LITHUANIA DAILY NEWS BULLETIN, October 9, 2023

LITHUANIA DAILY NEWS BULLETIN

IN THIS ISSUE:

Nine irregular migrants turned away on Lithuania's border with Belarus
Lithuanian foreign minister to visit Oman, Egypt this week
Klaipeda port resumes ship traffic
Power restored to over 30,000 Lithuanian households, 5,500 still without electricity
Lithuania reports 22 new COVID-19 cases, 1 death
Lithuania to decide on evacuation of group of pilgrims from Israel
Mariupol State University Center to open at Lithuania's VDU
Bank solidarity levy in Lithuania cannot be extended – minister
Lithuania starts setting up mobile emergency medical team as part WHO's EMT network
Some 170 Lithuanians, including group of 40 pilgrims, to be flown from Israel
Military aviation may be used to bring stranded Lithuanians back from Israel
Lithuania backs Israel's efforts to counter Hamas attacks – minister
Flights to Tel Aviv operate as normal – Lithuania's LOU
Nauseda vows to talk to his Polish counterpart about bringing Lithuanians back from Israel
US allocates EUR 1.48 mln for Ukrainian refugees in Lithuania this year – embassy
NATO jets in Baltics scrambled twice over Russian aircraft last week
Pole suspected of offering EUR 100,000 bribe to Enefit Green for Lithuanian wind project
Pole suspected of offering EUR 100,000 bribe to Enefit Green for Lithuanian wind project (expands)
Lithuanian pilgrims cross checkpoint in West Bank – minister
Wizz Air cancels flights from Vilnius to Tel Aviv
Lithuanian pilgrims cross West Bank checkpoint into Israel – Lithuanian formin
Poland ready to help bring Lithuanians back from Israel – Nauseda
Wizz Air, Ryanair cancel flights from Vilnius to Tel Aviv
Upcoming events in Lithuania for Tuesday, October 10, 2023

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

VILNIUS, Oct 09, BNS – Lithuanian border guards have in the past 24 hours turned away nine migrants attempting to cross into the country from Belarus illegally, the State Border Guard Service (SBGS) said on Monday morning.

Latvia reported 45 attempts at illegal border crossings on Sunday, and 45 irregular migrants were not allowed into Poland on Saturday, according to the latest available information.

A total of 1,994 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 around 21,200 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 foreign minister to visit Oman, Egypt this week

VILNIUS, Oct 09, BNS – Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis is to pay a working visit to Oman and Egypt this week.

Landsbergis will attend the 27th ministerial meeting of the EU-Gulf Cooperation Council in Oman's capital of Muscat.

"The Joint Council will be an opportunity to reaffirm the EU's strong commitment to a strategic partnership with the Gulf and for partners to exchange on a wide range of issues, notably energy, climate, security, humanitarian aid, and regional files," the bloc's diplomatic service has said.

Landsbergis will address the Joint Council on the global consequences of Russia's military aggression against Ukraine.

In Muscat, Lithuania's top diplomat is also scheduled to meet with ministers from Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia to discuss the strengthening of bilateral cooperation, to make proposals to step up economic and trade ties, to promote tourism exchanges, and to accelerate the signing of bilateral legal cooperation agreements.

This marks Landsbergis's first official visit to Oman. In February 2022, he attended the EU-Gulf Cooperation Council's ministerial meeting in Brussels.

From Oman, the Lithuanian foreign minister will travel to Cairo for his first official working visit to Egypt.

Landsbergis will meet with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and other senior Egyptian officials to discuss political relations, economic and trade cooperation between Lithuania and Egypt, and exchange views on the multilateral agenda.

In Cairo, the Lithuanian minister is also scheduled to meet with Ahmed Aboul Gheit, secretary-general of the League of Arab States.

Lithuania established diplomatic relations with Egypt on January 22, 1992, and opened its diplomatic mission in Cairo in 2001.

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Klaipeda port resumes ship traffic

VILNIUS, Oct 09, BNS – The Lithuanian seaport of Klaipeda lifted ship traffic restrictions late on Sunday after the weekend's storm subsided, the port authority said on Monday morning.

"Vessel traffic resumed yesterday evening at 10 p.m.," Igne Rotautaite-Pukene, the port's spokeswoman, told BNS.

Ship traffic in the port was suspended on Friday evening due to very strong winds.

Ten ships were could not enter or leave the port over the weekend.

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Power restored to over 30,000 Lithuanian households, 5,500 still without electricity

VILNIUS, Oct 09, BNS – Some 5,500 households in Lithuania were still without electricity on Monday morning after strong winds toppled trees and damaged power lines over the weekend, the power distribution company Energijos Skirstymo Operatorius (ESO) said,

ESO spokeswoman Rasa Juodkiene told BNS that power supply had been restored to over 30,000 customers overnight.

"An incredible amount of work was done overnight: we have 5,500 (consumers without electricity) today, instead of 36,000," she said.

Juodkiene said that the worst situation was in the regions of Vilnius and Alytus, each with around 2,000 consumers without electricity on Monday morning.

By Goda Vileikytė

Editor: Roma Pakėnienė

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Lithuania reports 22 new COVID-19 cases, 1 death

VILNIUS, Oct 09, BNS – Lithuania has recorded 22 new coronavirus infections and one death from COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, official statistics showed on Monday morning.

The 14-day primary infection rate has edged down to 123.3 cases per 100,000 people, with the seven-day percentage of positive tests at 24 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 decide on evacuation of group of pilgrims from Israel

VILNIUS, Oct 09, BNS – The Lithuanian government's National Crisis Centre is meeting on Monday to decide how to evacuate a group of elderly pilgrims from Israel after the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched an offensive against the Jewish state.

According to Inga Cerniuk, the Foreign Ministry's chancellor, five Lithuanians managed to leave Israel on Sunday – three via Cyprus and two via Istanbul.

"The most difficult situation remains with the group of pilgrims, who are elderly people. We are paying special attention to them," Cerniuk told LRT Radio on Monday morning.

"Yesterday, two diplomats went to meet with the group and talked to them about their needs. We can see that the needs are more demanding than usual, because we are talking about elderly individuals and their health," the chancellor said.

"The most difficult situation remains with their evacuation. Now we are working through all possible channels to put a group of this size on a plane. They do not agree to split up as they want to return home together, which complicates their situation," she said.

The official said the National Crisis Centre was meeting on Monday morning to consider "all options" to help the group.

The Foreign Ministry says that around 7,000 Lithuanian citizens living in Israel are registered with the Lithuanian embassy in the country. Based on the Travel Safely app for travelers and other sources, 460 Lithuanian citizens are currently visiting Israel.

Amid the Hamas offensive, the Foreign Ministry recommends that Lithuanian citizens "assess the necessity" of travelling to Israel and Palestine, but strongly advises them against going to certain areas there.

Those already in Israel or Palestine are advised to be especially vigilant and take all necessary precautions, as well as follow official information and instructions from local authorities.

The ministry warns that many airlines have already cancelled flights to and from Israel, resulting in limited connections with the country.

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Mariupol State University Center to open at Lithuania's VDU

VILNIUS, Oct 09, BNS – The Mariupol State University (MSU) Center is being opened at Vytautas Magnus University (VDU) in Kaunas on Monday.

To mark this occasion, VDU is hosting an academic forum and a discussion with MSU Rector Mykola Trofymenko.

"We are pleased to continue to expand our ties with Ukraine, which were already strong before the war – we had 30 agreements with the country's universities," VDU Rector Juozas Augutis said in a press release.

The Center of Ukraine was established at VDU last year.

Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the Kaunas-based university has admitted over 300 students from Ukraine.

Founded in 1991, MSU was bombed by Russian forces last year and now operates in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine.

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Bank solidarity levy in Lithuania cannot be extended – minister

VILNIUS, Oct 09, BNS – The existing temporary two-year bank solidarity levy in Lithuania could not be extended in the future due to its design, Finance Minister Gintare Skaiste says.

"I think it could not be extended for two reasons. First, it is designed as a temporary instrument in response to exceptional circumstances because of the shock in the interest rate regulation, and also deposits grew significantly during the pandemic period. (...) So it is designed in such a way that its effect would disappear in two years," the finance minister told the vz.lt business news website.

"We can say that even if the parliament had the imagination to extend the levy itself, the basis the levy is calculated on would functionally disappear after 2024," she added.

Despite the uncertainty regarding the changes in key interest rates in the future and when they might start going down, Skaiste says the basis for the solidarity levy is already starting to change.

"The solidarity levy was designed with a moving average, meaning that as the years go by, the average itself also goes up, but we also see that financial institutions are responding to the situation and the interest rates they offer on deposits held in financial institutions are also going up. And since the levy is calculated as the difference between what they receive and what they pay, we see that the difference tends to decrease as well," Skaiste explained.

The solidarity levy is calculated on banks' net interest income exceeding 50 percent of the average of the past four years.

Banks are estimated to pay around 130 million euros in solidarity levy into the state budget in 2023, followed by 230 million euros in 2024 and 50 million euros in 2025.

The levy was introduced as the country's banks were expected to make a profit of over 1 billion this euros year, which is seen as a windfall as they profit from the European Central Bank's interest rate hikes.

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Lithuania starts setting up mobile emergency medical team as part WHO's EMT network

VILNIUS, Oct 09, BNS – Lithuania has started setting up a mobile emergency medical team that will be part of the World Health Organization's network of Emergency Medical Teams.

The Lithuanian team will take part in international aid missions together with teams from other countries and will provide assistance in emergency situations in foreign countries and Lithuania, the Health Ministry said on Monday.

The WHO-certified emergency medical team is being set up by the Health Ministry in cooperation with the Ambulance Service.

"One of the strategic directions is to strengthen the emergency preparedness of personal healthcare institutions and specialists in the country. Joining the WHO EMT network is an important step for Lithuania as it will ensure the possibility to provide international assistance and step up preparedness in our country," Health Ministry Chancellor Jurgita Grebenkoviene says.

The establishment of a mobile emergency medical team is an opportunity for emergency medical professionals to improve their knowledge and gain experience in providing assistance to victims in difficult conditions, Nerijaus Mikelionis, director general of the Ambulance Service, said.

The Lithuanian team will be made up of 40 nurses and emergency paramedics and 20 doctors with the following professional qualifications, or medical residents studying: emergency physicians, anaesthetists, orthopedic trauma specialists and surgeons.

Team members will be required to undergo training organized by the Ambulance Service in accordance with the WHO requirements before the start of the assignment. Teams of 12 medics will be send to missions.

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Some 170 Lithuanians, including group of 40 pilgrims, to be flown from Israel

VILNIUS, Oct 09, BNS – Skyllence, a company of Gediminas Ziemelis' Avia Solutions Group, is organizing a flight to evacuate part of Lithuanian citizens from Israel which is being attacked by the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

An aircraft hired by the company from a Romanian airline is planned to fly 170 people back to Lithuania the following night.

"The plane is scheduled to depart from Tel Aviv to Bucharest 20 minutes after midnight. From there, passengers will change planes and fly to Vilnius, where they will land at 8.30 a.m.," Skyllence CEO Vilma Vaitiekunaite told BNS on Monday.

"Whether we will have more flights will depend on how many more people want to leave Israel and whether there is a need to organize another flight," she added.

Around 100 people, including a group of 40 pilgrims from Bethlehem, had registered for the flight as of 10 a.m. on Monday.

Some of the people are in Israel on vacation or for medical treatment, Vaitiekunaite said, adding that the passengers also include "minor children who are returning unaccompanied by adults because one of the parents is in Lithuania and the other is in Israel but cannot leave the country because of their duties".

The CEO said that those stranded in Israel would be flown on a Romanian airline plane that has 168 seats.

Vaitiekunaite said that they had received inquiries from foreign nationals as well.

The flight organized by Skyllence will cost 1,000 per person, she said.

By Sniegė Balčiūnaitė

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Military aviation may be used to bring stranded Lithuanians back from Israel

VILNIUS, Oct 09, BNS – A charter flight is being arranged to bring back a group of Lithuanian pilgrims stranded in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, but military aviation might also be used for their evacuation, Vilmantas Vitkauskas, head of the National Crisis Center, said on Monday.

"The biggest challenge is for the socially sensitive group, who are on a trip to Bethlehem, to cross the checkpoints and get to Israel's territory," Vitkauskas told reporters.

"Then we would organize flights; there are several options, one of which, as I mentioned, is scheduled for tonight," he said. "Yes, the first option is a charter flight, but we can't limit ourselves to just one option. We are looking into other options, including the use of military aviation," he said.

The group of pilgrims consists of 41 people, the official said.

According to Vitkauskas, Lithuanian diplomats have making efforts since Monday morning to ensure that the group of pilgrims are allowed to pass through the checkpoint and enter Israel.

"We already have five Lithuanians who have returned to Lithuania, out of a small group who have registered to inform us that they need assistance. So, the process is really moving," he said.

Skyllence, a company of Gediminas Ziemelis' Avia Solutions Group, said on Monday that it is organizing a flight to evacuate part of Lithuanian citizens who are in Israel.

An aircraft hired by the company from a Romanian airline is planned to fly 170 people back to Lithuania the following night.

"Whether we will have more flights will depend on how many more people want to leave Israel and whether there is a need to organize another flight," she added.

By Ignas Jačauskas

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Lithuania backs Israel's efforts to counter Hamas attacks – minister

VILNIUS, Oct 09, BNS - Lithuania supports Israel's efforts to repel attacks by the Palestinian movement Hamas, Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas says.

"What Lithuania does support is Israel's efforts to repel attacks by the terrorist organization. I can say this with confidence," the minister told reporters on Monday."In this case, at least what Israel is emphasizing is that Israel is a state, and Hamas is a terrorist organization that has revealed its essence through its actions."

His comment followed Hamas militants' sudden incursion into Israel over the weekend. Israel retaliated with strikes on the Gaza Strip and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed that Israel would destroy the organization.

"The Israeli aviation is focused on striking military installations that are sometimes set up, for example, in schools. We need to realize that this terrorist organization is actively using civilians for cover, not necessarily hostages, but its own residents," Anusauskas said. "The reality is that Israel is trying to avoid civilian casualties and the other side wants to have as many civilian casualties as possible."

More than 700 people are estimated to have already died in the Hamas attack, and more than 400 died during airstrikes in Gaza. UN data shows that more than 123,000 people have fled their homes in the Gaza Strip since the start of the conflict between Palestinian militants and Israel.

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Flights to Tel Aviv operate as normal – Lithuania's LOU

VILNIUS, Oct 09, BNS – Regular Ryanair and Wizz Air flights from Vilnius to Tel Aviv are taking place as normal, Tadas Vasiliauskas, a spokesman for Lietuvos Oro Uostai (Lithuanian Airports, LOU), the airport operator in Lithuania, says.

"So far, we have not received any information on flight cancellations. They are taking place as planned, we have a total of five weekly flights only from Vilnius, operated by only two companies - Ryanair and Wizz Air," Vasiliauskas told BNS on Monday.

He also confirmed that one Wizz Air flight from Vilnius to Tel Aviv was cancelled on Saturday.

People planning to travel to Israel should keep an eye on the information and contact the airlines, if they have any questions, Vasiliauskas said.

"The situation is dynamic, and passengers need to understand that they need to follow the information and be in contact with the airlines, first of all," Vasiliauskas said.

For her part, Alicja Woicik-Golembiowska, Ryanair's Country Manager CEE & Baltics, told BNS on Monday that some of the company's flights to and from European cities to and from Israel were cancelled over the weekend, but currently flights continue and further action will depend on the situation.

"I can tell you that we cancelled our flights to and from Israel over the weekend. We are currently assessing the situation and will act accordingly as the situation develops. Flights are currently available for booking on our website, but the situation may change in the next few hours," Wojcik-Golebiowska said.

By Valdas Pryšmantas, Roma Pakėnienė

Editor: Roma Pakėnienė

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Nauseda vows to talk to his Polish counterpart about bringing Lithuanians back from Israel

KELME, Lithuania, Oct 09, BNS – Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda has accused the country's institutions of their failure to take more decisive action in bringing Lithuanians stranded in Israel back home, therefore, he plans to talk to his Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda about the possibility of putting Lithuanians on planes Warsaw is sending for its own citizens.

"I find it a bit strange that we are still discussing the ways and means of transporting people out of the conflict zone today, on the third day. Poland is already doing it in real terms, so we have to discuss and actually help people," Nauseda told reporters in Kelme, western Lithuania, on Monday.

"That is why I am going to call Polish President Duda today to see what their possibilities are, whether they could still provide enough space on their planes for Lithuanian citizens. Well, our institutions just need to stop talking and start doing their job for once," the president said.

Asked about the possibility of using Lithuania's Spartan military aircraft, the president said they would not be the most suitable option because of their low capacity and the distance they could fly without stopovers.

"We have much more convenient alternatives, let's use them. If that proves insufficient, all means will be good, including the Spartan," he said.

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US allocates EUR 1.48 mln for Ukrainian refugees in Lithuania this year – embassy

VILNIUS, Oct 09, BNS - The US government has allocated 1.56 million US dollars (1,48 million euros) to organizations helping Ukrainian refugees in Lithuania this year, the US Embassy in Vilnius said on Monday.

The funds have been transferred to nine NGOs from Kaunas, Klaipeda, Telsiai, Siauliai and Vilnius.

The US State Department has funded projects worth between 90,000 and 250,000 eros.

The US Embassy will present support projects at an event at the Martynas Mazvydas National Library of Lithuania in Vilnius on Tuesday.

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NATO jets in Baltics scrambled twice over Russian aircraft last week

VILNIUS, Oct 09, BNS – NATO's fighter jets policing Baltic airspace were last week scrambled twice to identify and escort Russian aircraft flying in international airspace over the Baltic Sea in violation of flight rules, the Lithuanian Defense Ministry said on Monday.

NATO jets took off on October 3 to intercept an IL-20 reconnaissance plane and were also scrambled on October 6 because of another IL-20.

The Russian aircraft had no flight plans, were not using their onboard transponders, and the plane on October 6 was maintaining radio communication with the regional traffic control center. The NATO Baltic air policing mission is carried out from air bases in Lithuania and Estonia.

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Pole suspected of offering EUR 100,000 bribe to Enefit Green for Lithuanian wind project

VILNIUS, Oct 09, BNS – A Polish citizen representing a Polish business group is suspected of offering a 100,000-euro bribe to Enefit Green to secure a contract to build a wind farm in the central Lithuanian district of Kelme, Lithuanian prosecutors said on Monday.

"The investigation is being carried out into suspicions that a Polish citizen, representing a Polish group, offered a bribe of 100,000 euros to a senior executive of a Lithuanian company that is owned by the Estonian state," Prosecutor Rimas Juodis of the Organized Crime and Corruption Investigation Department of the Prosecutor General's Office told a news conference.

The bribe was offered in order to win a wind energy project organized by Enefit Green, according to Juodis.

"The sum (of money) is for the construction of a wind farm in Kelme District, so that the Polish group wins the project," he confirmed.

According to the prosecutor, the representative of the Polish company was detained last week. He is currently out on bail of 75,000 euros and banned from leaving Lithuania.

Asked whether the Polish citizen represented the interests of Poland's energy group Orlen, Juodis said that the company was not implicated in the investigation.

By Milena Andrukaitytė

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Pole suspected of offering EUR 100,000 bribe to Enefit Green for Lithuanian wind project (expands)

papildymai visame tekste

VILNIUS, Oct 09, BNS – A Polish citizen representing a Polish business group is suspected of offering a 100,000-euro bribe to Enefit Green in an attempt to secure a contract for the construction of a wind farm in the central Lithuanian district of Kelme, Lithuanian prosecutors said on Monday.

"The investigation is being conducted based on suspicions that a Polish citizen, representing a Polish group, offered a bribe of 100,000 euros to a senior executive of a Lithuanian company that is owned by the Estonian state," Prosecutor Rimas Juodis of the Organized Crime and Corruption Investigation Department of the Prosecutor General's Office told a news conference.

The bribe was offered in order to win a wind energy project organized by Enefit Green, according to Juodis.

"The sum (of money) is for the construction of a wind farm in Kelme District, so that the Polish group wins the project," he confirmed.

The prosecutor declined to name the Polish group the Polish citizen is suspected of representing.

"It has been decided not to name the company since it holds no status in this case," he said.

Asked whether the Polish citizen represented the interests of Poland's energy group Orlen, Juodis said that the company was not implicated in the investigation.

The Prosecutor General's Office said in a press release that it is suspected that the bribe was intended to ensure that the Polish group, which had submitted a bid worth more than 100 million euros, was named the winning bidder for the Kelme wind farm project."

According to Juodis, the representative of the Polish company was detained last week. He is currently out on bail of 75,000 euros and banned from leaving Lithuania.

The pre-trial investigation was launched based on a complaint by Enefit Green.

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Lithuanian pilgrims cross checkpoint in West Bank – minister

papildysime

VILNIUS, Oct 09, BNS – A group of Lithuanian pilgrims crossed a checkpoint in the Israeli-occupied West Bank on Monday afternoon and entered Israel's territory, Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis confirmed.

"This minute the group of pilgrims crossed the checkpoint from the West Bank to the Israeli side," he told reporters at an online news conference from Oman.

According to the National Crisis Management Center, nearly 500 Lithuanian tourists are currently in Israel, but only the group of 41 pilgrims need the state's help to return to Lithuania after Hamas launched attacks on the Jewish state on Saturday.

Skyllence, a company of Avia Solutions Group, is organizing a flight to fly them back to Lithuania.

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Wizz Air cancels flights from Vilnius to Tel Aviv

VILNIUS, Oct 09, BNS - Wizz Air cancelled its scheduled flights from Vilnius to Tel Aviv on Monday amid the ongoing military conflict in Israel with Hamas, the company told BNS on Monday.

"Wizz Air has cancelled flights to and from Tel Aviv until further notice due to the heightened conflict in Israel," the company said.

Wizz Air flies from Vilnius to Tel Aviv on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. The fights will be resumed once the situation is appropriate, Wizz Air said.

"We are constantly monitoring and assessing the situation and we are ready to resume flights as soon as possible, which is why we are making daily schedule changes. Wizz Air apologizes for any inconvenience caused and stresses that the safety and security of passengers, crew and aircraft is its top priority," the airline underlined, adding that passengers who have purchased tickets have already been informed and can get a refund or change their travel dates.

Following Hamas' attacks on Israel on Saturday, the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry recommends Lithuanian citizens seriously consider the need to Israel and Palestine at this time.

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Lithuanian pilgrims cross West Bank checkpoint into Israel – Lithuanian formin

VILNIUS, Oct 09, BNS – A group of Lithuanian pilgrims crossed a checkpoint in the Israeli-occupied West Bank on Monday afternoon and entered Israel's territory, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis has confirmed.

"The group of pilgrims crossed the checkpoint from the West Bank into the Israeli side," the minister told reported during an online press conference from Oman. "They are on their way to the airport and should be there in a couple of hours, leave Israel and return to Lithuania."

The Palestinian movement Hamas launched a sudden attack on Israel on Saturday, invading its territory and launching rocket attacks. Israel retaliated by launching strikes against Gaza.

According to Lithuania's National Crisis Management Center, there are currently almost 500 Lithuanian tourists in Israel, but only this group of 41 pilgrims needs state assistance to return to Lithuania.

To bring them back to Lithuania, Skyllence, an aviation business group that is part of the Avia Solutions Group owned by Lithuanian businessman Gediminas Ziemelis, is making arrangements for an overnight flight from Monday to Tuesday.

Landsbergis, said the government would cover part of their travel costs.

"The company is doing this on a commercial basis, it is not a charity flight. I would certainly not rule out that the company will make money out of it. The government will reimburse a large part of the cost of that flight by paying for the pilgrims' travel," the minister said.

Landsbergis also urged Lithuanian citizens to refrain from unnecessary travel to Israel, as returning to Lithuania could be difficult.

"People are going to Israel regardless of the situation there. I want to stress that something may happen that has not happened yet, that flight options will be very limited," Lithuania's top diplomat said. "It is up to people to assess the risks they are taking by going there."

In his words, only Poland and Bulgaria are currently evacuating their nationals. Lithuania would only consider similar action if the situation deteriorates.

According to the data of the Foreign Ministry, around 7,000 Lithuanian citizens are now living in Israel.

More than 700 people are estimated to have been killed in the latest Hamas attack, and some 500 have died in the Gaza Strip airstrikes. UN data shows that more than 123,000 people have fled their homes in the Gaza Strip since the start of the conflict between Palestinian militants and Israel.

Landsbergis says Hamas has carried out a terrorist attack against Israel and Israel "has the right to defend itself". However, he hopes that "once the objectives of the response have been achieved, things could get back to normal".

"In my assessment, if sustainable solutions are not found, the situation could be worse in the future for both Israel and Palestine," the Lithuanian foreign minister said.

Speaking on possible influence of third countries on the conflict, Landsbergis said there were no "clear indicators" so far, but that both Russia and Iran are interested in regional instability as " it would divert Western power's attention from the war in Ukraine".

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Poland ready to help bring Lithuanians back from Israel – Nauseda

VILNIUS, Oct 09, BNS – If needed, Warsaw is ready to help repatriate Lithuanian citizens from Israel using its military aircraft, President Gitanas Nauseda said after a phone call with his Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda on Monday.

The two leaders discussed the security situation in Israel after last weekend's large-scale attack against Israel by the Palestinian militant group Hamas, and cooperation in repatriating Lithuanian citizens, Nauseda's office said in a press release.

"According to Gitanas Nauseda, if the need arises, Poland is ready to offer its air flights to assist Lithuanian nationals' return home," it said.

Nauseda thanked Duda "for his swift reaction and readiness to help Lithuanians travel back to their homeland from war-stricken Israel".

On Saturday, Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel, invading its territory and conducting rocket attacks. Israel retaliated with strikes on Gaza.

More than 700 people are estimated to have been killed in the Hamas attack, and some 500 have died in the Gaza Strip airstrikes.

UN data shows that more than 123,000 people have fled their homes in the Gaza Strip since the start of the conflict between Palestinian militants and Israel.

The Lithuanian Foreign Ministry says that, based on the embassy's consular registration data, around 7,000 Lithuanian citizens are currently living in Israel, and some 500 others are visiting the country as tourists.

According to Lithuania's National Crisis Management Center, only a group of 41 pilgrims currently needs state assistance to return to Lithuania.

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Wizz Air, Ryanair cancel flights from Vilnius to Tel Aviv

VILNIUS, Oct 09, BNS - Wizz Air and Ryanair on Monday cancelled their scheduled flights from Vilnius to Tel Aviv amid the ongoing military conflict in Israel with Hamas, the companies told BNS on Monday.

"Due to the conflict escalation in Israel, Wizz Air has cancelled flights to and from Tel Aviv until further notice," the company said. "We constantly monitor and assess the situation, ready to resume operations as soon as it is possible, therefore we implement changes in the schedule day by day. Wizz Air apologizes for any inconvenience caused and stresses that the safety and security of its passengers, crew and aircraft is its number one priority."

Wizz Air is contacting affected passengers directly via email or text and providing them with rebooking or refund options, as well as accommodation.

"I can confirm that we are cancelling our flight to Tel Aviv until Wednesday and for further information we invite passengers to our website. We are constantly updating information. At this moment we are cancelling flights until 11th October and we will see how the situation develops further," she said.

Ryanair flies from Vilnius to Tel Aviv on Fridays and Sundays.

Following Hamas' attacks on Israel on Saturday, the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry recommends Lithuanian citizens seriously consider the need to Israel and Palestine at this time.

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Upcoming events in Lithuania for Tuesday, October 10, 2023

VILNIUS, Oct 10, BNS – The following events are scheduled in Lithuania for Tuesday, October 10, 2023:

CULTURE MINISTER Simonas Kairys to meet with Dutch Ambassador Jack Robert Twiss Quarles van Ufford at 10 a.m.

FOREIGN MINISTER Gabrielius Landsbergis to attend a meeting of foreign ministers from EU and Gulf countries in Muscat, Oman.

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Oct 10 2023

LITHUANIA DAILY NEWS BULLETIN

IN THIS ISSUE:

Upcoming events in Lithuania for Friday, October 6, 2023
Twenty irregular migrants turned away on Lithuania's border with Belarus
Lithuanian PM to visit NATO's HQ Multinational Corps Northeast in Szczecin
Latvia's new parliament speaker to pay her 1st visit to Vilnius
Lithuania reports 229 new COVID-19 cases, no deaths
There are grounds for Zemaitaitis' impeachment – Lithuanian parlt commission
Teachers sign collective agreement after reaching pay deal with Lithuanian EducMin
Lithuanian president calls on Polish PM to step up cooperation on Ukrainian grain exports
Europol joins team investigating war crimes in Ukraine
EU countries must have tools to combat instrumentalized migration – Lithuanian president
Lithuanian poet Jonynas awarded the Baltic Assembly Prize in Literature
Lithuanian formin, Latvian parlt speaker discuss Ukraine support, Russia sanctions
Lithuanian president was unaware of army chief's Russian studies during nomination phase
Lithuanian leader urges EU to find legal ways to use frozen Russian funds for Ukraine
Lithuania's Klaipeda plans to restrict ship traffic as storm looms

Upcoming events in Lithuania for Friday, October 6, 2023

VILNIUS, Oct 06, BNS – The following events are scheduled in Lithuania for Friday, October 6, 2023:

PRESIDENT Gitanas Nauseda to attend the European Council's meeting in Spain.

SPEAKER OF THE SEIMAS Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen to have a tête-à-tête with Daiga Mierina, speaker of the Latvian Saeima, at 10 a.m.

PRIME MINISTER Ingrida Simonyte to visit the headquarters of NATO's Multinational Corps Northeast in Szczecin, Poland.

EDUCATION, SCIENCE AND SPORT MINISTER Gintautas Jakstas and the leaders of four trade unions to sign the Lithuanian education and science sector's collective agreement at 10 a.m., to be followed by a news conference.

FOREIGN MINISTER Gabrielius Landsbergis to meet with Mierina.

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

VILNIUS, Oct 06, BNS – Lithuanian border guards have in the past 24 hours turned away 20 migrants attempting to cross into the country from Belarus illegally, the State Border Guard Service (SBGS) said on Friday morning.

Latvia reported 85 attempts at illegal border crossings on Thursday, and 47 irregular migrants were not allowed into Poland on Wednesday, according to the latest available information.

A total of 1,900 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 PM to visit NATO's HQ Multinational Corps Northeast in Szczecin

VILNIUS, Oct 06, BNS – Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte, accompanied by Chief of Defense General Valdemaras Rupsys, on Friday is visiting NATO's Headquarters Multinational Corps Northeast (HQ MNC NE) in the Polish city of Szczecin.

During the visit, Simonyte will be briefed on the HQ MNC NE activities, responsibilities and ongoing tasks, and the implementation process of NATO's defense plans approved by the Alliance's leaders at their summit in Vilnius, the government said.

The prime minister will meet with Lieutenant General Juergen-Joachim von Sandrart, commander of Multinational Corps Northeast, and will thank the Allied and Lithuanian military personnel serving at the headquarters, it said.

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Latvia's new parliament speaker to pay her 1st visit to Vilnius

VILNIUS, Oct 06, BNS – Daiga Mierina, the new speaker of the Latvian Saeima, on Friday is coming to Vilnius for her first official visit.

Ilona Petrove, spokeswoman for Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen, speaker of the Lithuanian Seimas, has said that the two parliamentary leaders intend to discuss bilateral relations, regional and parliamentary cooperation, the implementation of infrastructure projects, support for Ukraine, and strengthening NATO's eastern flank.

This will not be the first meeting between Cmilyte-Nielsen and Mierina: they already met in Saldus, Latvia, on September 23 on the occasion of the Baltic Unity Day.

Mierina, a member of the Union of Greens and Farmers, was elected speaker of the Saeima on September 20. Prior to this, the 54-year-old MP served as chairwoman of the parliamentary Public Administration and Local Government Committee.

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Lithuania reports 229 new COVID-19 cases, no deaths

VILNIUS, Oct 06, BNS – Lithuania has recorded 229 new coronavirus infections and no deaths from COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, official statistics showed on Friday morning.

The 14-day primary infection rate has edged down to 125.1 cases per 100,000 people, with the seven-day percentage of positive tests at 22 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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There are grounds for Zemaitaitis' impeachment – Lithuanian parlt commission

VILNIUS, Oct 06, BNS – There are grounds to launch impeachment proceedings against Remigijus Zemaitaitis, a non-attached MP, for his anti-Semitic posts and statements, a Lithuanian parliamentary commission has unanimously concluded.

The decision is still subject to the Seimas' approval.

Zemaitaitis failed to attend the commission meeting. He had been invited to two meetings but refused to attend, saying that he had no intention to attend "meetings of an unlawful commission".

The temporary parliamentary commission looked into whether there were grounds to launch impeachment proceedings against Zemaitaitis.

The motion to set up the temporary commission was backed by 70 MPs, mostly from the ruling coalition parties and six from the opposition. However, the opposition's political groups in the parliament refused to delegate their members to the commission, meaning that it only consisted of six MPs from the conservative Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats, the Liberal Movement and the Freedom Party.

According to the impeachment initiative, Zemaitaitis' public statement and social media post are anti-Semitic and incite to hatred.

The impeachment text reads that Zemaitaitis' statements "are characterized by constant incitement to hatred, the promotion of anti-Semitic attitudes and the creation of hostility, which is directed specifically against one single minority nationality – the Jewish people and the state of Israel".

According to the ruling bloc, such systematically repeated statements are aimed at inciting violence and hostility, justifying hatred against the Jewish people as a whole, and provoking social and national discord, which runs counter to the Constitution and the country's interests in the area of international relations.

The impeachment text quotes Zemaitaitis' social media posts, such as "It turns out that, besides Putin, another animal has emerged in the world – ISRAEL" or "We, the Lithuanian nation, must never forget the Jews and the Russians who very actively contributed to the DESTRUCTION OF OUR PEOPLE!", and others.

In response to the MP's statements, the Prosecutor General's Office has opened pre-trial investigations into public contempt and incitement to hatred against any national, racial, ethnic, religious or other group of people, and Zemaitaitis has been questioned as a special witness.

Zemaitaitis insists that there is no basis for his impeachment. He denies any anti-Semitic content in his posts and says that all his statements can be substantiated with international documents or historical sources.

According to the Statue of the Seimas, if a group of at least 36 MPs tables an impeachment motion, the parliament sets up a special investigation commission to look at whether there are grounds for opening impeachment proceedings against the MP. If the violation is confirmed, the MP loses their mandate, if at least three fifths, or at least 85 lawmakers, vote in favor.

Zemaitaitis' case would be a second impeachment procedure during this parliament after lawmakers turned to the Constitutional Court, asking it to rule whether MP Petras Grazulis breached his oath and violated the Constitution when he voted for another MP.

By Jūratė Skėrytė

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Teachers sign collective agreement after reaching pay deal with Lithuanian EducMin

VILNIUS, Oct 06, BNS – Four trade unions representing education employees on Friday signed a collective agreement after agreeing with the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport on a pay increase plan.

"The agreement signed today with the four trade unions is not limited to pay rises next year as it also lays the foundations for pay increases for education workers over the next four years," Education, Science and Sport Gintautas Jakstas said after the signing.

The agreement was signed by the education ministers as well as Egidijus Milesinas, president of the Lithuanian Education and Science Trade Union, Aldona Kinduriene, president, of Solidarumas, an education and science trade union, Sigitas Vaitkevicius, president of the Lithuanian Association of Higher Education Institutions' Trade Unions, and Kestutis Juknis, president of the Sandraug trade union.

The education minister also invited the striking Lithuanian Education Employees' Trade Union, led by Andrius Navickas, to join the agreement, saying that there will definitely be no more funds for pay rises, and the strike will be "pointless" once the budget bill is sent to the Seimas.

A bigger pay increase, which Navickas' trade union demands, is impossible given the state's financial situation, the minister underlined.

Under the collective agreement, teachers will get a 21 percent pay rise next year, the minister said, adding that a plan for further pay increases up to 2028 will be drawn up by May.

The government proposes raising teachers' pay in two stages next year: by 10% percent from January and by another 10 percent from September to bring the average teacher's salary to 130 percent of the national pay average.

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Lithuanian president calls on Polish PM to step up cooperation on Ukrainian grain exports

VILNIUS, Oct 06, BNS – Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda met with Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki on the sidelines of an informal EU summit in Granada, Spain, and called on him to step up cooperation on Ukrainian grain exports and to make maximum use of the Lithuanian seaport of Klaipeda's capacity.

Th two leaders regional security, assistance for Ukraine and grain exports via Baltic Sea ports, the presidential pres service said.

Nauseda stressed that a more active use of this export route would make a significant contribution to tackling the global food crisis caused by Russia’s war. According to the Lithuanian president, it is necessary to remove bottlenecks in the transport infrastructure and to increase the throughput of the Baltic Sea ports in order to speed up grain exports.

On Tuesday, the Lithuanian, Polish and Ukrainian agriculture ministers agreed that checks of Ukrainian grain in transit through Poland to third countries would be moved to the Lithuanian port of Klaipeda, from the Ukrainian-Polish border, from October 4.

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Europol joins team investigating war crimes in Ukraine

VILNIUS, Oct 06, BNS - Europol has joined the joint team investigating war crimes in Ukraine, the Lithuanian prosecution service said on Friday.

On Thursday, the prosecutor generals from the seven participating countries and Europol's Executive Director Catherine de Bolle signed their agreement during the 17th Meeting of the Consultative Forum of Prosecutors General at Eurojust.

Europol joined Eurojust and the International Criminal Court's Office of the Prosecutor as a participant of the Joint Investigation Team.

Europol will provide analytical and legal assessments to JIT members within its remit, and will support the collection and analysis of data legally obtained from open sources such as social media, television and radio, collectively known as open source intelligence.

Europol will also contribute its expertise and experience in the areas of war crimes, crimes against humanity and other transnational crimes through a project on the analysis of major international crimes.

The JIT was set up by Lithuania, Poland and Ukraine in March 2022, less than a month after Russia launched its war against Ukraine. Since then, Eurojust has provided legal, logistical, financial and analytical support to the JIT. Last year, the International Criminal Court's Office of the Prosecutor, Estonia, Latvia and Slovakia, and Romania became active participants of the group.

In March, the group's seven national authorities signed a memorandum of understanding with the US Department of Justice.

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EU countries must have tools to combat instrumentalized migration – Lithuanian president

VILNIUS, Oct 06, BNS – EU member countries must have a legal basis to combat instrumentalized migration, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said on Friday.

Nauseda said he will raise the issue at an informal EU summit in Granada later on Friday.

"The discussion is not an easy one; Lithuania has always been a supporter of so-called solidarity. We do understand that migration today is a phenomenon that has taken on a rather wide scale," the president told the public broadcaster LRT before the meeting.

"We can see that the causes of migration have not yet been eliminated, which is why we are in favor of increasing our mission in terms of solidarity, but we are also demanding certain solutions aimed at the policy of instrumentalized migration," said Nauseda.

"Unfortunately, today I cannot yet say that there is a specific legal framework for this type of migration. And we face this type of migration not only in our country, but also in Poland and, recently, especially in Latvia," he added.

Among other issues, EU leaders are expected to discuss the bloc's migration and asylum policy on Friday.

"I'm certainly not going to predict the migration part of today's conclusions. In my experience, sometimes things seem difficult, but at the last minute a deal is struck. Let's see if we can do it this time," Nauseda said.

"It is really important to have an outline, guidelines, on how to fight migration, because the control of EU borders is a matter of European sovereignty," he added.

In late 2021, the European Commission presented a legislative proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and the Council to amend the Schengen Borders Code.

Lithuania and some other EU states want the Schengen Border Code to include the concept of migration instrumentalization, references to all types of stationary and mobile border security infrastructure, common minimum border surveillance standards, and the possibility for member states facing migration instrumentalization to take the relevant national measures.

However, the European Parliament's Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs in September voted in favor of removing all provisions related to the instrumentalization of migration from the draft amendments to the Schengen Code.

Interior Minister Agne Bilotaite has called on Lithuania's MEPs to support Vilnius' position on the instrumentalization of migration in EU law.

Almost 4,200 migrants entered Lithuania illegally from Belarus in 2021, but most of them have since left the country after the movement restrictions ended.

Lithuanian border guards have prevented a total of over 21,000 people from crossing in from Belarus since August 3, 2021, when they were given the right to turn away irregular migrants. The number includes repeated attempts by the same people to cross the border.

Lithuanian officials blame Minsk for the crisis, saying that illegal migration to Lithuania and the EU is being facilitated by Belarusian officials.

Rights organizations have criticized the decision by Lithuania and neighboring countries to turn migrants away at the border, but Lithuanian authorities argue that the practice is necessary to defend against what they say is the instrumentalization of migrants.

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Lithuanian poet Jonynas awarded the Baltic Assembly Prize in Literature

VILNIUS, Oct 06, BNS – Lithuanian translator and poet Anatanas A. Jonynas has been awarded this year's Baltic Assembly Prize in Literature, the Seimas of Lithuania said on Friday.

Jonynas was nominated for his collection of sonnets "Naujieji Sonetai".

Estonian Peeter Laurits was awarded for his outstanding and versatile work as an artist and for his project "Biotoopia", and Latvian Arnolds Laimonis Klotins was awarded for his monographs "Music in Post-war Stalinism: Latvian Music Life and Creativity 1944-1953" and "Music in Exodus: Latvian Musical Life and Creative Work in Post-war Europe 1944-1951".

This award ceremony will take place during the 42nd Session of the Baltic Assembly in Tallinn on November 23 – 24.

Established on November 8, 1991, the Baltic Assembly is an international organization for cooperation among the parliaments of the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Latvia and the Republic of Lithuania.

The Baltic Assembly Prize aims to support outstanding achievements in literature, the arts and science in the Baltic states.

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Lithuanian formin, Latvian parlt speaker discuss Ukraine support, Russia sanctions

VILNIUS, Oct 06, BNS – Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis met with Daiga Mierina, the new speaker of the Latvian parliament, in Vilnius on Friday to discuss support for Ukraine and the importance of tightening sanctions against Russia.

The meeting also covered the security situation in the region, cooperation between Lithuania and Latvia in the Rail Baltica project, and the situation of irregular migrants on Latvia's border with Belarus, the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry said in a press release.

"I do not doubt that we will continue deepening our close cooperation. We will pay constant attention to the security of the Baltic region, which we ensure together with NATO partners, and we will continue to strengthen and mobilize support to Ukraine. Ukraine's victory in the war launched by Russia is necessary for the Ukrainians and all of us," it quoted Landsbergis as saying.

"The security of Lithuania and Latvia, and the security of the entire region, depends on Ukraine’s victory," he said.

Landsbergis congratulated Mierina on her election and "wished her the best of luck in her new position and welcomed the intensive and warm relations between Lithuania and Latvia", according to the press release.

Mierina met with her Lithuanian counterpart, Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen, earlier on Friday.

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Lithuanian president was unaware of army chief's Russian studies during nomination phase

VILNIUS, Oct 06, BNS – Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda was not aware during the nomination phase of the fact that Chief of Defense General Valdemaras Rupsys had studied in Russia, the presidential office says.

However, the president's opinion of the general is based on his service to Lithuania.

"The Defense Ministry did not provide this information when nominating him to the president. The president was informed about Rupsys' studies later," the presidential office told BNS. "The president's opinion of the chief of defense is based on more than 30 years of Rupsys' service to Lithuania."

Rupsys was nominated for chief of defense in 2019 by the then Defense Minister Raimundas Karoblis. Later, Nauseda presented him as a candidate to the Seimas, and the latter gave its final approval.

Rupsys had concealed the fact that he studied at the Novocherkassk Higher Military School in 1985-1989, the Alfa news website reports.

Laurynas Kasciunas, chairman of the parliamentary Committee on National Security and Defense, also says he was not unaware of this fact.

"In 2019, when the procedure for the appointment of the chief of defense was underway, the committee considered him, but we were not aware of such a fact, and there was no such fact mentioned in the resume," the MP told BNS. "I think such a fact should have been mentioned. I really don't think it would have affected the outcome of the vote, but there should be no grey areas in the biographies of people in such positions because it can make them vulnerable."

The army says Rupsys never graduated from the Novocherkassk Higher School and left it by his own choice.

Without naming anyone specifically, Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas posted on his Facebook account that the people who built the Lithuanian national defense system in the 1990s are now being unfairly vilified by those who do not understand the circumstances of the time.

Rupsys, as an army officer, gave his oath of allegiance to the State of Lithuania on November 11, 1990, when he joined the National Defense System. At that time, Lithuania had not yet received international recognition after it restored independence.

According to the Constitution, the chief of defense is appointed and dismissed by the president with parliamentary approval.

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Lithuanian leader urges EU to find legal ways to use frozen Russian funds for Ukraine

VILNIUS, Oct 06, BNS – Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda urged EU leaders in Granada on Friday to find legal solutions for the use of frozen Russian funds for the reconstruction of Ukraine.

Speaking at an informal EU summit, Nauseda also emphasized that support for Ukraine should remain at the top of the bloc’s priority list, his office said in a press release.

"Our prompt and effective military support for Ukraine is the straightest path to victory and peace. In co-ordination with our transatlantic partners, we have to give Ukrainians everything they need to fight against the aggressor. To help Ukraine, we need to be strong ourselves and our defense industry must be fully operational," it quoted the president as saying.

The Lithuanian leader also stressed the importance of EU enlargement, urging decisions to begin negotiations with candidate countries by the end of this year.

"EU enlargement is an opportunity to unite the continent. It should not become hostage to institutional issues. Given the geopolitical importance of the EU enlargement process, we need to take decisions on EU enlargement first, and only then talk about institutional reforms," Nauseda said.

"Ukraine, Moldova, and other countries have to make progress in implementing the reforms and the European Commission's recommendations. We need to properly evaluate this progress and take decisions on the opening of negotiations later this year," he said.

Politico reported this week that the EU "is gearing up to open negotiations with Ukraine on its future accession to the bloc with a formal announcement expected as soon as December".

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Lithuania's Klaipeda plans to restrict ship traffic as storm looms

VILNIUS, Oct 06, BNS – Lithuania's seaport of Klaipeda plans to restrict ship traffic as a storm is set to arrive over the weekend, brining winds of 28-30 meters per second at the seaside.

"There's a threat in the harbour that (the wind - BNS) could tear off mooring lines. The consequences of this are unpredictable as it can even throw (ships - BNS) to the other side of the Smiltyne. To avoid this, we warn them to anchor, and the other thing is that t tugboats in the port are also on standby", the seaport's Captain Vladas Motiejunas told the public radio LRT on Friday.

Strong winds also forced Klaipeda to restrict ship traffic on Thursday from 11 a.m. to midnight.

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Oct 10 2023

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