LITHUANIA DAILY NEWS BULLETIN

IN THIS ISSUE:

1. Upcoming events in Lithuania for Friday, May 23, 2025
2. Lithuania turns away 11 irregular migrant on border with Belarus
3. Lithuanian PM to talk EU integration, regional security during Moldova visit
4. Remaining brigade troops will arrive as soon as infrastructure's ready – German army chief
5. President Nauseda remains most popular politician in Lithuania as PM's popularity drops - LIETUVOS RYTAS/VILMORUS POLL
6. Democrats "For Lithuania" see their popularity rise, Nemunas Dawn's rating down - LIETUVOS RYTAS/VILMORUS POLL
7. Air Baltic launches direct flights between Vilnius and Prague
8. Cmilyte-Nielsen calls Vaitkus' Minsk visit 'malicious activity'
9. Driver who rammed border fence with Belarus returned to Lithuania
10. Vinted improperly handled personal data, Lithuanian court rules 
11. Lithuania will no longer accept non-biometric Russian passports
12. Lithuanian PM says he believes in Moldova's European future
13. Israel apologizes for warning shots fired toward diplomats – Lithuanian president's office
14. Upcoming events in Lithuania for Monday, May 26, 2025

Upcoming events in Lithuania for Friday, May 23, 2025

VILNIUS, May 23, BNS – The following events are scheduled in Lithuania for Friday, May 23, 2025:

PRIME MINISTER Gintautas Paluckas to have a tête-à-tête meeting with Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean in Chisinau at 9.10 a.m.; to attend a bilateral meeting with Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean at 9.25 a.m., followed by a joint press conference at 10.20 a.m.; to meet with Moldovan Preisdent Maia Sandu at 111 a.m.; the prime minister's interview with Moldova's public broadcaster Moldova-1 at 12.10 p.m.; the official lunch the Moldovan prime minister at 1 p.m.; to visit Lithuania's Embassy in Chisinau at 2.40 p.m.

DEFENSE MINISTER Dovile Sakaliene to attend a meeting of the Baltic Defense Ministers' Committee (B3) in Estonia.

SOCIAL SECURITY AND LABOR MINISTER Inga Ruginiene to continue her visit to Ukraine.

INTERIOR MINISTER Vladislav Kondratovic to meet with French Ambassador to Lithuania Alix Everard at 2 p.m.

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Lithuania turns away 11 irregular migrant on border with Belarus

VILNIUS, May 23, BNS – Lithuanian border guards have turned away eleven migrant attempting to cross into the country from Belarus illegally over the past 24 hours, the State Border Guard Service (SBGS) said on Friday morning.

Latvia reported 43 illegal border crossing attempts on Thursday. Poland denied entry to 118 irregular migrants on Monday, according to the latest available information.

723 irregular migrants have been barred from entering Lithuania from Belarus at non-designated places so far this year.  A total of 1,002 irregular migrants were denied entry in 2024. 

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

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Lithuanian PM to talk EU integration, regional security during Moldova visit

VILNIUS, May 23, BNS – Lithuanian Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas is visiting Moldova on Friday and is set to meet with the country's President Maia Sandu and Prime Minister Dorin Recean.

During his meetings in Chisinau, the prime minister will express Lithuania's solidarity and support for Moldova's integration into the EU and discuss the progress of this process.

The politicians will also discuss the security situation in the region and in Europe, Lithuania's support for Moldova's resilience and the implementation of the Euro-integration agenda.

During his visit, Paluckas will also visit the Lithuanian Embassy in Chisinau.

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Remaining brigade troops will arrive as soon as infrastructure's ready – German army chief

VILNIUS, May 23, BNS - The remaining German brigade troops are ready to come to Lithuania and will be sent as soon as the necessary infrastructure is in place, Germany's Chief of Defense Minister Dovile Sakaliene General Carsten Breuer told the Lithuanian public broadcaster LRT's Dienos Tema (The Topic of the Day) on Thursday.

"We have our troops here, and also there are ready troops in Germany who are also part of the brigade. As soon as the infrastructure is ready, we will be able to send the rest of the brigade. Everything is going well," Breuer said.

Being involved in a project of this size, where a brigade has to be built from scratch outside Germany, poses all sorts of unpredictable challenges, he pointed out.

"But we have a plan in place and everything is going as planned. We know what we have to do," the German army chief said.

For his part, Lithuanian Chief of Defense General Raimundas Vaiksnoras says that Lithuania's growing defense budget would certainly "help speed up some processes". The plan to establish the German brigade is solid and feasible, he said, but its planned deployment in 2027 "requires us to be determined to do our homework".

As BNS reported earlier, the German 45th Armored Brigade "Lithuania" was officially inaugurated in the Cathedral Square in central Vilnius on Thursday. On April 1, it reached its full staff capacity. Currently, 500 German troops are serving in Lithuania, and the brigade is expected to reach it full combat capability with 5,000 troops and civilians and all the necessary equipment and supplies in 2027.

Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovile Sakaliene says that 1,500 German Brigade troops should be in service by the end of the year, and at least 2,000 next year.

The decision to permanently relocate a brigade to Lithuania was made in 2023. This is the first German army brigade to be permanently deployed outside the country.

Lithuania and Germany have been actively cooperating in the field of defense since 2017 when Germany took the lead of the NATO battalion deployed in Lithuania. In April 2024, the German brigade's initial command element arrived in Lithuania, responsible for planning the brigade's redeployment.

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President Nauseda remains most popular politician in Lithuania as PM's popularity drops - LIETUVOS RYTAS/VILMORUS POLL

VILNIUS, May 23, BNS - President Gitanas Nauseda remains the most popular politician in Lithuania, while trust in Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas, leader of the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party, drops, according to the latest Vilmorus survey for the Lietuvos Rytas daily, published on Friday.

According to the survey, 63.7 percent of respondents had a favorable opinion of Nauseda in May. Compared to April, this indicator remained almost unchanged as 64.1 percent had such an opinion in April.

18.2 percent had a negative opinion of the president.

Meanwhile, Paluckas' positive assessment went down by four percentage points to 43.7 percent in May, from 48.4 percent in April.

In May, 29.8 percent had an unfavorable opinion of the prime minister's performance, up from 26.3 percent in April.

Nevertheless, Paluckas ranks third among the most highly rated politicians in Lithuania.

"It is always more difficult for a prime minister to maintain his popularity," Vilmorus director Vladas Gaidys told BNS.

Speaker of the Seimas Saulius Skvernelis, leader of the Democrats "For Lithuania", part of the ruling bloc in Lithuania, comes in second in the popularity ranking. In May, 52.2 percent had a favorable opinion of him, up from 51.7 percent in April, and 23.6 percent rated him negatively, down from 29.2 percent in April).

This is Skvernelis' best result since 2018 when he was prime minister, Gaidys pointed out.

Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen, leader of the opposition Liberal Movement, moved up to fourth place in the rankings. In May, 39 percent had a favorable opinion of her, up from 36.6 percent in April. Moreover, the number of those who had a positive opinion of her was higher than those who had a negative opinion.

According to Gaidys, six members of the government have a positive balance. They include Social Security and Labor Minister Inga Ruginiene Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys, Culture Minister Sarunas Birutis, Economy and Innovation Minister Lukas Savickas, Education, Science and Sport Minister Raminta Popoviene and Transport and Communications Minister Eugenijus Sabutis.

"It is rare for ministers to have a positive balance," the Vilmorus director pointed out.

The positive rating of Laurynas Kasciunas, leader of the opposition conservative Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats, dropped slightly to 35.3 percent in May form from 37.9 percent in April. Slightly more people had a negative rather than a positive opinion of him.

33.9 percent had a favorable opinion of Defense Minister Dovile Sakaliene.

Mwanwhile, Remigijus Zemaitaitis, leader of the Nemunas Dawn party, part of the ruling bloc, is the least popular politician in Lithuania as 45.8 percent had a negative opinion of this politician, unchanged from April. The lawmaker has also lost some of the respondents who have a positive opinion of him, down to 29.8 percent, from 33.1 percent in April.

1,000 people were interviewed by Vilmorus on May 2-12.

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Democrats "For Lithuania" see their popularity rise, Nemunas Dawn's rating down - LIETUVOS RYTAS/VILMORUS POLL

VILNIUS, May 23, BNS - People in Lithuania are increasingly more positive about the Democrats "For Lithuania", part of the ruling bloc, and are also increasingly disappointed with another coalition member, the Nemunas Dawn party, according to the latest Vilmorus survey for the Lietuvos Rytas daily, published on Friday.

It shows that 11.6 percent of respondents would have voted for the Democrats at the beginning of May, compared to 9.7 percent in April, when the party was ranked fourth in terms of popularity.

The Democrats swapped places with the Nemunas Dawn party as it drooped from second to fourth place. In early May, 7.5 percent would have voted for this party, down from 11.3 percent in April.

Vilmorus director Vladas Gaidys says these changes are not accidental as they reflect a trend in public opinion.

"This is the highest result for the Democrats since they were founded. Saulius Skvernelis' party looks solid, professional and does not overly bicker, which is opposite of the Nemunas Dawn party," he told BNS.

The ruling Lithuanian Social Democratic Party remains the most popular party in Lithuania as 14.7 percent of the population would have voted for it in early May, up from 14.9 percent in April.

The opposition conservative Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats remain in the third place with 9.5 percent, a slight drop from 10.7 percent in April.

The opposition Liberal Movement moved up to the fifth place with 6.4 percent, up from 4.9 percent.

The last party to cross the 5 percent threshold is the opposition Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union as it retained the same level of popularity, at 6.1 percent, over a month.

Only 2.3 percent would have voted for other parties in early May, mostly for the Freedom Party and the National Alliance.

Gaidys points out that an increasing number of people in Lithuania do not know which party they would vote for in a general election. Their overall percentage was 41.9 percent at the beginning of this month, compared to 39.8 percent in April.

"This is probably a sign of disillusionment with the parties," Gaidys said.

1,000 people were interviewed by Vilmorus on May 2-12.

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Air Baltic launches direct flights between Vilnius and Prague

VILNIUS, May 23, BNS – Latvian carrier Air Baltic on Thursday launched direct flights between Vilnius and Prague.

The flights between the Lithuanian and Czech capitals will operate on Thursdays and Saturdays until September 27, the company said in a press release on Friday. 

"The direct flights to Prague will be significant for both business and tourism. We expect this route to become especially important in the run-up to Lithuania's presidency of the Council of the European Union, as it will help ensure convenient connections to major European capitals," Deputy Transport Minister Roderikas Ziobakas said in the press release.

Mantas Vrubliauskas, Air Baltic's vice president for network management, noted that there had been no direct flights between Vilnius and Prague for ten years.

"The launch of direct flights between Vilnius and Prague restores a long-unserved route, making travel significantly easier for the approximately 20,000 passengers annually who previously relied on connecting flights," he said. 

The Latvian airline operates more than 130 routes from Riga, Tallinn, Vilnius, Tampere and, seasonally, Gran Canaria to over 70 cities in Europe, the Middle East, North Africa and the Caucasus region.

 

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Cmilyte-Nielsen calls Vaitkus' Minsk visit 'malicious activity'

VILNIUS, May 23, BNS - Liberal MP Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen says former presidential candidate Eduard Vaitkus' recent visit to Minsk and the statements he made there constitute malicious activity.

"His statements in Belarus have nothing to do with freedom of speech, with the expression of opinion and pluralism," she told the Ziniu Radijas news radio on Friday. "This is slander, this is deliberately providing instruments to hostile forces. Not just hostile, but hostile to our country, who then actively use such narratives. This is malicious activity, without any doubt."

Vaitkus' behavior in Belarus was not an accidental act, it was deliberate, she underlined, adding that Lithuania must react to such cases.

"It is very important that democracy, guided by respect for and protection of freedom of expression, does not allow the cover of freedom of expression to be used to cover up completely different, malicious actions," Cmilyte-Nielsen said.

"It is likely that as the war against Ukraine continues and attempts are made to destabilize the situation in Lithuania and neighboring countries through hybrid means, hostile countries such as Russia and Belarus will resort to various information attacks. We need to be able to defend ourselves against them, we need to be resilient," she added.

While in Belarus, Vaitkus claimed that President Gitanas Nauseda had been elected illegally and accused Lithuania of being on a path toward destroying the Lithuanian nation and statehood.

His remarks were published by Belarus' state news agency Belta and various news websites. According to those reports, Vaitkus met with the leader of the Belaya Rus party and held a press conference.

In response, Lithuania's police launched a pre-trial investigation into aiding another state to act against Lithuania. Vaitkus declined to comment on the probe, but his lawyer, Mazvydas Misiunas, told BNS later that the purpose of Vaitkus's trip was allegedly to restore "normal cooperation" and dialogue between the two countries and their people.

Lithuania's Council for the State Awards recommended on Thursday that Vaitkus be stripped of the state awards re received from the then President Rolandas Paksas in 2004.

By Jūratė Skėrytė

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Driver who rammed border fence with Belarus returned to Lithuania

VILNIUS, May 23, BNS – Belarus on Thursday returned a Lithuanian citizen who earlier this month crossed into the neighboring country after ramming the border fence at high speed in a rented Bolt Drive vehicle.

Belarusian officers detained the man. The country's border service said he was intoxicated at the time.

Giedrius Misutis, an advisor to Lithuania's State Border Guard Service (SBGS), told BNS that Belarusian officers handed the man over to Lithuanian border guards at the Medininkai border checkpoint on Thursday.

The man was taken to the Vilnius border unit for questioning. He is facing charges under two articles of the Criminal Code: unlawful border crossing and destruction or damage of property.

The suspect was released on Thursday evening. He is required to report to police at regular intervals.  

The Bolt Drive vehicle, a Toyota Yaris Cross, is still in Belarus. The company Bolt is working to recover it.

 

 

By Ainis Gurevičius

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Vinted improperly handled personal data, Lithuanian court rules 

VILNIUS, May 23, BNS – Vinted, Europe's largest second-hand retail platform and Lithuania's first unicorn, improperly handled personal data and violated the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), a Lithuanian court has ruled.

The Regional Administrative Court on Thursday dismissed the company's appeal seeking to overturn decisions by Lithuania's State Data Protection Inspectorate (SDPI).

"The Inspectorate's decisions were based on both facts and legal norms," the court said in a press release.

It added that it found that the watchdog "acted within its competence and did not exceed the scope of the complaints." 

Following a review of complaints forwarded by France's national data protection authority, the Inspectorate concluded in February 2024 that Vinted had failed to properly handle customer requests to delete their data, failed to sufficiently and clearly explain the reasons for blocking their accounts, and failed to provide sufficient information about its data processing practices.

Vinted argued in court that it had properly assessed deletion requests and provided all necessary information, and had neither compromised user privacy nor endangered data security.

Last July, the Inspectorate fined Vinted 2.385 million euros over data protection violations following complaints from customers in France and Poland.

Vinted has challenged the fine in court, but the case is on hold until the latest ruling on personal data handling becomes final. The ruling can be appealed to the Supreme Administrative Court of Lithuania within 30 days.

 

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Lithuania will no longer accept non-biometric Russian passports

VILNIUS, May 23, BNS - Lithuania will no longer accept Russian citizens' non-biometric passports as of June 1 under a joint decree of the foreign and interior ministers, the Foreign Ministry said on Friday.

According to the document, Russian citizens' non-biometric passports will no longer be recognized as valid travel documents for entry into Lithuania. The new rules will not apply to persons transiting through Lithuanian territory by rail from the Kaliningrad region to mainland Russian territory and back.

"With this decision, we join other EU countries that have already introduced such a restriction. Soon it will be two years since we started discussions on restricting the movement of Russian special services personnel in the Schengen area. As we all know, some of the high-profile terrorist attacks in Europe have been carried out by the same GRU agents who arrived with different passports. Biometric passports make it more difficult to falsify identities, and our citizens will feel safer," Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys said.

The decision not to recognize Russian non-biometric passports is necessary in the changed geopolitical situation, Interior Minister Vladislav Kondratovic says, adding tat it’s the national security interest of the State of Lithuania.

"Non-biometric passports do not have modern security features and are easier to forge, which increases the risk of illegal use," he said.

According to Kondratovic, in exceptional cases, requests from representatives of the Russian democratic opposition, independent media outlets or members of the public to enter Lithuania with a non-biometric passport will be accepted if the purpose of their entry is in the interests of the State of Lithuania.

Non-biometric Russian documents are no longer accepted by Denmark, the Czech Republic, Estonia, France and Iceland.

Holders of such passport and a residence permit in Lithuania or another EU country will have to replace their old passports with biometric ones by December 1.

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Lithuanian PM says he believes in Moldova's European future

VILNIUS, May 23, BNS – Lithuanian Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas, who is visiting Moldova on Friday, said he believes in the country's European future despite Russia's attempts to disrupt Chisinau's political course.

"Lithuania believes in Moldova's European future and will continue to provide the political, expert and technical assistance needed to implement reforms and build resilience," the government quoted Paluckas as saying in a press release.

"Despite Russia's interference and the broad spectrum of hybrid actions targeting Moldova, the country is making steady progress toward EU membership – a path chosen by its people," he said. 

According to Paluckas, the project of a peaceful, united and secure Europe cannot be fulfilled without the full-fledged EU membership of Moldova, Ukraine and the Western Balkan states.

He stressed the importance of these countries maintaining an ambitious reform pace, with a strong focus on quality and long-term sustainability.

In Chisinau, Paluckas met with Moldovan President Maia Sandu and Prime Minister Dorin Recean.

The meetings covered Moldova's progress toward EU integration, the security situation in the region and in Europe, Lithuania's support for strengthening Moldova's resilience and advancing its European agenda, bilateral cooperation and other current issues.

As part of efforts to help boost Moldova's security, Lithuania handed over 100 FPV drones to the country.

The officials also discussed "which forms of Lithuanian support are currently most relevant to ensuring Moldova's smooth and accelerated European integration," according to the press release.

"Lithuania remains committed to supporting the reform of Moldova's energy sector and the diversification of its energy sources," the government said.

Other topics included Lithuania's support for Moldova in countering Russian disinformation, as well as economic relations between the two countries and regional developments.

 

By Saulius Jakučionis

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Israel apologizes for warning shots fired toward diplomats – Lithuanian president's office

VILNIUS, May 23, BNS – Israel has apologized for this week's incident in which its forces fired warning shots in the direction of foreign diplomats, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda's office said on Friday.

"Lithuania expressed its firm position that Israel must ensure the safety of diplomats, urged a thorough investigation of the incident and called for the results to be shared," the office said in its response to an inquiry by BNS.

"Through diplomatic channels, Lithuania received an apology from the Israeli side, along with assurances that an investigation is underway and that Lithuania will be informed of its outcome," it added.

The Lithuanian Foreign Ministry has called for the incident to be investigated without delay.

Lithuania's top diplomat, Kestutis Budrys, described the incident as "irresponsible" and said it raised "questions about accountability". 

The incident occurred on Wednesday when Israeli forces fired warning shots toward a group of foreign diplomats, including the head of Lithuania's office in Palestine, in Jenin.

The Israeli military said its troops fired the shots after the diplomats deviated from their approved route during their visit to the occupied West Bank city.

The military said no injuries had been reported and expressed “regret for the inconvenience caused.”

The Lithuanian diplomat, who was in the delegation visiting the Jenin refugee camp, was unharmed. 

Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas called the incident "completely unacceptable."

 

By Paulius Perminas, Vilmantas Venckūnas

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Upcoming events in Lithuania for Monday, May 26, 2025

VILNIUS, May 23, BNS – The following events are scheduled in Lithuania for Monday, May 26, 2025:

EUROPEAN COMMISSIONER for Internal Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner to visit Lithuania. 

INTERIOR MINISTER Vladislav Kondratovic to meet with Brunner at 3 p.m. 

 

 

 

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LITHUANIA DAILY NEWS BULLETIN

IN THIS ISSUE:

1. Upcoming events in Lithuania for Thursday, May 22, 2025
2. Lithuania records no illegal border crossings from Belarus
3. Merz to visit Lithuania for German brigade inauguration
4. NATO mission in Baltic Sea has positive effect – Lithuanian defense chief
5. Lithuanian defense minister to meet with Baltic counterparts in Estonia 
6. Russian foundation money recipients to face legal scrutiny – Lithuanian intel chief
7. Lithuania's army chief urges people unwilling to live near troops to be more civic
8. Lithuanian intel chief urges revival of proposal to criminalize subversive activity
9. Lithuanian PM calls brigade inauguration 'baptism' of defense cooperation with Germany
10. Lithuania's complaint to top UN court keeps migration issue on political agenda – PM
11. Lithuanian PM calls West Bank incident involving diplomats 'absolutely unacceptable'
12. Lithuanian-owned ASG, its Latvian partner to invest up to EUR 600 mln in SAF plant 
13. Lithuanian MPs accept property tax amendments for further debate
14. Lithuanians can count on Germany – Merz in Vilnius
15. Lithuanians can count on Germany – Merz in Vilnius (expands)
16. West Bank incident involving diplomats raises accountability issues – Lithuanian FM
17. Talks on Ukraine will take time, Merz says as Nauseda calls for tougher sanctions
18. German chancellor, in Vilnius, condemns 'heinous' attack on Israeli embassy staffers  
19. Lithuanian president calls on Russia not to use Zapad drills to further fuel tensions
20. Historic day for Lithuania and Germany: German brigade inaugurated in Vilnius
21. Merz in Vilnius: 'We're taking defense of NATO's eastern flank into our hands' 
22. European Commission OKs national stadium project in Vilnius (further expands)
23. Lithuania, 8 other EU countries call for stronger civil protection and preparedness
24. Lithuania's Krepsta to join AMLA's Executive Board, to be replaced by Ruzgys
25. Upcoming events in Lithuania for Friday, May 23, 2025

Upcoming events in Lithuania for Thursday, May 22, 2025

VILNIUS, May 22, BNS – The following events are scheduled in Lithuania for Thursday, May 22, 2025:

PRESIDENT Gitanas Nauseda to meet with German Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz at 11.30 a.m., followed by their joint press conference at 12.10 p.m.; the president and the German chancellor to partake in the inauguration of the German 45th Armored Brigade, also know as Lithuania Brigade, at Cathedral Square at 2 p.m.

PRIME MINISTER Gintautas Paluckas to welcome participants of an international conference on integration and inclusion at 9 a.m.; to attend a formal lunch at the invitation of German Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz at 12.30 p.m.; to attend the inauguration of the German 45th Armored Brigade, also know as Lithuania Brigade, at Cathedral Square at 2 p.m.

SOCIAL SECURITY AND LABOR MINISTER Inga Ruginiene to continue her visit to Ukraine.

FOREIGN MINISTER Kestutis Budrys to meet German Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz at Vilnius Airport at 9.45 a.m.; to attend the inauguration of the German 45th Armored Brigade, also know as Lithuania Brigade, at Cathedral Square at 2 p.m.

INTERIOR MINISTER Vladislav Kondratovic to attend a meting of EU ministers on building civi preparedness and resistance in Brussels.

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Lithuania records no illegal border crossings from Belarus

VILNIUS, May 22, BNS – Lithuanian border guards have recorded no attempts to cross into the country from Belarus illegally in the past 24 hours, the State Border Guard Service (SBGS) said on Thursday morning.

Latvia reported 56 illegal border crossing attempts on Wednesday. Poland denied entry to 290 irregular migrants on Tuesday, according to the latest available information.

Some 712 irregular migrants have been barred from entering Lithuania from Belarus at non-designated places so far this year. A total of 1,002 irregular migrants were denied entry in 2024. 

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

 Lithuanian border guards have blocked around 23,600 attempts by foreign nationals to cross into the country illegally from Belarus since the start of the migration crisis. 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 

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Merz to visit Lithuania for German brigade inauguration

VILNIUS, May 22, BNS – Chancellor Friedrich Merz is expected to visit Vilnius on Thursday to attend the inauguration of Germany's 45th Armored Brigade Lithuania.

Ahead of the ceremony in the capital's central Cathedral Square, the public will be able to view a military equipment display. A joint concert by German and Lithuanian military bands will follow the inauguration.

This will be Merz's first visit to Lithuania and the Baltic region as chancellor.

He will be welcomed at Vilnius Airport by Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys and will then head to the Presidential Palace for a meeting with President Gitanas Nauseda.

The two leaders are expected to discuss Lithuanian-German bilateral ties, defense cooperation, support for Ukraine and key items on the European Union agenda.

According to the Defense Ministry, the relocation of the German brigade to Lithuania is moving forward smoothly under the action plan signed in December 2023.

"The 45th German Brigade reached full headquarters capability on April 1, 2025. There are 500 German Brigade military personnel stationed in Lithuania at the moment, while the full warfighting capability of 5,000 military and civilian personnel, required equipment, gear and stocks will be reached in 2027," the ministry said in a press release.

The initial command element responsible for planning the brigade's relocation arrived in Lithuania in April 2024.  

 

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NATO mission in Baltic Sea has positive effect – Lithuanian defense chief

VILNIUS, May 22, BNS – NATO's mission in the Baltic Sea has had a positive effect, Lithuania's Chief of Defense General Raimundas Vaiksnoras said on Thursday, noting that there have been no recent reports of damage to underwater infrastructure.

"After the mission was launched, following those unfortunate incidents when a cable was cut and damage occurred at sea, the heightened vigilance has had quite a good effect. We've seen a drop in incidents. In fact, we're no longer hearing about cables being dragged or underwater infrastructure being tampered with," Vaiksnoras told LRT Radio.

"That means it's working. It shows that just as Russia has challenged us, we've challenged them back, and now they're probably thinking what to do next," he added.

NATO launched the Baltic Sentry surveillance mission in the Baltic Sea in January in response to incidents targeting underwater infrastructure in the region in recent years.

The Lithuanian chief of defense believes that the mission should be extended. 

The mission was set up amid suspicions that Russia's so-called shadow fleet was carrying out sabotage operations at sea. Security concerns were reignited last week when the sanctioned tanker Jaguar refused to comply with orders from Estonian officials in Estonia's exclusive economic zone, and a Russian fighter jet escorting the vessel violated Estonian airspace.

 

 

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Lithuanian defense minister to meet with Baltic counterparts in Estonia 

VILNIUS, May 22, BNS – Defense Minister Dovile Sakaliene will take part in a meeting of the Baltic Defense Ministers' Committee in Estonia on Thursday and Friday, the Lithuanian Defense Ministry said.

The ministers are expected to discuss the status of joint regional projects, the protection of underwater maritime infrastructure, the strengthening of European defense capabilities and industry, transatlantic ties, and support for Ukraine.

They will also discuss the agenda for the upcoming NATO summit, where one of the top priorities will be boosting defense spending.

Lithuania, along with other countries in the region, is pushing for all NATO members to commit to spending at least 3.5 percent of their gross domestic product on defense.

The Baltic countries have in recent years been most actively cooperating on officer training at the Baltic Defense College and jointly developing the Baltic Defense Line project, a set of counter-mobility measures along NATO's eastern border to reinforce the security of the Alliance's borders with Russia and Belarus.

In January, Lithuania's State Defense Council decided to aim for an additional 12 billion to 13 billion euros in defense funding by 2030, which would raise defense spending to between 5 and 6 percent of GDP.

 

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Russian foundation money recipients to face legal scrutiny – Lithuanian intel chief

VILNIUS, May 22, BNS – Individuals in Lithuania who received money from a foundation controlled by Russian intelligence services will be assessed from a legal standpoint, Remigijus Bridikis, director of the State Security Department (SSD), said on Thursday. 

"First and foremost, this is a legal matter. We can speculate all we want, but what really matters is how it will be evaluated in legal terms, and the relevant institutions are working on that," Bridikis told the Ziniu Radijas radio station.

"Some of them have already been assessed, and others are yet to be," he added.

LRT reported on Wednesday that that Russia's Foundation for the Support and Protection of the Rights of Compatriots Living Abroad, known as Pravfond, had financed the legal defense of those charged with crimes against humanity in the January 13th case and had provided money to pro-Russian individuals in Lithuania.

According to the public broadcaster, at least three lawyers practicing in Lithuania opened accounts at Russia's Sberbank to receive payments for their services. The bank has been under sanctions since 2022.

Bridikis declined to comment on any measures the SSD might be taking against these individuals.

"The variety of methods we use doesn't allow us to speak openly or publicly disclose our activities," the intelligence agency's director said. 

"When we can, we share that information. And I can assure you, we are not trying to hide anything from the public," he added.

According to Bridikis, Pravfond is designed to spread disinformation and promote pro-Russian ideology.

"It's a financing and support foundation that seeks out people who want support. Some of them are among us, living in our region, and they are unfavorably disposed toward our country," he said.

"More broadly, disinformation and psychological operations aren't going to stop. They're going to increase, because they are among the Kremlin's tools of influence," the intelligence chief said.

On Wednesday, the SSD told the 15min news website that Pravfond's activity could intensify following the opening of a new branch in Kaliningrad in the spring. The agency said it is providing decision-makers with information on the matter.

 

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Lithuania's army chief urges people unwilling to live near troops to be more civic

VILNIUS, May 22, BNS – Lithuania's Chief of Defense General Raimundas Vaiksnoras has urged citizens who do not want to live next to soldiers to be civic, and he also says residents will be consulted when considering the establishment of a brigade-size training area in southern or eastern Lithuania.

"There's probably a parallel here and other things why we have to defend ourselves, let someone defend us. Why do we need training areas in this case, let someone else train, let someone else come. Maybe it's our Lithuanian way of always looking over our shoulder, looking back, thinking that somebody will do something for us. It is not like that. Security is something we all have in common," Vaiksnoras told LRT Radio on Thursday.

"That is why we need to be maybe more civic, more statesmanlike. Yes, inconveniences can happen (...), but what I know for sure is that the Defense Ministry, the leadership, is talking to people, to municipalities, talking to mayors, and it plans to offer certain packages to improve the well-being in that area," he added.

In his words, the potential sites for a new training area are currently being analyzed.

"There will be a dialogue with the local municipality and the people, and we will try to meet their wishes and expectations, … so that we have a win-win situation and both sides will benefit," Vaiksnoras said.

"Freedom and independence come at a cost, so maybe we have to cut our personal things a little somewhere. (...) Everything we are doing now or will do in the near future will have affect on our future generations," the army chief said.

As BNS reported earlier, Lithuania is looking for a site for the new training area in response to the growing number of allied troops in Lithuania, the rising number of conscripts and reserves and the acquisition of new military equipment. The new site would need a territory of 20,000 ha and it would be the largest training area in Lithuania.

By Giedrius Gaidamavičius

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Lithuanian intel chief urges revival of proposal to criminalize subversive activity

VILNIUS, May 22, BNS – Remigijus Bridikis, director of the State Security Department (SSD), on Thursday called on politicians to return to a proposal first floated by Lithuanian intelligence nearly a decade ago to criminalize subversive activity.

"At the very least, we need to review the legal framework," Bridikis told the Ziniu Radijas radio station.

"These emerging threats, growing tensions and the objectives of hostile states aren't going away – they're becoming more complex. The main point we made back then was that (...) we need to look for ways to criminalize subversive activity," he added.

According to the intelligence chief, subversive activity can include spreading disinformation, organizing sabotage, and assisting a hostile state in acting against Lithuania.

"Given all that, we believe the current legal framework needs to be reviewed," he said.

The idea of criminalizing subversive activity was first publicly raised by Darius Jauniskis, the then SSD director, in 2016.

In recent years, Lithuanian and other Western agencies have observed an increase in Russian sabotage activity.

Bridikis did not comment on whether Eduardas Vaitkus, a former Lithuanian presidential candidate, recently traveled to Belarus under someone's orders, but said that "Russia and Belarus have exploited and will exploit individuals who speak out against Lithuania and the democratic values it upholds."

In Belarus, Vaitkus claimed that President Gitanas Nauseda had been elected illegally and accused Lithuania of being on a path toward destroying the Lithuanian nation and statehood.

His remarks were published by Belarus' state news agency Belta and various news websites. According to those reports, Vaitkus met with the leader of the Belaya Rus party and held a press conference.

Following the trip, police launched a pre-trial investigation on suspicion of aiding a foreign state in acting against Lithuania.

 

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Lithuanian PM calls brigade inauguration 'baptism' of defense cooperation with Germany

VILNIUS, May 22, BNS – As preparations are underway for the inauguration of the German 45th Armored Brigade, also know as Lithuania Brigade, in Cathedral Square in central Vilnius on Thursday, Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas says it's a special day reflecting Lithuanian-German cooperation.

"Today is certainly an exceptional day and the baptism of our common defense commitments with Germany," the prime minister told reporters at the Seimas on Thursday.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Defense Minister Boris Pistorius will also attend Thursday's inauguration ceremony.

According to the prime minister, he expects to discuss defense and economic cooperation and the Rail Baltica project with Merz.

"Our cooperation is taking place not only in the area of defense, but is also happening in the area of economy, and we will certainly talk to the chancellor about German investments and German support in the European corridors to Rail Baltica and North Rail, and the latter could be connected to Rail Baltica in Finland, closing the corridor from Norway and connecting the Baltic countries," Paluckas said.

By Karolina Ambrazaitytė

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Lithuania's complaint to top UN court keeps migration issue on political agenda – PM

VILNIUS, May 22, BNS – Lithuania's complaint to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against Belarus over the migrant crisis allegedly orchestrated by the Minsk regime helps keep the issue of instrumentalized migration on the political agenda, Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas said on Thursday.  

"Such an appeal helps keep the issue of instrumentalized migration on the political agenda in discussions among countries," Paluckas told reporters. "Sometimes, things that seemed important at the time lose relevance over the years, and people forget what we are actually talking about." 

"We're talking about regimes that use migration as a weapon," he added.

According to the prime minister, the Baltic states and Poland stand out among European countries when it comes to managing illegal migration.

On Monday, Lithuania filed a case against Belarus with the ICJ over alleged breaches of the neighboring country's obligations under the UN Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air. 

According to the Foreign Ministry, Lithuania has collected evidence that confirms Minsk's direct involvement in orchestrating the migrant crisis, including an increase in flights from the Middle East and other regions arranged by Belarusian state-owned companies, along with organized visa issuance and accommodation for arriving migrants.

Once in Belarus, many migrants were allegedly escorted to the Lithuanian border by Belarusian security forces and forced to cross it illegally, often in dangerous and life-threatening conditions.

Despite repeated requests for cooperation, the ministry said, Belarusian border authorities have refused to work with Lithuanian bodies to stop illegal border crossings.

Lithuania is seeking full compensation for the damage, including the cost of building a border fence, and guarantees that such violations will not happen again.

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

According to the State Border Guard Service, Lithuanian border guards have blocked around 23,600 attempts by foreign nationals to cross into the country illegally from Belarus since the start of the migration crisis. 

Last year, Lithuania became the first country to ask the International Criminal Court to investigate alleged crimes against humanity committed by the Alexander Lukashenko regime, including forced deportations, persecution and other forms of cruel treatment that violate the core principles of international law.

The Council of Europe's Information Point for the people of Belarus is set to open in Vilnius soon.

 

By Vilmantas Venckūnas

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Lithuanian PM calls West Bank incident involving diplomats 'absolutely unacceptable'

VILNIUS, May 22, BNS – Lithuanian Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas says the recent incident in the West Bank when foreign diplomats came under Israeli fire in the West Bank is absolutely unacceptable.

"The foreign minister will probably comment more on this issue, certainly, this is absolutely unprecedented and absolutely unacceptable," the prime minister told reporters on Thursday when asked where there are plans to issue a joint statement on the incident.

On Wednesday, Lithuania's Foreign Ministry called for Israel's immediate investigation of Wednesday's incident when foreign diplomats, including a Lithuanian representative, visiting the Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank came under Israeli fire.

The Lithuanian representative was unhurt" Kristina Belikova, spokeswoman for the foreign minister, told BNS.

"Diplomatic relations have their own dynamics and they are neither broken nor improved by one incident, but I can certainly reiterate that such incidents are unprecedented and unacceptable not only for Lithuania, but also for other EU countries," the prime minister said.

The Israeli army reported earlier that troops fired warning shots on Wednesday after diplomats visiting Jenin in the occupied West Bank deviated from their approved route.

The Israeli army said in a statement that no injuries had been reported, adding that the army "regrets the inconvenience caused".

"The international reaction is unequivocal. We cannot have such things at all and Israel's policy is creating a huge humanitarian crisis, and certainly these issues are being discussed within more than one format in Europe, in the Council of Europe," Paluckas said.

By Dominykas Biržietis

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Lithuanian-owned ASG, its Latvian partner to invest up to EUR 600 mln in SAF plant 

VILNIUS, May 22, BNS – Avia Solutions Group (ASG), a Dublin-based global aviation business group controlled by Lithuanian entrepreneur Gediminas Ziemelis, and its Latvian partner Norsaf plan to invest up to 600 million euros in a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) plant in Liepaja, according to Mindaugas Rutkauskas, CEO of ASG's investment arm Vertas Management.

"Five to six hundred million euros is a rough estimate," Rutkauskas said on a Verslo Zinios podcast on Thursday. "We won't know the exact figure until we finish the design phase and complete all contractor tenders."

"The goal is to stay within 600 million euros and to optimize all work and processes so that the investment is as low as possible," he added.

Rutkauskas said the project developers plan to apply for European Union funding by April 2026.

He noted that projects of this kind typically receive 40 to 50 percent co-financing and that support from institutional investors is also expected. ASG will also contribute its own capital.

ASG and Norsaf, a cargo handling company at the port of Liepaja, announced the project in late April.

According to ASG, the SAF facility will be the largest of its kind in the region, with an annual output of 100,000 tons of fuel. The plant is expected to open in 2030. 

The EU requirement that at least 2 percent of all fuel at larger airports must be of the SAF type came into force at the start of this year. The percentage will rise to 6 percent in 2030, 20 percent in 2035 and 70 percent in 2050.

ASG says it is the largest ACMI service group in the world, with more than 250 companies and around 14,000 employees.

The Dublin-registered group holds 11 air operator certificates, enabling it to operate in more than 60 countries.

 

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Lithuanian MPs accept property tax amendments for further debate

VILNIUS, May 22, BNS – Lithuanian lawmakers on Thursday accepted the government's submitted amendments to the Law on Immovable Property Tax for further consideration with 72 votes in favor, 36 votes against and nine abstentions.

The changes will now be considered by parliamentary committee and are expected to return to the Seimas on June 10.

It was the government' second attempt to have the parliament accept the amendments after it fell short of just two votes on Tuesday for the bill to be accepted for further consideration.

Presenting the amendments, Finance Minister Rimantas Sadzius said the updated property tax model should reduce worries.

Speaking with BNS ahead of the vote, the minister said that setting the minimum tax rate too high would lead to municipalities setting any rate and not collecting any revenue into their budgets.

The current proposal is to allow municipalities to set the tax-free value of the first residential property and specific rates ranging from 0.1 percent to 1 percent, but the floor should be set at 10 000 euros per person. So far, no threshold has been proposed.

Other residential property would be taxed from 50,000 euros per person, up from 20,000 euros proposed so far) and anything above this threshold would be taxed at differentiated rates of 0.1 percent to 1 percent.

According to the minister, about 90,000 people own a second home in Lithuania, while the total number of homeowners is about 1 million.

Editor: Roma Pakėnienė

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Lithuanians can count on Germany – Merz in Vilnius

VILNIUS, May 22, BNS – Visiting German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Thursday thanked the Lithuanian government for its support in creating conditions for a German brigade to settle in the country and said that Lithuania can rely on his country.

"Dear Lithuanians, you can count on Germany," Merz told a joint press conference with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda.

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Lithuanians can count on Germany – Merz in Vilnius (expands)

Updated version: updates throughout

VILNIUS, May 22, BNS – Visiting German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Thursday thanked the Lithuanian government for its support in creating conditions for a German brigade to settle in the country and said that Lithuania can rely on his country.

"Dear Lithuanians, you can count on Germany," Merz told a joint press conference with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda.

Together with its partners, Germany is firmly committed to defending the Alliance's territory against "any aggression", Merz underlined.

"The security of our allies in the Baltic states is also our security, and we firmly support our partners in the Baltic states", the German chancellor said.

Lithuania has a close partnership with Germany, he said, but historically this cross-border trust is not taken for granted.

"The trust that we show each other today is not a matter that is taken for granted when we look from the historic perspective. Today, we are together drawing the right conclusions from the darkest part of our history, and we have drawn the right conclusions over the past decades, not only through words, but also through deeds. Today, we are allies within the North Atlantic Alliance and members of the same European family," Merz said.

According to the German chancellor, "Russia's aggressive revisionism" threatens not only Ukraine's territorial integrity, but also the common security of Europe and the Euro-Atlantic area, which is why Germany and its allies have decided to reinforce NATO's eastern flank.

"We are deploying a full brigade in Lithuania for this purpose. Together with Lithuania, we have created all the necessary conditions for this to happen at a record pace, and I would like to express my sincere gratitude to everyone who has contributed to this. I am grateful to the Lithuanian people, to the Lithuanian government, and to our troops and soldiers, who have done a truly great job," Merz underlined.

Later in the day, Merz and Nauseda will inaugurate the German 45th Armored Brigade "Lithuania" in Cathedral Square in central Vilnius.

By Saulius Jakučionis

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West Bank incident involving diplomats raises accountability issues – Lithuanian FM

VILNIUS, May 22, BNS – Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys said on Thursday that Wednesday's incident, in which foreign diplomats came under Israeli fire in the West Bank was an irresponsible act that raises serious questions about accountability.

"This incident was really serious. I watched the footage myself.  Any situation involving weapons is serious. And when they're used in the way I saw in those recordings, it's extremely irresponsible. If this was related to carrying out orders, then the way the weapons were used definitely raises major accountability issues," Lithuania's top diplomat told reporters. 

"Our expectation is that Israeli authorities will investigate the incident thoroughly, examine all the circumstances and come back with clear answers. That's the message I conveyed to the Israeli embassy today," he added.

On Wednesday, Lithuania's Foreign Ministry urged Israel to immediately investigate the incident, in which Israeli forces opened fire on diplomats visiting Jenin in the West Bank.

The Israeli military said its troops fired warning shots after the diplomats deviated from their approved route during their visit to the occupied West Bank city.

The delegation visiting the Jenin refugee camp included a Lithuanian representative. She was unharmed. 

Budrys said the security of staff at Lithuania's embassy in Israel and its office in Palestine will now be reassessed.

"If necessary, we'll take additional steps, because security is a top priority," he said.

He also noted that threats to diplomatic missions in Lithuania and abroad are continuously monitored.

Budrys' comments came after two Israeli embassy staffers were shot dead late Wednesday outside a Jewish museum in Washington, D.C., by a gunman who shouted "free Palestine."

"After this attack and the tragic deaths of the two Israeli embassy staffers, we haven't revised our own threat assessments yet. We understand that tensions are rising in more than one country, and this is another reminder that these issues need to be addressed," the minister said.

 

By Paulius Perminas

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Talks on Ukraine will take time, Merz says as Nauseda calls for tougher sanctions

VILNIUS, May 22, BNS - German Chancellor Friedrich Merz believes that Ukraine peace talks will be protracted as Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda calls for event tighter sanctions against Russia again by introducing more restrictions on banks and energy companies.

"We want to use all possibilities to find a diplomatic solution, but I don't think we will reach that solution in the near future," Merz told joint press conference with Nauseda in Vilnius on Thursday. "That is why we will continue to support Ukraine, and we will continue to provide military support to Ukraine."

Peace talks could last "weeks or months", the German chancellor said, adding that European leaders will continue their talks with the United States in order to take a united stance in putting pressure on Russia.

For his part, Nauseda called on the EU to adopt its 18th package of sanctions against Russia.

"It must target all major Russian oil and gas producers, (...) it must include the de-SWIFTing of all Russian banks, and it must also include sanctions against Rosatom, starting with a ban on uranium imports and moving on to individual sanctions against Rosatom executives, or against Rosatom companies, and against any new future contracts with Rosatom," the Lithuanian president said.

"I do understand that this will again collide with the interests of certain states, but we have to understand that peace is something that has to be a strategic and overriding interest for all of us, and that sometimes individual interests of certain states can be sacrificed in the name of peace," he added.

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German chancellor, in Vilnius, condemns 'heinous' attack on Israeli embassy staffers  

VILNIUS, May 22, BNS – German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who is visiting Vilnius on Thursday, condemned as "heinous" the deadly attack by a pro-Palestinian activist in Washington that killed two Israeli embassy staff members.

"That attack was heinous (...) and we strongly condemn it," Merz said at a joint press conference with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda.

He said he hoped US authorities would carry out a thorough investigation.

The shooting occurred late Wednesday outside the Capital Jewish Museum, where the American Jewish Committee was hosting a reception for young professionals of Jewish descent and the Washington diplomatic community.

As he was being detained, the attacker shouted, "Free, free Palestine."

Speaking in Vilnius, Merz also urged Israel to ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.

He added that although Germany maintains a close dialogue with the Israeli government, he is "deeply concerned about the situation in Gaza and Israel's intensified military operation."

Germany avoids directly criticizing the Israeli government due to its historical responsibility for the Holocaust.

 

By Saulius Jakučionis

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Lithuanian president calls on Russia not to use Zapad drills to further fuel tensions

VILNIUS, May 22, BNS – Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda has urged Russia not to use the upcoming Zapad military exercise to further fuel tensions as Moscow and Minsk gear up for joint drills in the fall.

"We are aware of the threats, we hope we will manage them well together with our allies, and we call on Russia not to use this exercise to further escalate tensions," Nauseda told a joint press conference with visiting German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Vilnius on Thursday.

Held every two years, exercise raises certain tensions every time, but Lithuania is prepared for it, the Lithuanian leader said.

"It's certain escalation of tensions every time as the main simulation of the exercise for the last few years has been an attack on the Baltic states. So we certainly cannot remain indifferent to what is going on and we are preparing our own exercise as well," the president said.

"In any case, we are ready, and in a normal scenario we do not expect any particular surprises, but sometimes unplanned incidents happen during exercises and often conflicts arise on the basis of these unplanned incidents," he said.

Nauseda has previously said that the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) exercise Tarassis25 will be held during Russia's Zapad, which will be the largest exercise since this force was established.

Zapad is scheduled to take place in September and has been held every two years since 2009.

By Karolina Ambrazaitytė

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Historic day for Lithuania and Germany: German brigade inaugurated in Vilnius

VILNIUS, May 22, BNS - The German 45th Armored Brigade "Lithuania" was officially inaugurated in the Cathedral Square in central Vilnius on Thursday.

The ceremony was attended by Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovile Sakaliene and German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius.

Almost 1,000 troops lined up for the inauguration ceremony in the Cathedral Square

Nauseda called the arrival of the German brigade "an event of historic significance for Lithuania", stressing that German troops are coming to help Lithuania to ensure the country's defense and to deter Russia.

"Its arrival stands as a testament to the shared values between our two nations, our time-tested friendship, and the impressive progress of our strategic partnership in recent years," Nauseda said.

Later speaking in German, the Lithuanian president thanked the German troops for their presence in Lithuania.

For his part, Merz stated that by deploying the brigade in Lithuania, his country was taking the defense of NATO's eastern flank into its own hands. He also thanked the Lithuanians for their warm welcome, which should not be taken for grated.

"We are taking the defense of NATO's eastern flank into our own hands," the chancellor said in the Cathedral Square.

During the ceremony, Sakaliene said that Lithuania is aware of the efforts that Germany has made in deploying the brigade and is sincerely grateful for this.

"Lithuania is proud to stand alongside such a partner," the minister said, adding that Lithuania felt alone and betrayed when it was suffering from the occupations, but that is no longer the case today.

"We, Lithuanians, have learned through painful history that freedom is never given. It’s chosen, fought for it and defended. Our nation can call itself free because we have never accepted the chains of occupation," she added."Today, standing united with our German allies, we declare once again that the enemies of the past did not break us, and the enemies of the future do not scare us," the minister said.

German Defense Minister Pistorius said that the inaugurated brigade would be "combat-ready and stationed at the frontline".

"This day marks a significant step forward. What began as a small nucleus has become a large and growing force," he said.

The inauguration ceremony was watched by both Vilnius residents and guests. One of them was Janina, a 22-year-old international relations student from Germany, who is in Lithuania on an internship.

"This is a historic day not only for Lithuania, but also for Germany (...) I think that the decision to deploy the brigade is very important in the current security situation in Europe. This is a big step for Germany because it is finally taking more responsibility for European security," she said.

Pensioner Prancickus Jasiulevicius, 75, also told BNS that it was a very important day for Lithuania.

"It is important for Lithuania for the defense of our country. We hope that the brigade will provide more deterrence against enemies from the East. This is a great decision by Germany because it is not just about Lithuania, they are also defending Europe," he said.

By Karolina Ambrazaitytė, Saulius Jakučionis, Vilmantas Venckūnas

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Merz in Vilnius: 'We're taking defense of NATO's eastern flank into our hands' 

VILNIUS, May 22, BNS – Chancellor Friedrich Merz said in Vilnius on Thursday that by deploying a brigade in Lithuania, Germany is assuming responsibility for defending NATO's eastern flank and thanked Lithuanians for their warm welcome, which he said "is not something to be taken for granted."

"We are taking the defense of NATO's eastern flank into our own hands," Merz said during a ceremony in Vilnius' central Cathedral Square marking the inauguration of the German brigade.

He said that by standing together, Lithuania and Germany are showing that they are ready to defend Europe's freedom against any aggressor.

In response to growing threats to European security following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Germany committed in 2022 to permanently stationing a brigade in Lithuania by 2027.

In his speech in Vilnius, Merz said that "peace in Europe has been broken."  

"Each and every day Russia is violating the order that we collectively adopted as a lesson from the horrors of the Second World War – with the criminal war of aggression against Ukraine, but also with attacks and murders in numerous European cities, with acts of espionage and sabotage, with cyber-attacks and with systematic disinformation," the chancellor said. 

"We must be able to defend ourselves against such attacks at all times," he added. 

According to Merz, the Baltic states understood long ago that freedom does not come free, while "some in Germany still had illusions about Putin's regime."

"I know that these illusions have caused a lot of irritation in the Baltic countries in the past, but I assure you that time is over. We are aware of the seriousness of the situation and we are aware of our own responsibility," he said. 

The chancellor stressed that NATO must be ready to defend itself so that it never has to go to war and that the task of the German brigade in Lithuania is "credible deterrence." 

Merz thanked Lithuanians for welcoming Bundeswehr troops with "respect and great hospitality" despite the painful history of Nazi Germany's occupation of Lithuania more than 70 years ago.

"Hosting foreign troops on one's own soil is not something to be taken for granted, especially here in Lithuania. For us, too, and for the Bundeswehr in particular, today marks a step into a new era," the chancellor said.  

"Lithuania's security is also our security. The protection of Vilnius is the protection of Berlin. Our common peace does not end at the geopolitical line – it ends where we stop defending it." 

"That is why we are here today. That is why we are staying. Germany stands by its responsibility in words and deeds – today, tomorrow, for as long as it takes," he added.  

 

By Saulius Jakučionis

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European Commission OKs national stadium project in Vilnius (further expands)

VILNIUS, May 22, BNS – The European Commission said on Thursday it had approved amendments to the concession contract for the construction of a multi-purpose complex with a national stadium in Vilnius, which provides for allocation of state aid for the project.

"The coronavirus pandemic and Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine have significantly increased the construction cost of the project, making it financially unviable without additional support to partly cover the increased cost. The aid will also cover works in the stadium and sports facilities of the complex that were not initially planned, but are necessary for the project to better serve its purpose," the EC said.

The Commission found that the additional aid is necessary and appropriate to develop sport and cultural economic activities contributing to the economic development of the Vilnius area. 

Vilnius Mayor Valdas Benkunskas says that the EC approval allows construction to resume. 

In August 2024, the Vilnius City Council approved changes to the complex's concession agreement: the project would cost the municipality and the state 155 million euros after changes to the risk-sharing.

Hanner, a real estate development company, is to take over the project. Its owner, Arvydas Avulis, has said that the shares of Venetus Capital, the main shareholder of Vilniaus Daugiafunksis Kompleksas (Vilniaus Multifunctional Complex), the stadium's concessionaire, would only be bought back from BaltCap once the findings of the Public Procurement Office have been resolved and the changes to the project contract have been approved by the European Commission.

The 155 million euro state aid for the construction of the complex was approved by the EC back in March 2022, but the new Brussels approval was need after the project's concession contract was updated last year, indexing the project's price and expanding it slightly. 

The multifunctional complex with a national football stadium will have 15 facilities, including an 18,000-seat stadium, an arena, a conference center, a museum, a kindergarten etc.

Editor: Roma Pakėnienė

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Lithuania, 8 other EU countries call for stronger civil protection and preparedness

VILNIUS, May 22, BNS – Lithuania and eight other European Union member countries are calling for stepped-up civil protection efforts in the bloc, the Interior Ministry said on Thursday.

The interior and civil protection ministers of Belgium, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Finland and Sweden issued a statement of cooperation in Brussels urging immediate additional measures to bolster civil protection, preparedness and resilience at both the national and EU levels, the ministry said in a press release.

Denmark is also joining this coalition of countries, it added.

The countries agreed that national security relies not only on military power but also on internal security systems' readiness and their ability to anticipate, respond to and withstand crises, and to ensure stability, which would help prevent threats from materializing.

"Growing threats and challenges drive us to cooperate and seek the best solutions together with our partners in the European Union. We can achieve more by working together," Interior Minister Vladislav Kondratovic said in the press release.

"Preparedness for various crises is a key priority. It is not only a policy issue, but also the foundation of our future security.  We will adopt an all-hazards approach to security,” he added. 

The ministers agreed that reinforcing civil preparedness and resilience requires coordinated and joint action at the EU level.

The coalition of countries has set out to take joint steps to strengthen civil-military cooperation, develop shared risk awareness and intelligence processing, and ensure continuous and secure communication, especially during cross-border crises, according to the Interior Ministry. 

In Brussels, the ministers also met with Hadja Lahbib, the EU commissioner in charge of preparedness and crisis management, to discuss ways to step up the role of EU institutions, invest in advanced communications systems, support joint civil and military planning, and provide technical assistance to member states.

 

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Lithuania's Krepsta to join AMLA's Executive Board, to be replaced by Ruzgys

VILNIUS, May 22, BNS - Simonas Krepsta is leaving the Board of the central Bank of Lithuania as of May 30 to join the Executive Board of the Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA).

Krepsta is set to be replaced by Evaldas Ruzgys, director of the central bank's Market Infrastructure Department.

Motions on Krepsta's resignation and Ruzgys' nomination have been submitted to President Gitanas Nauseda by Gediminas Simkus, board chair of the Bank of Lithuania, the central bank said on Thursday.

The AMLA is set to launch its operations in the summer and will be the main body ensuring a unified framework for the prevention of money laundering and terrorist financing within the EU financial sector. It will coordinate actions with the national supervisory authorities of EU member states.

Speaking in March,Krepsta said that the AMLA should be the key authority to fight against all financial crimes and should have the capacity to control and prevent such crimes.

The AMLA will be based in Frankfurt, Germany. Vilnius was also among potential locations for this new institution.

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Upcoming events in Lithuania for Friday, May 23, 2025

VILNIUS, May 23, BNS – The following events are scheduled in Lithuania for Friday, May 23, 2025:

PRIME MINISTER Gintautas Paluckas to have a tête-à-tête meeting with Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean in Chisinau at 9.10 a.m.; to attend a bilateral meeting with Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean at 9.25 a.m., followed by a joint press conference at 10.20 a.m.; to meet with Moldovan Preisdent Maia Sandu at 111 a.m.; the prime minister's interview with Moldova's public broadcaster Moldova-1 at 12.10 p.m.; the official lunch the Moldovan prime minister at 1 p.m.; to visit Lithuania's Embassy in Chisinau at 2.40 p.m.

DEFENSE MINISTER Dovile Sakaliene to attend a meeting of the Baltic Defense Ministers' Committee (B3) in Estonia.

SOCIAL SECURITY AND LABOR MINISTER Inga Ruginiene to continue her visit to Ukraine.

INTERIOR MINISTER Vladislav Kondratovic to meet with French Ambassador to Lithuania Alix Everard at 2 p.m.

 

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