorically.

Bajarunas claims that he is being subjected to psychological abuse by the ministry, because his reputation is being damaged by information leaks to the media.

By Austėja Masiokaitė-Liubinienė

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Probe into Gaza hospital strike would benefit Israel – Lithuanian formin

VILNIUS, Oct 18, BNS – An independent investigation of Tuesday's strike on a Gaza hospital would benefit Israel, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said on Wednesday.

"There is no reason not to trust their words, but (...) the eyes of the whole world are on this conflict now. If you want to convince people, perhaps the best thing is an independent investigation," he told reporters.

Lithuania's top diplomat said such an investigation could be conducted by the United Nations.

"The organization, even if paralyzed in terms of the Security Council, is capable of carrying out investigations," he said. "This would simply corroborate the words we hear from Israel."

Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist militant group that controls the Gaza Strip, has blamed Israel for the strike on the hospital compound that killed at least 200 people. Israel's military have said they have evidence that Islamic Jihad was responsible for the blast. The latter has denied the allegation.

Israel has been bombing Gaza for more than a week now in retaliation for the killing of 1,400 people in Hamas' massive attacks on the country on October 7.

According to Landsbergis, the European Union is not currently considering accepting refugees from Gaza.

"The discussion is primarily about whether Egypt could take them in, but that is a very difficult question," he said. "The question is whether people, who number around 2.5 million, if they were allowed to leave, would then be allowed to come back."

The minister said that this is the principled position held by a "large part of the Arab world".

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Lithuanian PM to visit Armenia to discuss regional security

VILNIUS, Oct 18, BNS – Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte is leaving for Armenia on Wednesday to discuss regional security.

This is the first ever visit of a Lithuanian prime minister to Armenia, the government said on Wednesday.

Simonyte is scheduled to meet with Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, and attend other meetings.

"The prime minister's working visit is aimed at expressing Lithuania's support for a democratic Armenia facing security and humanitarian challenges and seeking closer cooperation with Western countries, as well as to support dialogue towards normalization and sustainable and lasting peace in the South Caucasus," the government said.

The Lithuanian and Armenian leaders will discuss the regional and global security situation, the humanitarian situation after more than 100,000 ethnic Armenians arrived from Nagorno-Karabakh, ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation between Lithuania and Armenia, and relations between Armenia and the EU.

The meetings will also highlight Lithuania's readiness to continue and expand assistance to Armenia for the implementation of democratic reforms and the EU-Armenia Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA).

On Friday, the Lithuanian prime minister will visit the headquarters of the EU Mission in Armenia (EUMA) established this year in Yeghegnadzor, and will meet with the head of the mission.

In early October, the Lithuanian government allocated 350,000 euros in humanitarian aid to Armenia to host refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh.

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Upcoming events in Lithuania for Thursday, October 19, 2023

VILNIUS, Oct 19, BNS – The following events are scheduled in Lithuania for Thursday, October 19, 2023:

PRESIDENT Gitanas Nauseda to continue his official visit to Australia.

PRIME MINISTER Ingrida Simonyte to pay a visit to Armenia.

SPEAKER OF THE SEIMAS Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen to meet with Indian Ambassador Devesh Uttam at 11 a.m.

PRIME MINISTER Ingrida Simonyte to meet with Latvia's new Prime Minister Evika Silina at 3.05 p.m., followed by a joint press conference at 4.05 p.m.

DEFENSE MINISTER Arvydas Anusauskas to meet with Czech Ambassador Alesa Opata at 1 p.m.

SOCIAL SECURITY AND LABOR MINISTER Monika Navickiene to partake in an online meeting with Iceland's Education and Children Minister Ásmundur Einar Daðason at 3.15 p.m.

FOREIGN MINISTER Gabrielius Landsbergis to meet with Czech Ambassador Alesa Opata.

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Lithuanian formin, Khodorkovsky discuss state of Russian opposition, challenges

VILNIUS, Oct 18, BNS – Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis on Wednesday met with Mikhail Khodorkovsky, one of Russia's opposition figures and founder of the Open Russia Foundation,in Vilnius and discussed the goals and challenges of Russia's democratic opposition and civil society, the Foreign Ministry said.

"The threat posed by Russia ruled by the Kremlin regime remains and no one in Europe and the world can feel safe in the face of it," Lithuania's top diplomat was quoted as saying in a statement released after the meeting.

"That is why it is important to continue to fully assist Ukraine, but at the same time we want to see an active opposition to Vladimir Putin not only abroad, but also in Russia itself, not only willing but also seeking seek changes in the Russian political system," the minister said. "Only this way we can have a real alternative to the Putin regime."

At the meeting, Khodorkovsky thanked Lithuania for creating conditions for civil society representatives and journalists persecuted by the Russian regime to find refuge in Lithuania.

The Russian opposition figure also accepted an invitation to attend the 10th annual Vilnius Russia Forum in the spring of 2024.

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Oct 20 2023

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