LITHUANIA DAILY NEWS BULLETIN, December 27, 2023

LITHUANIA DAILY NEWS BULLETIN

IN THIS ISSUE:

Two irregular migrants turned away on Lithuania's border with Belarus
Kaunas branch of Migration Department resumes operations
First passenger train on reopened Vilnius-Riga route departs from Lithuanian capital
Lithuanian president: Russia's ability to threaten NATO to depend on West's Kyiv support
Lithuania reports 90 new COVID-19 cases, one death
Linkevicius appointed Lithuania's ambassador to Sweden
Lithuanian transpmin: passenger train link to Tallinn depends on Latvia-Estonia agreement
Lithuanian economists at odds on defense tax idea - BNS REVIEW
E-cigarette resellers in Lithuania face fines, confiscation of goods
Lithuanian govt plans to turn to top court over ban on promoting LGBTIQ family concept
Lithuania completes construction of Migrant Multifunctional Center in Pabrade
Lithuania approves plan for marking 20th anniversary of NATO, EU membership
Lithuania to mark 2024 as year of diplomats Lozoraitis with Pantheon concert, events in US
Cold, COVID-19 cases decline in Lithuania
Lithuanian Education Teacher’s Award goes to principal of school in Ireland
Lithuanian, Latvian PMs discuss regional security, support for Ukraine
Upcoming events in Lithuania for Thursday, December 28, 2023

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

VILNIUS, Dec 27, BNS – Lithuanian border guards have in the past 24 hours turned away two migrants attempting to cross into the country from Belarus illegally, the State Border Guard Service (SBGS) said on Wednesday morning.

Latvia reported no attempts at illegal border crossings on Tuesday, and nine irregular migrants were not allowed into Poland on Monday, according to the latest available information.

More than 2,500 irregular migrants have been barred from entering Lithuania from Belarus at non-designated places so far this year.

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

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

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

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Kaunas branch of Migration Department resumes operations

VILNIUS, Dec 27, BNS – The Migration Department's branch in Kaunas is resuming its work after a fire broke out in its premises, but it will operate in a new location – at 4 Sv. Gertrudos street.

It is also the location of the Pension Department of the Kaunas Branch Center of the State Social Insurance Fund Board.

The Kaunas branch of the Migration Department, which will be housed in temporary premises, will not be fully operational for the time being due to space constraints, with a total of 15 customer service points to be opened.

It is expected that this will allow to serve about 300 Lithuanian citizens and foreigners per working day.

Before the fire, the customer service department at 57 A. Juozapaviciaus street used to receive around 600 people a day.

It is expected that the Kaunas branch of the Migration Department will be fully operational in January next year.

A fire broke out in the Kaunas customer service department last week and is being investigated by fire experts. Damages are being assessed.

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First passenger train on reopened Vilnius-Riga route departs from Lithuanian capital

VILNIUS, Dec 27, BNS – The first train of the reopened Vilnius-Riga direct route of LTG Link, the passenger arm of Lietuvos Gelezinkeliai (Lithuanian Railways, LTG), Lithuania's state-owned railway company, departed from Vilnius Railway Station on Wednesday morning fully packed.

Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte and Transport Minister Marius Skuodis also took the first train to the Latvian capital. In Riga, they will meet their Latvian counterparts, Prime Minister Evika Silina and Transport Minister Kaspars Briskens.

According to Simonyte, the Vilnius-Riga train will be a complementary alternative for traveling to the Latvian capital, while rail travel is a "European habit".

"Many of us have probably tried different ways of traveling between Vilnius and Riga – we have flown by plane, driven by car, taken the bus. Now these options will be complemented by perhaps the most sustainable way of traveling, which is by rail," Simonyte told a presentation of the route at Vilnius Railway Station on early Wednesday morning.

Transport Minister Skuodis pointed out the Vilnius-Riga passenger train stopping in a town like Joniskis is also part of regional policy. He hopes that in the future this route will be complemented by a connection to Tallinn, and that there will be more routes to the neighboring country.

"We will need to extend the train from Riga to Tallinn, and we really want to do that, and we will need further steps by the three countries. I very much hope that we will have ... not only a train to Riga, but also a simultaneous train from Riga to make traveling even more convenient", Skuodis said.

"What we will also need is a connection via Daugavpils so that we can easily reach Latvia's largest city," the minister added.

LTG CEO Egidijus Lazauskas said that in Lithuania, the reopened route between Vilnius and Riga will be subsidized by the state budget, while in Latvia it will be operated commercially.

Direct trains to Riga will run daily, leaving Vilnius for Riga in the morning, at 6.30 a.m., and returning in the afternoon. It will take just over 4 hours to get from Vilnius to Riga by train, which will be similar to a car trip.

The train will stop in Kaisiadorys, Siauliai and Joniskis in Lithuania, and Jelgava in Latvia.

A ticket to Riga costs 24 euros, or 34 euros in a first-class carriage.

In mid-December, LTG Link received a safety certificate from the European Union Agency for Railways for its operations in Latvia, allowing it to carry passengers in the neighboring country.

Skuodis has said that the train between Vilnius and Riga is one of the most important rail transport projects of the year for him personally.

Previously, a direct train between Vilnius and Riga ran until January 2004. From September 2018 until March 2020, the start of the coronavirus pandemic, Vilnius and Riga were connected by a Ukrainian railway train running between Kyiv and the Latvian capital. According to LTG, Vilnius and Riga were also connected by longer train routes from other national carriers on an occasional basis.

The train route between Vilnius and Riga was agreed by the transport ministers of the three Baltic States in October. It is expected to be extended to Tallinn in the future.

By Giedrius Gaidamavičius

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Lithuanian president: Russia's ability to threaten NATO to depend on West's Kyiv support

VILNIUS, Dec 27, BNS – Russia's ability to rebuild its forces and pose a real threat to NATO will depend on the course of the war in Ukraine and on how actively the West maintains its support for the country, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda has said.

Commenting on the recent political debate that Russia could rebuild its capabilities and attack NATO amid stalling Western military support to Ukraine, he said that in a scenario favorable to Moscow, Russia could be ready to pose a real threat to the Alliance within five years.

"I think this is just a desire to create a debate on a level playing field – nobody has a definitive answer as to when Russia's behavior might change and when it might turn its sights towards NATO. This will depend very much on the scenario of the war in Ukraine. And if Russia continues to fail to break the trend in its favor, they will of course be stuck for a longer period of time and will simply be incapable of fighting on multiple fronts," Nauseda said in an interview with TV3 broadcast on Monday.

According to him, "this could happen" if the West suddenly turns away from Ukraine and stops providing it with the support it needs.

"But the likelihood of such a scenario is very low," the Lithuanian leader stressed.

“We are talking about a period of time during which Russia could, as it imagines, achieve a breakthrough in the war in Ukraine and turn its face towards NATO after mobilizing its resources. And that could be a five-year period".

Lithuanian intelligence projected in the spring that Moscow could do this in the next five to ten years. However, Kestutis Budrys, chief national security adviser to Nauseda, said that if Russia increases its military spending, its capabilities could be restored more quickly.

Recently, Lithuania’s top diplomat Gabrielius Landsbergis has also publicly called for preparing for a scenario where Russia is not stopped in Ukraine and will continue its fight against NATO countries, underlining the need for immediate strategic decisions to bolster the country's security.

Politicians are discussing the idea of universal conscription, as well as the possibility of introducing a separate tax to accelerate the financing of defense.

By Ignas Jačauskas

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Lithuania reports 90 new COVID-19 cases, one death

VILNIUS, Dec 27, BNS – Lithuania has recorded 90 new coronavirus infections and one death from COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, official statistics showed on Wednesday morning.

The 14-day primary infection rate has reached 356.7 cases per 100,000 people, with the seven-day percentage of positive tests at 28.9 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 1.38 million people in Lithuania have tested positive for COVID-19 at least once.

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

Two-thirds of the country's population have received at least one coronavirus vaccine jab so far, according to the statistics.

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Linkevicius appointed Lithuania's ambassador to Sweden

VILNIUS, Dec 27, BNS – Former Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius has been appointed as Lithuania’s Ambassador to Sweden after a cooling-off period of almost three years.

President Gitanas Nauseda signed a decree on this appointment on December 19.

According to the decree, Linkevicius will take up his new duties on January 15.

Linkevicius served as Lithuania's foreign minister for two consecutive terms from 2012 to 2020.

Following the Seimas election, he returned to the diplomatic service in January 2021 and was appointed an ambassador-at-large.

In the same year, there were plans to appoint Linkevicius as Lithuania's Ambassador to the US, but President Nauseda stated at the time he did not see the possibility of appointing the former foreign and defense ministers as ambassadors to Washington and Brussels as they needed a period of "political cooling-off".

In mid-September, the president said that Linkevicius had already "cooled off" enough to head an embassy.

The position of Lithuania's ambassador in Sweden has been vacant since August 31 when Giedrius Cekuolis left his post.

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

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Lithuanian transpmin: passenger train link to Tallinn depends on Latvia-Estonia agreement

VILNIUS, Dec 27, BNS – The extension to Tallinn of the passenger train service between Vilnius and Riga, launched on Wednesday, depends on agreements between Latvian and Estonian officials, Transport Minister Marius Skuodis has said.

According to him, Latvia and Estonia are currently negotiating a link between Riga and the Estonian city of Tartu, to which the Vilnius-Riga train timetable could be adapted.

"It is very difficult for me to speak about projects that I do not have much direct influence on, because the Estonians and Latvians have to agree first," Skuodis told reporters in Vilnius on Wednesday, answering a question on whether a passenger train between Vilnius and Tallinn could be launched in the current term of government.

"Negotiations are already underway for a link between Riga and Tartu, and we have that [rail] link from Tartu to Tallinn. If the connection between Riga and Tartu is made, I think we will be able to adjust the timetables [to the Vilnius-Riga route]," the minister said.

Skuodis could not say whether the Riga-Tartu passenger train would be a continuation of the Vilnius-Riga route or a separate route: "It would depend on how we agree.”

Meanwhile, the passenger train link with the Latvian city of Daugavpils, which is being considered, will depend on how Lithuania and Latvia manage to resolve the rolling stock shortage, he said.

"For us in Lithuania, the main challenge is rolling stock, so that we have the trains. The trains are currently being produced. The same challenge is on the Latvian side," Skuodis said.

"It depends on which country will have spare capacity to run the 20 kilometers [between Turmantas and Daugavpils] to one or the other country so that passengers could change trains. And soon I hope that we will have a direct connection," the transport minister noted.

Early this year, the ministers of the three Baltic countries agreed on possibilities of launching passenger train services between Vilnius, Riga and Tallinn before the completion of the European standard-gauge railway Rail Baltica.

The first train of the reopened Vilnius-Riga direct route of LTG Link, the passenger arm of Lietuvos Gelezinkeliai (Lithuanian Railways, LTG), Lithuania's state-owned railway company, departed from Vilnius Railway Station on Wednesday morning fully packed.

The train route between Vilnius and Riga was agreed by the transport ministers of the three Baltic States in October. It is expected to be extended to Tallinn in the future.

Estonian and Latvian media reported in late October that a passenger train service between Riga and Tartu was planned to be launched in 2024.

By Giedrius Gaidamavičius

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Lithuanian economists at odds on defense tax idea - BNS REVIEW

VILNIUS, Dec 27, BNS – Most economists agree on the need to increase defense funding in Lithuania, but are at odds on the need for a separate tax.

Some experts interviewed by BNS believe that, given the high ambitions to strengthen security, defense and deterrence capabilities, borrowed funds alone cannot be relied on. Others associate the idea of a separate tax with populism and believe that the necessary funds must be raised through a common tax system.

The BNS news agency asked 16 economists and experts to assess the idea of a defense tax, which was put forward earlier this year. Five would be inclined to support it, while eight think that a separate tax is not necessary.

One more expert thinks that the levy may be debatable, while another stresses that it would only make sense if the funds collected were used transparently and for the intended purpose. Yet another expert believes that the priority is not only to have resources, but also to have strong and efficient public authorities.

"The debate on additional funding for national defense continues to show that the fundamental problem of Lithuania's tax system is not being sufficiently addressed. There is no aim to achieve a more significant increase in the ratio of government revenue to GDP," Darius Imbrasas, economist at the central Bank of Lithuania, said.

Experts in favor of introducing a separate defense tax say it would help to better prepare the country to defend itself in case of aggression. Others point out that borrowing alone is not enough, given the growing ambitions for defense funding.

If a decision to introduce such a tax is made, some experts agree that it could be implemented by increasing the rate of value added tax (VAT) and/or broadening the tax base. Others say it could be levied on the turnover of large companies.

Experts who are skeptical about the idea of a new tax say that defense funding must grow, but have doubts about imposing a higher tax burden on businesses and households. Some also call the tax idea populist, saying that politicians should decide on priorities when adopting the national budget.

By Erika Alonderytė-Kazlauskė

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E-cigarette resellers in Lithuania face fines, confiscation of goods

VILNIUS, Dec 27, BNS – Resellers of electronic cigarettes and their refill containers will face fines and confiscation of goods, the Lithuanian parliament has decided.

The respective amendments to the Code of Administrative Offences were passed last Saturday with 96 votes in favor and one abstention.

"Until now, anyone could sell e-cigarettes and their containers, and we couldn't catch them, especially when children share them with each other," said Linas Slusnys, a member of the parliamentary Commission for Addiction Prevention.

"Finally, the sale of e-cigarettes will be also regulated through this law. Just like raw tobacco, children will no longer be able to sell them," the MP said. "Preventive measures against illegal activities by adults are also put in place."

"Although it won't be easy to change certain established traditions, we as a state clearly say what we don't approve of," he added.

The amendments impose fines of 220 and 320 euros for buying tobacco or related products, including e-cigarettes, for minors and for selling them to minors in retail outlets or food service establishments. Repeat offenses would result in fines of between 320 and 580 euros.

Currently, these fines range from 30 to 280 euros.

The code was also supplemented with a new article establishing liability for the sale of e-cigarettes and or their refill containers outside retail outlets and food service establishments. This will be punishable by fines of between 220 and 580 euros.

Any of these violations will result in confiscation of tobacco products and related goods.

According to Slusnys, the amendments target those selling e-cigarettes without licenses, and resellers.

The amendments on fines, applicable to both adults and minors, were initiated by the Commission for Addiction Prevention.

Police officers have also called for higher fines on resellers, who currently face only minimum fines.

The police note that e-cigarette liquid often contains narcotic substances.

By Jūratė Skėrytė

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Lithuanian govt plans to turn to top court over ban on promoting LGBTIQ family concept

VILNIUS, Dec 27, BNS – The Lithuanian Justice Ministry is initiating a petition to the Constitutional Court over a law provision that bans disseminating among minors information "that denigrates family values" and promotes the LGBTIQ family concept.

"Today, a draft government resolution on the petition to the Constitutional Court will be submitted by the Justice Ministry to the relevant institutions for coordination," Justice Minister Ewelina Dobrowolska told BNS on Wednesday.

The move comes in response to the European Court of Human Rights' ruling in early 2023 that Lithuania violated the rights of Neringa Macate, a now deceased writer, by applying this provision.

The government proposed that the Seimas remove this provision from the Law on the Protection of Minors from Negative Effects of Public Information, but the parliament rejected the initiative in November.

"We expect to have this issue on the agenda of a Cabinet meeting in late January or early February," Dobrowolska said on Wednesday.

The Strasbourg court ruled that Lithuania violated the European Convention on Human Rights by restricting the publication of Macate's book Amber Heart.

Some legal experts say that the Constitutional Court could be asked to give its opinion on whether the legal regulation, which is still in force, discriminates against a part of society.

Meanwhile, opponents of the government's proposed amendment argue that while the current provision bans denigrating family values and promoting the LGBTIQ family concept, it does not prohibit information about it, and therefore did not need to be changed.

According to Dobrowolska, even if the Constitutional Court decides that the provision does not contradict the Constitution, the court's opinion could bring more clarity to the legal system and be used as guidance by institutions in making their decisions.

Amber Heart, a collection of fairy tales depicting same-sex relationships, was published by the Lithuanian University of Educational Sciences in 2013.

However, the university suspended the distribution of the book a few months later, citing as the reason a document from the Office of the Inspector of Journalist Ethics stating that Macate's book was harmful to children aged under 14.

The office said its position was based on existing legal regulations.

By Augustas Stankevičius

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Lithuania completes construction of Migrant Multifunctional Center in Pabrade

VILNIUS, Dec 27, BNS – Construction of a migrant multifunctional center for the accommodation of foreigners has been completed in the territory of the Foreigners’ Registration Center in Pabrade, Svencionys District, in the east of Lithuania.

"The constructed and equipped Migrant Multifunctional Center will improve the living conditions of foreigners detained and seeking asylum in Lithuania," the State Border Guard Service (SBGS) said in a press release.

The buildings, which cover an area of more than 5,000 square meters, are equipped with living rooms for migrants, a canteen, offices for social workers and psychologists, sports and recreation facilities, and prayer rooms.

The buildings, which can accommodate 462 people, are adapted for people with disabilities.

According to the data provided by the SBGS, the project "Reconstruction and Construction of the Pabrade Foreigners’ Registration Centre" was implemented over a period of four and a half years, from June 2019 to December 2023.

The total value of the project exceeds 14 million euros, including almost 13 million euros allocated from the European Neighborhood Instrument.

The project involved upgrades to the infrastructure of the Foreigners’ Registration Center in Pabrade by building a Migrant Multifunctional Center, a hostel for detained women and a reception building for foreigners.

The administrative building was also reconstructed with the addition of an extension, a technical store with police and firefighters' facilities, a canteen and two warehouses. Dog kennels were built, external utilities were installed, old buildings were demolished and the area landscaped, and the necessary equipment was purchased.

The renovated Foreigners’ Registration Center will be capable of accommodating a total of 685 foreigners.

According to the SBGS, an agency established on the basis of the Refugee Reception Center will launch operations on July 1 next year and will be the main agency responsible for the reception of migrants.

The agency will ensure that they are provided with social, accommodation and other essential services.

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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Lithuania approves plan for marking 20th anniversary of NATO, EU membership

VILNIUS, Dec 27, BNS – The government has approved a plan for marking the 20th anniversary of Lithuania's membership of NATO and the European Union next year, featuring a celebratory run, a tour for foreign journalists, a climate week, exhibitions, concerts and other events.

The plan, worked out by the Foreign Ministry, comprises 56 projects, including a Runway Run at the Lithuanian Armed Forces' air base, a concert in Vilnius, an international Baltic military conference entitled from Vilnius to Washington, a scientific conference on the 20th anniversary of Lithuania's EU membership, and a conference on EU enlargement.

The plan calls for producing and presenting a documentary on Lithuania's path to the EU, Adolfas Venskus, its first ambassador to the EU and NATO, and the country's achievements over the 20 years.

Among other ideas presented in the plan are a tour of Lithuania for NATO journalists, a climate week, a NATO Military Tattoo 2024 festival, a debate program, discussions, exhibitions, and others.

Lithuania joined the EU and NATO in 2004.

By Greta Zulonaitė

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Lithuania to mark 2024 as year of diplomats Lozoraitis with Pantheon concert, events in US

VILNIUS, Dec 27, BNS – The Lithuanian government has approved a plan for marking 2024 as the year of the Lozoraitis family of diplomats, featuring a classical music concert at the Pantheon in Rome, a documentary film, and a commemoration program in the United States.

According to the plan, the concert at the Pantheon will feature a special program by the Vilnius String Quartet to commemorate the life and work of the Lozoraitis family in Italy and the Vatican.

The plan also calls for organizing an exhibition, entitled Villa Lituania, at Rome's Museo della Civilta, and running an information campaign, including a video film and a series of lectures at Italian universities, targeting the Italian media, the academic, political and business communities, and the general public.

A documentary film is planned about the Lozoraitis family, featuring testimonies from witnesses from Lithuania, the US and Italy. The film will be screened at events held at Lithuanian diplomatic missions, the Italian parliament, during lectures at Italian universities, and on Lithuanian and Italian television.

Lithuania will also organize events in the US to present the history of the Lozoraitis family, which reflects the history of Lithuania, to the political, academic, business and cultural communities, young people, and the general public.

The program of events in Lithuania includes a Vilnius Festival concert dedicated to Stasys Lozoraitis Jr., to be hosted by the National Philharmonic Society.

The parliament has designated 2024 as the Year of the Diplomats Lozoraitis to mark the anniversaries of three prominent diplomats of the same family: Stasys Lozoraitis Sr., a Lithuanian foreign minister of the interwar period, Stasys Lozoraitis Jr., Lithuania's diplomatic representative in Washington, D.C., and Kazys Lozoraitis, Lithuania's ambassador to the Holy See.

By Greta Zulonaitė

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Cold, COVID-19 cases decline in Lithuania

VILNIUS, Dec 27, BNS – Lithuania registered a decline in the overall number of flu, acute upper respiratory infection (URI) and COVID-19 cases last week, the National Public Health Center said on Wednesday.

The overall incidence rate for flu, URI and COVID-19 stood at 1,609 cases per 10,000 inhabitants last week, down from 1,772 a week earlier and down from 1,788 at the same time last year, it said.

The lowest incidence rate was recorded in Telsiai County and the highest in Vilnius County.

Despite the overall decrease, the number of flu cases rose to 1,322 last weeks, from 970 a week earlier.

Thirty-seven people were hospitalized with flu last week, including 27 children aged under 17 years. No flu patients were treated in intensive care units.

Currently, the epidemic incidence level (more than 1500 cases per 100,000 inhabitants) has been registered in 19 out of Lithuania's municipalities, but none has declared an epidemic yet.

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Lithuanian Education Teacher’s Award goes to principal of school in Ireland

VILNIUS, Dec 27, BNS – This year's Lithuanian Education Teacher's Award has been granted to Donata Simonaitiene, principal of the Irish Lithuanian school Gintarelis and a teacher, the Education, Science and Sport Ministry said on Wednesday.

The teacher has been in charge of the Lithuanian school in Cavan, Ireland, for 15 years. She also teaches the Lithuanian language and history to older children, actively communicates with the parents of her pupils, and provides advice on bilingualism and multilingualism.

Since 2016, she has contributed significantly to the development of the Lithuanian language testing system according to the European language levels (A1-C2). In 2017-2018, Gintarelis was a testing center for Lithuanian schools in Ireland and Northern Ireland.

According to the ministry, Simonaitiene assists other Lithuanian schools abroad, is actively involved in the activities of the Irish Education Council, organizes teacher training events together with her colleagues, and is the author of the idea of the annual camp-congress for teachers from the Lithuanian schools in Ireland, and, together with her colleagues from Dublin, organizes a methodological holiday camp for Irish teachers.

Last year, the award was granted to Igor Korolyov, lecturer and head of the Center for Baltic Studies at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv.

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Lithuanian, Latvian PMs discuss regional security, support for Ukraine

VILNIUS, Dec 27, BNS – Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte met with her Latvian counterpart Evika Silina to discuss regional security, support for Ukraine and joint infrastructure projects after arriving in Riga on the first train of a new service linking the Lithuanian and Latvian capitals.

"Recognizing that failure to confront Russia's aggression would manifest in new outbreaks in Europe or other continents, Lithuania is determined to continue to provide support and urge partners to step up, particularly in the military aid," the government's press office quoted Simonyte as saying during the meeting.

Simonyte and Silina also discussed joint infrastructure projects, such as the Baltic power grids' synchronization with the continental European system and the Rail Baltica European standard-gauge railway.

The two prime ministers "highlighted the importance of further close cooperation between national electricity transmission system operators to ensure the successful synchronization by the agreed date in February 2025", according to the press release.

"In discussing Rail Baltica, it was emphasized that it goes beyond being merely a transportation link connecting the three Baltic States. It is, in fact, a vital railway line crucial for military mobility. Its timely implementation is seen as a significant contribution to enhancing regional security," it said.

The Lithuanian and Latvian prime ministers "highlighted the new railway route linking Vilnius and Riga as "a successful example of cooperation between the two countries, with benefits extending to the residents of both nations".

LTG Link, the passenger arm of Lietuvos Gelezinkeliai (Lithuanian Railways, LTG), will operate the direct service between Vilnius and Riga daily. The train will stop in Kaisiadorys, Siauliai and Joniskis in Lithuania, and Jelgava in Latvia.

The train trip between the two capitals takes around 4 hours and 15 minutes.

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Upcoming events in Lithuania for Thursday, December 28, 2023

VILNIUS, Dec 27, BNS – The following events are scheduled in Lithuania for Thursday, December 28, 2023:

PRESIDENT Gitanas Nauseda to participate in the Global Lithuanian Awards ceremony at 6 p.m.

COURTS

The Constitutional Court to pronounce at 2 p.m. its ruling on the spelling of names and surnames in Latin-based characters with diacritical marks in personal documents.

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Dec 28 2023

LITHUANIA DAILY NEWS BULLETIN

IN THIS ISSUE:

Ekspress Grupp fined EUR 140,000 for lrytas.lt acquisition infringement in Lithuania
Upcoming events in Lithuania for Thursday, December 22, 2023
Nine irregular migrants turned away on Lithuania's border with Belarus
Lithuania's competition watchdog to announce decision on lrytas.lt acquisition
President: there were no signals that Lithuania will not get ready to host German brigade
Lithuania reports 798 new COVID-19 cases, one death
Lithuania’s DefMin buying new optical sights for army for EUR 34 mln
Lithuania's Constitutional Court opens case on diacritical marks in documents
Ekspress Grupp fined EUR 140,000 for lrytas.lt acquisition infringement in Lithuania
Lithuania's FinMin turns to SSD over Yellowstone lease deal
Lithuanian journalist, philosopher, translator Drunga dies
Lithuanian president vetoes Seimas' decision to legalize use of night sights in hunting
Two Lithuanian committee chairs to go to Warsaw amid Ukraine aid shipment problems
Lithuanian president vetoes Seimas' decision to legalize use of night sights in hunting (expands)
Universal conscription, defense industry boost among Lithuania's HU-LCD's proposals
Lithuanian formin calls president's move to name ambassadorial candidates 'unacceptable'

Ekspress Grupp fined EUR 140,000 for lrytas.lt acquisition infringement in Lithuania

VILNIUS, Dec 22, BNS – Lithuania's Competition Council on Friday fined Ekspress Grupp, an Estonian media group that operates the Delfi news websites in the Baltic states, slightly more than 140,000 euros for breaking the law when it acquired the Lithuanian news website lrytas.lt.

The Council found that Ekspress Grupp violated the Law on Competition by acquiring Lrytas, the company controlling the lrytas.lt news website, without notifying the institution and obtaining its permission, if the revenue of the businesses involved in the transaction exceeds the legal thresholds.

The ruling can be appealed to the Vilnius Regional Administrative Court.

The Competition Council launched the probe in this case following a complaint by 15min.

Ekspress Grupp acquired the lrytas.lt news website through a newly-established company in Lithuania for an undisclosed value in December 2022.

Until then, the news website belonged to Lrytas, in which Big Group, controlled by Benas Gudelis, owned 36 percent, 26.5 percent belonged to Gedvydas Vainauskas, 13.2 percent belonged to Vidmantas Strimaitis, and the rest was owned by minority shareholders.

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Upcoming events in Lithuania for Thursday, December 22, 2023

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

PRESIDENT Gitanas Nauseda to attend the ceremony of handover of the Flame of Peace of Bethlehem at 11 a.m.

THE CABINET to hold a virtual sitting at 10 a.m.

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

VILNIUS, Dec 22, 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 Friday morning.

Latvia reported two attempts at illegal border crossings on Thursday, and 11 irregular migrants were not allowed into Poland on Wednesday, according to the latest available information.

More than 2,500 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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Lithuania's competition watchdog to announce decision on lrytas.lt acquisition

VILNIUS, Dec 22, BNS – The Lithuanian Competition Council will on Friday announce its decision on the deal between Ekspress Grupp, an Estonian media group that owns the delfi.lt news websites in the Baltic countries, and Lietuvos Rytas, a Lithuanian company, on the acquisition of the lrytas.lt news website in Lithuania.

The competition watchdog looked into whether the transaction was in line the law that requires the parties to notify about planned concentration and receive authorization from the Competition Council, if the revenues of the businesses involved in the transaction exceed the legal thresholds.

The procedure was launched in August on the basis of a complaint filed by the company 15min.

Last December, Ekspress Grupp acquired the lrytas.lt news website from Lietuvos Rytas through its company in Lithuania for an undisclosed value. The agreement was signed for the acquisition of 100 percent of shares in Lrytas, a subsidiary of Lietuvos Rytas, and the deal was partly financed by SEB Bank.

Big Group, controlled by Ben Gudelis, owns a 36 percent stake in Lietuvos Rytas, and Gedvydas Vainauskas and Vidmantas Strimaitis own 26.5 percent and 13.2 percent respectively. The rest belongs to minority shareholders.

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President: there were no signals that Lithuania will not get ready to host German brigade

VILNIUS, Dec 22, BNS – Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, who met with German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius a few days ago, says that there were no signals at the meeting that Lithuania would not be able to prepare to host a brigade, and that the social conditions of German soldiers are being discussed, but this does not indicate a reluctance to finance them.

"Mr. Pistorius visited Lithuania a few days ago and there were no signals that Lithuania is not able to do or will not do something. We have always been open with our partners that what is necessary militarily to host the brigade will be done by 2026," the president said in an interview published by the tv3 news portal on Thursday.

He also said that at present, it was difficult to talk about the social infrastructure for the troops who will arrive with their families because it was not known what the needs would be, and confirmed that Lithuania had asked whether these costs could be shared by both sides.

“Yes, it will cost extra money and we are saying that Lithuania will do its utmost to finance a large part of the cost, but we are only discussing and asking whether this could be done on a cost-sharing basis. This certainly does not imply that Lithuania is not willing to finance something," the president said.

Speaking about the possibility of introducing a new tax to finance defense, he said that if agreed during 2024, a defense tax could be introduced from 2025.

"We are certainly ready for discussions on a defense tax and it is possible to do it in 2024 and to have such a tax already in place in 2025," Nauseda said.

The German magazine Der Spiegel reported earlier this week that, based on a leaked cable, the deployment of a brigade poses major financial challenges to Vilnius.

According to Der Spiegel, diplomatic correspondence from the German embassy in Lithuania, obtained by the publication, shows that Lithuania is convinced that it will only have to pay for the military infrastructure and would only contribute proportionally to the cost of accommodating the German troops.

According to the cable, Vilnius does not feel responsible for building schools and kindergartens for the soldiers’ families.

This information was made public after the Lithuanian and German defense ministers signed the brigade deployment roadmap on Monday as around 5,000 German troops are to be deployed in Lithuania.

The roadmap states, among other things, that the responsibilities and financial arrangements, including host nation support services as well as funding and operation will be agreed and detailed "in technical arrangements to be developed in 2024".

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Lithuania reports 798 new COVID-19 cases, one death

VILNIUS, Dec 22, BNS – Lithuania has recorded 798 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 dropped to 507.7 cases per 100,000 people, with the seven-day percentage of positive tests at 33.4 percent.

The number of new coronavirus cases hit the peak in Lithuania in early February 2022 when more than 14,000 new infections were recorded daily. Around 1.36 million people in Lithuania have tested positive for COVID-19 at least once.

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

Two-thirds of the country's population have received at least one coronavirus vaccine jab so far, according to the statistics.

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Lithuania’s DefMin buying new optical sights for army for EUR 34 mln

VILNIUS, Dec 22, BNS – The Defense Ministry is buying new Canadian-made optical sights by Raytheon Elcan Optical Technologies for the Lithuanian Armed Forces for 34 million euros.

The sights will be designed for use with the army's existing 5.56 mm and 7.62 mm caliber firearms, the ministry said in a press release on Friday.

According to the ministry, they will improve the effectiveness of the rapid-fire weaponry of the Lithuanian troops, hitting targets during the day and night, and increase the survivability of the troops. The sights are designed to shoot and hit from 300 meters and beyond.

This procurement is being carried out through the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA), which is the main procurement platform for defense authorities in Lithuania and other NATO countries.

The first sights will reach Lithuania in the summer of 2024 and the rest will be delivered by the fall of 2025.

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Lithuania's Constitutional Court opens case on diacritical marks in documents

VILNIUS, Dec 22, BNS – Lithuania's Constitutional Court on Thursday opened a case on the possibility to write personal names in Latin characters with diacritical marks in personal documents.

The court says it has started hearing the case in response to the Vilnius City District Court's request to rule whether the possibility of writing names and surnames in personal documents with diacritical marks, which is not in place right now, is in line with the Constitution.

The court will assess the provisions of the Law on the Spelling of the Name and Surname in Personal Documents as to what extend they do not allow writing the names of non-Lithuanian citizens of Lithuania using "Latin-based characters with diacritical marks in other alphabets formed on the basis of the Latin alphabet as well as in the Lithuanian alphabet".

The court has also been asked to rule on the government-adopted rules on the spelling of personal names.

The Vilnius City District Court turned to the Constitutional Court after hearing a civil case on the obligation to change the civil status record so that the name and surname of a certain non-Lithuanian citizen of Lithuanian nationality are indicated using a Latin-based character with a diacritical mark that is non-existent in the Lithuanian alphabet.

The Seimas has legalized the spelling of Lithuanian citizens' names in Latin characters without diacritical marks in documents in certain cases. The Constitutional Court has already ruled that such a procedure does not run counter to the Constitution. However, the spelling of names and surnames in personal documents with diacritical marks has not been legalized.

By Milena Andrukaitytė

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Ekspress Grupp fined EUR 140,000 for lrytas.lt acquisition infringement in Lithuania

Updated version: updates throughout

The ruling can be appealed to the Vilnius Regional Administrative Court. However, if it comes into force, Ekspress Grupp will have to apply for and obtain permission from the Competition Council for the transaction or sell its shares in the company that operates the lrytas.lt website.

Delfi CEO Vytautas Benokraitis did not comment on the Competition Council's decision on Friday.

"Delfi has nothing to do with this as this is Ekspress Grupp's business. (...) You need to talk to Ekspress Grupp as they are commenting on this decision. We continue to live as we have so far, nothing has changed for us," Benokraitis told BNS.

The Law on Competition stipulates that it is mandatory to notify the Competition Council about a planned transaction and obtain its permission if the combined total revenue of the companies involved in the concentration in the Republic of Lithuania in the last business year preceding the transaction exceeds 20 million euros, and if the total revenue of each participant in the transaction in the Republic of Lithuania exceeds 2 million euros.

Ekspress Grupp held the opinion that it was not obligated to notify the Competition Council about the concentration because the combined revenues of the transaction participants did not exceed 20 million euros.

The company argued that the revenues of Lrytas from the sale of advertising space to foreign-registered clients should not be attributed to revenues obtained in the Republic of Lithuania.

Nevertheless, according to the assessment of the Competition Council, the revenues obtained by Lrytas from foreign-registered clients should be considered as revenues obtained in the Republic of Lithuania. This is because, in calculating total revenues, it is important to consider where the competition takes place rather than the registration address of advertising space buyers. According to the experts of the Authority, competition for advertising revenues among Lithuanian online news portals occurs in the Republic of Lithuania. This is because foreign-registered buyers of advertising space through the lrytas.lt website expect to reach the audience of our country, specifically interested in Lithuanian and international news.

The Competition Council concluded that Lrytas' revenues from foreign buyers of advertising space are to be considered as revenues generated in the Republic of Lithuania, and that the total revenues of the parties to the concentration in 2022 exceeded the limit of 20 million euros provided in the legislation.

The Competition Council launched the probe in this case following a complaint by 15min.

Ekspress Grupp acquired the lrytas.lt news website through a newly-established company in Lithuania for an undisclosed value in December 2022.

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Lithuania's FinMin turns to SSD over Yellowstone lease deal

VILNIUS, Dec 22, BNS – Lithuania's Finance Ministry has asked the State Security Department for full information on the developers of the Yellowstone business center amid plans for the business center to house the European Union's new authority for countering money laundering and financing of terrorism (AMLA).

The move comes as Yellowstone's investors have not been disclosed to the public, and one of them is linked to the former Lewben company.

"We have asked for relevant information available on the company that won the tender for the lease of the premises, its related companies and beneficiaries, which could affect the compatibility with national security interests and could have a negative impact on the execution of the lease agreement for the administrative premises," the ministry told BNS.

Earlier this week, Finance Minister Gintare Skaiste said her ministry would ask competent authorities to find out the final beneficiaries of this lease deal amid growing public doubts regarding the reputational risk and other beneficiaries' ties. Once this information is received, the ministry will be able to assess the deal, she added.

She noted, however, that this would only be relevant if Lithuania won the EU competition. Lithuania is competing to host the AMLA with nine other cities, including Madrid, Paris, and Frankfurt, the minister said.

The five-year lease for Yellowstone was signed with Project RE 1 on November 27, with the option to terminate the contract if the EU Council and the Parliament decide to locate AMLA's headquarters outside Lithuania or if no decision is taken within 6 months. The decision on the host country of the new authority’s headquarters is expected in the first quarter of 2024.

The Finance Ministry did not disclose any information regarding the lease deal until this week when it made it public following media attention.

BNS reported earlier that Vilius Kavaliauskas, the founder of the Lewben Group and the largest shareholder of Noewe (former Lewben), is the final beneficiary of Project RE 1, according to the Center of Registers. However, 14 other beneficiaries –investors who are not publicly registered anywhere – do not want to disclose their identity, according to the developer.

Agnius Tamosaitis, the CEO of Project RE 1, told BNS on Monday he would disclose the names of those investors if they agreed. On Tuesday, however, he stated that due to confidentiality reasons he could not do so without their consent, adding that these are "reasonably well-known" investors whi are Lithuanian citizens.

The media has repeatedly raised questions about the Lewben group's links with various individuals from Eastern countries and the content of its services. In 2017, the State Security Department blocked the group's planned acquisition of a business center in Vilnius.

If the decision is made to base the AMLA HQ in Vilnius, Lithuania would cover the costs of renting and maintaining the building for five years, which will cost it almost 13.3 million euros.

By Roma Pakėnienė

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Lithuanian journalist, philosopher, translator Drunga dies

VILNIUS, Dec 22, BNS – Lithuanian journalist and public figure Mykolas Drunga has died at the age of 75, Vytautas Magnus University said on Friday.

Drunga was born in 1948 in Tubingen, Germany, and moved with his family to New York in 1959. He attended a private Catholic grammar school, then he graduated from the Lithuanian Institute of Education in Chicago In 1968, and then received a BA degree in philosophy from the University of Chicago in 1969.

From 1969 to 1972, he studied philosophy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, and continued his studies at the Lithuanian Institute of Education in Chicago from 1981.

Later, he taught at Lithuanian Saturday schools in Chicago and Boston, and for a number of Lithuanian publications. He was the editor The Observer, a Lithuanian-American magazine, since 1984.

Since 2004, Drunga worked at the VDU Center for Immigration Studies in Kaunas and lectured at Vytautas Magnus University.

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Lithuanian president vetoes Seimas' decision to legalize use of night sights in hunting

to be expanded

VILNIUS, Dec 22, BNS – Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda on Friday vetoed legislative amendments adopted by the Seimas last week allowing the use of night sights in hunting.

In the president’s view, the use of night sights in hunting is not necessary to achieve the objectives set out in the explanatory note to the law, such as the effectiveness of the fight against African swine fever or better preparedness for national defense.

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Two Lithuanian committee chairs to go to Warsaw amid Ukraine aid shipment problems

VILNIUS, Dec 22, BNS – The chairs of Lithuania's two parliamentary committees will travel to Warsaw next week to raise the issue of easing procedures amid complaints from Lithuanian NGOs that shipments for Ukrainian troops are stalling in Poland.

"On 28 December, (Foreign Affairs Committee chair) Zygimantas Pavilionis and I are going to meet the new chairs of the National Defense and Foreign Affairs Committees. At least politically, I will raise the issue and I will ask them to pay attention as to whether it would be possible to introduce more flexible and simpler procedures in Poland," Laurynas Kasciunas, the chair of the Committee on National Security and Defense, told BNS on Friday.

On Friday, CNSD members met with members of NGOs taking aid to Ukraine, and the latter said that bureaucratic procedures for processing permits and other documents considerably lengthen the time it takes for aid to reach its intended recipients.

Haroldas Daublys, head of the Lithuanian Riflemen's Union's support group for Ukraine, told the CNSD meeting that bureaucratic red tape is a major problem when transporting dual-use or military goods, including thermal imaging cameras, drones, communications equipment, optical devices, and personal protective equipment.

"What you can buy in the EU legally, without any controls, such as thermal imaging cameras, our authorities tend to call them military goods, not even dual-use goods, which immediately complicates the process, meaning that you have to have a pre-received transit permit to cross Poland and a special convoy from a Polish company," Daublys said, adding that convoy services are not cheap.

He gave an example when 1,000-1,500 euros were asked for the transportation of a shoebox-size box.

"We have a shipment worth 30,000 euros stuck at the Polish border for two months as we need to sort out the paperwork," he said.

Jonas Ohman, the founder of Blue/Yellow, says speed has used to be the main advantage of taking aid from Lithuania to Ukraine.

"We have now calculated that with all the added Lithuanian, Polish requirements, and also some Ukrainian restrictions, it takes a month at best to do what we could actually in theory do in a day or two," he said. "This is a totally unacceptable situation."

Some NGOs admit to have even smuggled aid because of the bureaucratic requirements.

Kasciunas says it's normal for a state to want to prevent the uncontrolled transport of military equipment, but, he added, a review of potentially excessive rules is necessary.

"We will raise this regarding any potential flexibility," the CNSD chair told BNS.

He also plans to propose appointing a coordinator in Lithuania to help aid carriers with the necessary paperwork. This could be a deputy minister or an advisor to the prime minister, he said.

"It is very important to have a one-stop shop, that is, to know who to call in advance about Polish procedures, and tell them that we are transporting this and that, that much, how the Poles will treat this and that equipment. Our economic attaché in Poland is an essential point of contact, he could navigate, so that we don't have to go and then have problems," Kasciunas said.

The volumes of aid shipped to Ukraine went up after Russia attacked Ukraine in February 2022.

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Lithuanian president vetoes Seimas' decision to legalize use of night sights in hunting (expands)

VILNIUS, Dec 22, BNS – Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda on Friday vetoed legislative amendments adopted by the Seimas last week allowing the use of night sights in hunting.

Nauseda believes that "this law contradicts the fundamental principle of lawmaking – expediency, which means that a bill should be drafted and the law adopted only if the objectives pursued cannot be achieved by any other means", according to a press release published by the presidential office.

“Moreover, the law adopted by the Seimas formulates the authorization of the use of night sights in a very broad manner, not on an individual basis but on a general basis. This means that, apart from the species of animals specified in the law and allowed to be hunted with night sights, the law does not contain any conditions restricting the use of night sights," the press release stated.

According to the president, the legalization of night sights in hunting would make it very difficult in practice to ensure control over the use of such tools, and would effectively render inapplicable the administrative and criminal liability for the illegal use of night sights in hunting.

By Augustas Stankevičius

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Universal conscription, defense industry boost among Lithuania's HU-LCD's proposals

VILNIUS, Dec 22, BNS - The presidium of the ruling Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats on Friday started discussing national defense priorities it will propose to all parliamentary parties to agree on as the region security situation deteriorates.

Drawn up by the party's Policy Committee, the plan includes proposals to introduce a model of compulsory universal conscription, give the national defense industry a boost, upgrading the army, stepping up the training of the army reserve, speeding up the creation of a division, ensuring the infrastructure for the reception of the German brigade, as well as carrying out a review of key defense-related laws.

Speaking after the committee meeting, Jonas Survila told reporters the plan has not been approved yet but there is agreement on the main directions. Once the party has approved its proposals, their package will be presented to other political forces, their proposals will be heard and agreement will be reached on their consider implementation.

"For it not to be a one-party decision by a temporary-majority, especially when it comes to those decisions that require additional funding and need to be effective, they need to be continuous and implemented," Survila said.

For his part, Mindaugas Linge, who chairs the Policy Committee, says once the priorities and objectives are set, the need for funding will become clear.

However, there are no discussions yet on how defense funding could grow in the coming years, he said.

HU-LCD leadership launched a review of defense priorities after the party's leader, Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis, sais that the existing support given to Ukraine might not be enough to win against Russia, and the latter could rebuild its capabilities for a new offensive against NATO countries within a few years. Lithuania should not be apathetic in thinking that NATO's Article 5 will protect it, he said, and called for strategic changes in the country's defense.

By Jūratė Skėrytė

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Lithuanian formin calls president's move to name ambassadorial candidates 'unacceptable'

VILNIUS, Dec 22, BNS – As Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda has disclosed the names of the considered candidates for the position of ambassador in Poland, Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis says such a situation is unacceptable and undermines foreign partners' confidence in Lithuania.

His comment came in response to Nauseda's interview with the TV3 television when he disclosed that Kestutis Kudzmanas and Petras Zapolskas had been considered for the position.

"For the time being, we are looking into the situation. It is not acceptable as the exposure of people, real or alleged, in public is unequivocally harmful," Landsbergis told the Lietuvos Rytas TV on Friday.

As the presidential office, the Foreign Ministry and the ruling majority are embroiled in public debate on the stalling appointment of the country's ambassador to Lithuania, Nauseda told the TV3 television on Thursday he wanted answers as to why the ministry's prior competition for the country's ambassador to Poland had been deemed invalid.

"I would like answers to the questions why he was not suitable. Whether because of his professional competences or other things since Petras Zapolskas speaks Polish and has worked at other embassies, as well as Mr Kudzmanas," Nauseda said.

Landsbergis believes people taking part in competitions for diplomatic appointments or even being considered should not be named in public because of legal restrictions, "even if there's no restricted-use label on their name".

Such disclosure of the diplomatic appointment process, he said, is to the detriment of Lithuania internationally as well.

"I would like to say that our partners we are talking about have their own embassies, they have ambassadors in place who certainly write memos, press reviews and send back to the capitals where all our discussions are discussed. This is not, I would say, a good way to defend Lithuania's interests," Landsbergis argued, adding that not only the appointment of the country's ambassador to Poland is problematic.

Lithuania has "three embassies flashing red", meaning that they do not have ambassadors, Landsbergis said, and, according to the existing practice, the nomination process is started at least a year before the expiry of the incumbent diplomat's term of office.

According to the foreign minister, there are currently 14 diplomats who have been waiting for "signals of approval, in particular from the president" since October.

Lithuania's Ambassador to Poland Eduardas Borisovas was recalled on September 7 after his term expired, and the embassy is currently headed by Minister Plenipotentiary Audrone Markeviciene.

By Ignas Jačauskas

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Dec 28 2023

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