LITHUANIA DAILY NEWS BULLETIN, November 23, 2023

LITHUANIA DAILY NEWS BULLETIN

IN THIS ISSUE:

Upcoming events in Lithuania for Thursday, November 23, 2023
Lithuania records no illegal border crossings from Belarus
Lithuanian PM to leave for Ukraine Thursday
Germany to send around 4,800 troops, 200 civilian staff to Lithuania – ambassador
Lithuania reports 881 new COVID-19 cases, 1 death
Strong winds restrict shipping at Lithuanian seaport, trees block roads
6 out of 10 people in Lithuania back citizenship retention – poll
Lithuanian MP Gapsys says not quitting, for now, after political corruption sentence
Decision on Lithuanian MP Gapsys' impeachment depends on Supreme Court – speaker
Lithuanian PM to travel to Ukraine to meet with its leaders (updates)
Lithuanian parlt to approve 2024 state budget December 5
Lithuanian lawmakers discussed 2024 state budget for 2nd time
Bad weather causes two delays at Vilnius, Palanga Airports
Lithuanian MP Grazulis questioned as suspect in LGBTIQ contempt case
US, European committees condemn escalation of violence after Hamas attack
Ex-minister Linkevicius proposed for Lithuania's ambassador to Sweden
Lithuanian president urges formin to 'calm down' after he warns of Russian threat
Guilty verdict in MG Grupe case will have political consequences – Lithuanian president
Lithuanian president: thieves of valuable 19th century books will be severely punished
Upcoming events in Lithuania for Friday, November 24, 2023

Upcoming events in Lithuania for Thursday, November 23, 2023

VILNIUS, Nov 23, BNS – The following events are scheduled in Lithuania for Thursday, November 23, 2023:

PRESIDENT Gitanas Nauseda to open the Transport Innovation Forum at the Litexpo Exhibition Centre at 9 a.m.; to attend an event marking the Lithuanian Armed Forces Day at 10 a.m.; to meet with Vilnius District Mayor Robert Duchnevic at 11:45, to be followed by comments to the media at 1:15 p.m.

The SEIMAS to hold plenary sittings starting at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

The Seimas to host at 9:30 an international conference on "The situation of young researchers in the Baltic States: Development or waste of future scientific potential?", preceded by a news conference at 9 a.m.

The Labor Party's political group to meet with FOREIGN MINISTER Gabrielius Landsbergis at 1 p.m.

PRIME MINISTER Ingrida Simonyte to participate in the so-called "government hour" at the Seimas at noon.

CULTURE MINISTER Simonas Kairys to attend a meeting of EU culture ministers in Brussels.

OTHER EVENTS

Vilnius officials to hold a news conference at 10 a.m. to present the program for the festive period in the capital.

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Lithuania records no illegal border crossings from Belarus

VILNIUS, Nov 23, BNS – Lithuanian border guards have in the past 24 hours recorded no attempts to cross into the country from Belarus illegally, the State Border Guard Service (SBGS) said on Thursday morning.

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

A total of 2,473 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 over 21,800 people from crossing in from Belarus since August 3, 2021, when they were given the right to turn away irregular migrants. The number includes repeated attempts by the same people to cross the border.

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

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

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Lithuanian PM to leave for Ukraine Thursday

VILNIUS, Nov 23, BNS – Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte is set to leave for Ukraine on Thursday for a several-day visit.

The agenda of her visit has not yet been made public.

Simonyte is to depart for Ukraine on Thursday afternoon. Prior to that, she is scheduled to participate in the parliament's session.

According to the prime minister's decree, her visit to Ukraine is scheduled for Thursday through Sunday.

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Germany to send around 4,800 troops, 200 civilian staff to Lithuania – ambassador

VILNIUS, Nov 23, BNS – With Berlin planning to deploy a brigade in Lithuania, Cornelius Zimmermann, Germany's ambassador in Vilnius, said on Thursday that about 4,800 troops and 200 civilian personnel will arrive in the country.

"I can inform you that we are planning to send about 4,800 soldiers and 200 civilian staff," he told the Ziniu Radijas radio station on Thursday.

The deployment "will come in stages", according to Zimmermann.

"I think there's no use in having soldiers without housing, but there's no use in having housing without soldiers. So I think it makes sense to build, step by step, the presence of German soldiers in Lithuania," the diplomat said.

"So, what you need is very good coordination between the two sides and I think that's just what's happening," he added.

However, the ambassador emphasized that the negotiations are still ongoing and he cannot disclose further details.

Berlin intends to deploy its brigade in Lithuania over the next few years, with an interstate agreement on this matter expected to be signed next year.

The plan is to station a tank battalion, two maneuver battalions, an artillery battalion, and a logistics battalion in Lithuania.

Vilnius and Berlin are currently negotiating what infrastructure Lithuania will have to provide for the incoming German troops.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has said that Lithuania will have to put in place not only military infrastructure, but also social infrastructure, such as schools, kindergartens and leisure facilities.

The ambassador said that schools are needed because "we have to assume that our soldiers will not just stay for a couple of years".

"This is a long-term investment. We want our soldiers and their families to feel at home. We also want them to create bonds with the Lithuanian people," he said.

Germany has also been leading NATO's multinational battle group in Lithuania since 2017.

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Lithuania reports 881 new COVID-19 cases, 1 death

VILNIUS, Nov 23, BNS – Lithuania has recorded 881 new coronavirus infections and three deaths from COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, official statistics showed on Thursday morning.

The 14-day primary infection rate has risen to 317 cases per 100,000 people, with the seven-day percentage of positive tests at 35.1 percent.

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

COVID-19 incidence in Lithuania 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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Strong winds restrict shipping at Lithuanian seaport, trees block roads

VILNIUS, Nov 23, BNS – The Lithuanian seaport of Klaipeda is restricting ship traffic, and fire and rescue teams are working to clear trees blocking roads amid heavy snow and winds on Thursday morning.

The Klaipeda port authority told BNS that the restrictions had been in place since Wednesday evening, with winds of 30 m/s recorded at the port last night.

Thursday morning saw winds reaching 20 m/s at the port, with gusts up to 26 m/s.

The authority said one vessel was waiting for permission to enter and one was waiting to leave it.

Due to the high winds, fire and rescue services report having to clear trees blocking roads, mostly in the western part of Lithuania.

Meteorologists advise people to postpone non-essential travel on Thursday due to the challenging weather conditions.

Energijos Skirstymo Operatorius (ESO) told BNS that 7,800 consumers were without electricity at 8 a.m. on Thursday due to the strong winds and snow overnight.

Rasa Juodkiene, the power distribution company's spokeswoman, said that more than 400 faults had been registered across the country.

She said the situation was worst in the Klaipeda region, where over 5,000 consumers were without power in the morning.

By Jurgita Andriejauskaitė

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6 out of 10 people in Lithuania back citizenship retention – poll

VILNIUS, No 23, BNS - Six out of 10 Lithuanian citizens support the retention of Lithuanian citizenship after acquiring citizenship of another friendly country, according to a poll by Baltijos Tyrimai for the public broadcaster LRT, conducted six months before the upcoming referendum.

People were asked whether they supported or opposed to the retention of citizenship by existing Lithuanian citizens after they acquire citizenship of countries friendly to Lithuania. This list includes countries of the European Union, NATO, the European Economic Area and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.

According to the survey, 60 percent support the retention of Lithuanian citizenship by existing Lithuanian citizens after acquiring citizenship of a country friendly to Lithuania. 26 percent disagreed, while another 14 percent had no opinion or did not answer the question.

The poll involved 1,013 Lithuanian residents aged 18 and over between October 23 and November 7.

BNS reminds that the referendum on the legalization of multiple citizenship will take place on May 12, alongside the first round of the presidential election. People will be invited to vote on the following provision of the Constitution: "Citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania shall be acquired by birth and on other grounds and in the manner prescribed by the constitutional law. The constitutional law shall also lay down the grounds and procedure for loss of citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania."

This would remove the prohibition of dual citizenship from the country's basic law.

The detailed conditions, procedures and other matters relating to the acquisition and loss of dual citizenship would be laid down by a constitutional law. A draft law has already been prepared and registered in the draft legislation database.

Lithuania held a referendum on dual citizen back in 2019 in conjunction with the presidential election and it sought to provide for more possibilities to have dual citizenship, but there were not enough votes for such a change. At that time, over 956,000 voters in total voted in favor of the proposed amendment.

Lithuanians who emigrated after the restoration of independence on March 11, 1990 are currently not eligible for dual citizenship, with some exceptions.

The Constitutional Court has clarified that only a referendum amending the Constitution can open the possibility of dual citizenship to Lithuanian citizens who have acquired citizenship of other countries since the restoration of Lithuania's independence.

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Lithuanian MP Gapsys says not quitting, for now, after political corruption sentence

VILNIUS, Nov 23, BNS – Vytautas Gapsys, a Labor Party MP convicted in the MG Grupe political corruption case, said on Thursday that he is not stepping down, at least for now.

"I'm not resigning from the Seimas for now," Gapsys told reporters at the parliament.

"I've spoken with my lawyer. At this point, we're waiting for the first decisions of the cassation court, and then I think the situation will be clearer both for the parliament and myself," he said.

The MP confirmed plans to file a cassation appeal with the Supreme Court of Lithuania on Friday and request a suspension of the execution of the judgment.

On Wednesday, the Court of Appeal reversed the ruling of the first instance court and convicted all defendants in the high-profile political corruption case centering around MG Grupe (former MG Baltic), one of Lithuania's biggest business groups.

Gapsys was sentenced to four years and six months in prison. The MP, along with the Labor Party as a legal entity, was convicted of accepting a bribe from Raimondas Kurlianskis, a former MG Baltic vice-president.

The discounts granted by the group's TV stations for the Labor Party's political advertising and support for Meno ir Sporto Projektai (Art and Sport Projects), a limited liability public legal entity, were deemed as bribes.

According to law-enforcement, Gapsys acted in the interests of MG Grupe in exchange for a 27,100-euro bribe.

Other defendants in the case were handed prison sentences and fines of thousands of euros.

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Decision on Lithuanian MP Gapsys' impeachment depends on Supreme Court – speaker

VILNIUS, Nov 23, BNS – The decision on the impeachment of MP Vytautas Gapsys will depend on whether the Supreme Court of Lithuania accepts his cassation appeal and delays the execution of his sentence, Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen, speaker of the parliament, said on Thursday.

"It will depend on the Supreme Court's decision on whether to accept and grant the request to suspend the sentence's execution. It's impossible to foresee this now," she told reporters.

According to law-enforcement, Gapsys acted in the interests of MG Grupe in exchange for a 27,100-euro bribe.

Gapsys, a member of the Labor Party's political group in the Seimas, said on Thursday that he was not resigning as MP, at least for now.

He confirmed plans to file a cassation appeal with the Supreme Court of Lithuania on Friday and request a suspension of the execution of the judgment.

Cmilyte-Nielsen also said that the parliament had not yet received the court's verdict, which it would need to initiate the impeachment procedure against Gapsys.

Other defendants in the case were handed prison sentences and fines of thousands of euros.

Among those convicted is the Liberal Movement, led by the speaker of the Seimas.

By Augustas Stankevičius

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Lithuanian PM to travel to Ukraine to meet with its leaders (updates)

VILNIUS, Nov 23, BNS – Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte is leaving on Thursday for a several-day visit to Ukraine, where she will meet with the country's leaders.

The agenda of her visit has not yet been made public.

Simonyte is to depart for Ukraine on Thursday afternoon. Prior to that, she is scheduled to participate in the parliament's session.

"I'll meet with Ukrainian leaders, and on Saturday, I'll participate in the Ukrainian Grain initiative inaugurated last year by President (Volodymyr) Zelensky," she told reporters on Thursday.

When asked what she plans to discuss in Ukraine, Simonyte said that "all topics" will be covered.

According to the prime minister's decree, her visit to Ukraine is scheduled for Thursday through Sunday.

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Lithuanian parlt to approve 2024 state budget December 5

VILNIUS, Nov 23, BNS – The Seimas of Lithuania plans to approve the country's 2024 state budget on December 5 after 79 lawmakers in favor of that on Thursday, four were against and 29 abstained.

The increase in funding for roads and other needs raises budget spending by 111 million euros to 20.6 billion euros. As a result, its deficit will go up from the initially planned 2.9 to 3 percent of GDP, the limit of the Maastricht criterion.

872 million euros will be allocated for roads next year, 157 million euros more than previously planned.

By Sniegė Balčiūnaitė

Editor: Roma Pakėnienė

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Lithuanian lawmakers discussed 2024 state budget for 2nd time

VILNIUS, Nov 23, BNS - The Seimas of Lithuania on Thursday discussed the 2024 state budget bill for the second time.

"The key priorities remain unchanged, which is increasing people's incomes, strengthening national security and promoting investments that contribute to higher added value," Finance Minister Gintare Skaiste told lawmakers, presenting the bill that was slightly adjusted by the government on Wednesday.

Certain needs are being met "at the expense of increased public borrowing," she said.

"After a fair assessment of the available possibilities, the improved bill provides additional funds for investments into roads, for cultural and educational needs and for raising people's incomes," the minister said.

Following the adjustment, budget revenue dropped by 30 million euros to 16.98 billion euros and expenditure rose by 111 million to 20.6 billion euros, compared to the initial version. This has led to the increase in the budget deficit from 2.9 to 3 percent, the upper limit of the Maastricht criteria, meaning that spending can no longer be increased.

The government has allocated an additional 157 million euros for roads, taking into account the conclusions of MPs and committees.

By Sniegė Balčiūnaitė

Editor: Roma Pakėnienė

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Bad weather causes two delays at Vilnius, Palanga Airports

VILNIUS, Nov 23, BNS – Despite bad weather conditions, airports in Lithuania operate normally on Thursday, but two flights have been delayed, Tadas Vasiliauskas, a spokesman for Lietuvos oro Uostai (Lithuanian Airports, LTOU), told BNS.

A flight from Riga to Vilnius was delayed on Thursday and a flight from Copenhagen could not land in Palanga.

"The flight from Riga to Vilnius just didn't arrive, but now the flight has arrived. And a plane from Copenhagen did not land due to the wind after midnight at Palanga Airport, but it will land at a later time," Vasiliauskas told BNS.

According to the Palanga Airport website, the SAS flight from Copenhagen landed shortly after 11 a.m.

Despite bad weather, there are no major disruptions, Vasiliauskas said.

"We have not had major disruptions, no major challenges since this morning, and we operate as usual," he said.

By Valdas Pryšmantas

Editor: Roma Pakėnienė

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Lithuanian MP Grazulis questioned as suspect in LGBTIQ contempt case

VILNIUS, Nov 23, BNS – Formal suspicions of expressing contempt for members of the LGBTIQ community have been brought against Lithuanian PM Petras Grazulis.

Grazulis has confirmed to BNS that he was questioned by the police as a suspect on Thursday.

By Jūratė Skėrytė

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US, European committees condemn escalation of violence after Hamas attack

VILNIUS, Nov 23, BNS - The chairs of the Foreign and European Affairs Committees of the parliaments of more than 20 countries have signed a joint statement on anti-Semitism and anti-Muslim bigotry, the Lithuanian parliament's press service said on Thursday.

In the statement, the chairs of the 24 committees from the US and European countries, including Lithuania, condemn the spread of hatred and violence in their countries and around the world following the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7.

"We are witnessing an alarming rise in anti-Semitic and anti-Muslim bigotry and violence that has included acts of online hate, verbal assaults, vandalism, desecration of Holocaust memorials and cemeteries, intimidation, death threats, and physical attacks," the joint statement reads.

Antisemitic hate crime investigations have tripled in New York and London over the past month, in comparison to last year. In France, the Interior Ministry documented 1,040 antisemitic incidents in the month following the October 7 attack. Jewish and Muslim community organizations have reported even more incidents throughout our countries, the document states.

The signatories are urging their governments to intensify all efforts to safeguard Jewish and Muslim communities, to condemn these actions when they occur, and to implement our national strategies to combat the dark tide of bigotry and hatred.

The joint statement was initiated by Ben Cardin, the chair of the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, in cooperation with Zygimantas Pavilionis, chair for the Lithuanian Seimas Committee on Foreign Affairs. The document was also signed by the chairs of the Foreign or European Affairs Committees from Armenia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, the European Parliament, France, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Moldova, Norway, Spain, Iceland, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the United States of America and Ukraine.

"The axis of evil is the same today, so both Hamas and Putin must lose and we must all focus accordingly. I am pleased that the new chair of the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Cardin, who initiated the first Magnitsky sanctions against the Putin regime back in 2012, has been on the side of liberty and democracy with Lithuania for decades," Pavilionis said.

On October 7, the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched an attack against Israel, killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 240 hostages, according to local officials.

Israel retaliated with massive bombardments and ground operations in the Gaza Strip, which have already killed 14,100 people, including thousands of children, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

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Ex-minister Linkevicius proposed for Lithuania's ambassador to Sweden

VILNIUS, Nov 23, BNS – Linas Linkevicius, a former Lithuanian foreign minister, is proposed for the post of the country's ambassador to Sweden, according to a draft government resolution registered by the Foreign Ministry on Wednesday.

If appointed, he will take office on January 15.

The process of appointing an ambassador usually becomes public after the government registers draft legal acts on their formal nomination for the position.

Back in 2021, there were plans to send Linkevicius to the US, but President Gitanas Nauseda then said that he could not appoint former foreign and defense ministers as ambassadors to Washington and Brussels, because they needed a period of "political cooling-off".

The president said in mid-September that Linkevicius had "cooled off" enough to head an embassy.

The position of Lithuania's ambassador to Sweden has been vacant since diplomat Giedrius Cekuolis completed his term on August 31.

Linkevicius served as Lithuania's foreign minister for two consecutive terms from 2012 to 2020. He returned to the diplomatic service in January 2021 after a general election and was appointed as an ambassador-at-large.

In Lithuania, ambassadors are appointed and dismissed by the president on the nomination of the government and with the approval of the parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs.

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Lithuanian president urges formin to 'calm down' after he warns of Russian threat

VILNIUS, Nov 23, BNS – Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda on Thursday called on Gabrielius Landsbergis to "sit down and calm down" after the foreign minister said recently that efforts to stop Russia in Ukraine are failing and Moscow may take military action against NATO countries.

"Nothing has happened in recent weeks or days that we did not know before. However, (...) suddenly things started to be exaggerated," Nauseda told reporters.

"I'd suggest that the foreign minister just sit down and calm down," he added.

The minister has said recently that Lithuania's should prepare 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.

By Augustas Stankevičius

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Guilty verdict in MG Grupe case will have political consequences – Lithuanian president

VILNIUS, Nov, 23, BNS – The guilty verdict in the high-profile political corruption case will have political consequences, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda says, adding that it will help to clean up the political system and help people to believe in justice in Lithuania again.

"Indeed, yesterday's court judgment, I respect it and it is a matter of the court's competence, will undoubtedly have political consequences," Nauseda told reporters in Nemencine on Thursday.

On Wednesday, the Court of Appeal reversed the ruling of the court of first instance and convicted all defendants in the high-profile political corruption case centering around MG Grupe (former MG Baltic), one of Lithuania's biggest business groups. Some of the defendants were given prison terms.

Raimondas Kurlianskis, a former MG Baltic vice-president, was sentenced to six years in prison and he was fined 25,000 euros. Eligijus Masiulis, the former leader of the Liberal Movement, which is now part of the ruling block, was given a prison term of five years and six months.

MG Grupe, the Liberal Movement and the opposition Labor Party, whose member was one of the defendants, were fined more than 1.1 million euros, almost 377,000 euros and more than 301,000 euros respectively.

According to the case materials, bribes were given to politicians both in the form of cash or donations to public establishments, and even an invitation to appear on a TV program was deemed bribery. The Court of Appeal also found that a bottle of vodka and a bottle box containing money were also bribes given to Masiulis.

Nauseda likened the situation to the European spruce bark beetle, a pest that causes great damage to forests, saying that "a European spruce bark beetle has made its way through our political forest", but he hopes that stability in the state will be preserved.

The president also hopes that this would help clean up "in the medium and long term".

As the opposition earlier on Thursday called on the leader of the Liberal Movement, Speaker of the Seimas Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen, to check whether she still has the confidence of the parliament, Nauseda said that "this is a matter of the ruling coalition".

The Court of Appeal's verdict entered into force immediately, on the day of its publication, but can still be appealed to the Supreme Court of Lithuania. Some of those convicted in the political corruption case have already said they will do so.

By Austėja Masiokaitė-Liubinienė

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Lithuanian president: thieves of valuable 19th century books will be severely punished

VILNIUS, Nov 23, BNS – Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda hopes book thieves will be severely punished after seventeen valuable 19th century books were stolen from Vilnius University's reading rooms.

"Oh God. This is really big news and I hope the guilty will be punished. Such things should be punished severely," Nauseda told reporters in Nemencine on Thursday.

"Is this really what happened?" the president asked.

Lithuania's prosecution service, which is investigating the theft, told BNS earlier in the day that a pre-trial investigation found that Russian-language books of great historical and cultural value were stolen from several reading rooms at Vilnius University between May 11 and 17. They included works of Alexander Pushkin, Taras Shevchenko, Mikhail Lermontov and Nikolay Gogol.

The total value of the stolen books could be around 440,000 euros, prosecutors say.

Experts believe the stolen books ended up in Russia where at least some of them were sold in hastily organized auctions in Moscow.

It was reported earlier on Thursday that 19th-century Russian literature works, worth millions of euros worth, had been stolen in Poland and other Baltic countries over the past two years as thieves replaced the originals on library shelves with forgeries.

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Upcoming events in Lithuania for Friday, November 24, 2023

VILNIUS, Nov 24, BNS – The following events are scheduled in Lithuania for Thursday, November 24, 2023:

PRESIDENT Gitanas Nauseda to meet with Lieutenant General Jürgen-Joachim von Sandrart , commander of NATO's Multinational Corps Northeast at 10 a.m.

SPEAKER OF THE SEIMAS Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen to attend a meting of the Presidium of the Baltic Assembly and the speakers of the national parliaments of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia in Tallinn at 9 a.m.

CULTURE MINISTER Simonas Kairys to attend a meeting of EU culture ministers in Brussels,

FOREIGN MINISTER Gabrielius Landsbergis to pay a working visit to Tallinn to attend a meeting of the Baltic Council of Ministers.

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Nov 27 2023

LITHUANIA DAILY NEWS BULLETIN

IN THIS ISSUE:

Upcoming events in Lithuania for Wednesday, November 22, 2023
Lithuania records no illegal border crossings from Belarus
Lithuania's top court to rule on Irish citizens' terrorism cases
Lithuanian govt OKs adjusted, allocates extra EUR157 mln for roads
Lithuania reports 980 new COVID-19 cases, no deaths
Kurlianskis, Masiulis given prison sentences in political corruption case in Lithuania
Lithuanian finmin says no room left for spending increases in 2024 budget
Kurlianskis, Masiulis given prison sentences in political corruption case in Lithuania (updates)
Lithuania identifies 2,000 threats in 1st year of questionnaire for Russians, Belarusians
Lithuania's top court sentences all defendants in high-profile political corruption case (expands)
Kurlianskis on guilty verdict: it's not the end
Verdict bars Lithuanian Labor Party from elections – leader
Lithuania's top court sentences all defendants in high-profile political corruption case (further expands)
Lithuanian parlt speaker proposes abolishing employment quotas for foreigners
Lithuania: Masiulis vows to appeal after being sentenced for corruption
Lithuania will have drone capabilities within its defense system in 2024 – chair
Lithuania sends 3 mln rounds of ammo, remote detonation systems to Ukraine
Lithuanian MP Gapsys to appeal prison sentence in political corruption case
Lithuanian, South Korean PMs discuss bilateral ties, cooperation
Lithuanian Supreme Court rejects prosecutor's appeals in Real IRA suspects' cases
Upcoming events in Lithuania for Thursday, November 23, 2023

Upcoming events in Lithuania for Wednesday, November 22, 2023

VILNIUS, Nov 22, BNS – The following events are scheduled in Lithuania for Wednesday, November 22, 2023:

PRIME MINISTER Ingrida Simonyte to have a phone conversation with her South Korean counterpart Han Duck-soo at 1ą.30 a.m.

INTERIOR MINISTER Agne Bilotaite to meet with Czech Ambassador to Lithuanian Ales Opata at 2 p.m. to meet with Indian Ambassador to Lithuania Devesh Uttam at 4 p.m.

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Lithuania records no illegal border crossings from Belarus

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

Latvia reported 37 attempts at illegal border crossings on Tuesday, and 42 irregular migrants were not allowed into Poland on Monday, according to the latest available information.

A total of 2,473 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 top court to rule on Irish citizens' terrorism cases

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Lithuanian govt OKs adjusted, allocates extra EUR157 mln for roads

VILNIUS, Nov 22, BNS – The Lithuanian government on Wednesday approved the adjusted 2024 state budget bill, with the largest amount of additional funds –157 million euros – earmarked for roads. The bill will now be submitted to the Seimas.

Finance Minister Gintare Skaiste says the budget was adjusted after proposals from parliamentary committees, commissions, MPs, state and other institutions were taken into account.

"The main priorities remain unchanged as we want to increase people's income, strengthen national security and promote investments that contribute to higher added value. (...) An adjusted 2024 state budget bill is being submitted, with additional funds earmarked for investments in roads, cultural and educational needs, and increasing people's income," she said during the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday.

The additional spending will increase the 2024 state budget deficit to 3 percent of GDP, from the initially planned 2.9 percent. Government debt will reach 39.9 percent of GDP, up from 39.8 percent initially.

Speaker of the Seimas Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen said on Monday that no more spending increases were possible, adding that her Liberal Movement party intends to approve the draft budget.

For its part, the opposition Social Democrats vow to vote against it, Rasa Budbergyte, a deputy elder of the party's political group in the parliament, said on Tuesday. Other opposition representatives called the draft budget a "sheet-pulling", "Frankenstein" or election budget.

The state budget bill's second reading is scheduled for Thursday and it is expected to be adopted on December 5.

By Erika Alonderytė-Kazlauskė

Editor: Roma Pakėnienė

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Lithuania reports 980 new COVID-19 cases, no deaths

VILNIUS, Nov 22, BNS – Lithuania has recorded 980 new coronavirus infections and no deaths from COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, official statistics showed on Wednesday morning.

The 14-day primary infection rate has risen to 303.8 cases per 100,000 people, with the seven-day percentage of positive tests at 34.5 percent.

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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Kurlianskis, Masiulis given prison sentences in political corruption case in Lithuania

VILNIUS, Nov 22, BNS - The Lithuanian Court of Appeal on Wednesday changed the ruling of the court of first instance and sentenced Raimondas Kurlianskis, a former vice-president of MG Baltic (now MG Grupe), and Eligijus Masiulis, the former leader of the Liberal Movement, to prison in a political corruption case.

Kurlianskis was sentenced to six years in prison and was fined 25,000 euros, and Masulis was isued a prison sentence of five years and six months.

Another defendant in this case, Vytautas Gapsys of the Labor Party, was also found guilty and sentenced to four years and six months.

By Saulius Jakučionis

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Lithuanian finmin says no room left for spending increases in 2024 budget

VILNIUS, Nov 22, BNS – The Lithuanian government exhausted all possibilities to increase spending when adjusting next year's draft state budget, Finance Minister Gintare Skaiste said on Wednesday.

Skaiste also said that there had been no additional indications from the coalition partners that there might be problems in budget debates.

"As the coalition council's meeting took place, I did not hear any additional indications of any problematic issues," the minister told a news conference.

"It seems to me that the government assessed all the needs expressed by the Seimas, considered additional possibilities and looked at how many of these possibilities the budget actually has," Skaiste said.

"We have reached the limit, a 3 percent budget deficit. The Maastricht criterion has been reached, so all the possibilities that were available have been used," she added.

According to the minister, if there are additional savings or revenue, these will only be visible at the end of 2024.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Cabinet approved next year's adjusted draft budget, with the largest amount of additional funds, 157 million euros, earmarked for roads.

The bill will now be submitted to the parliament.

By Erika Alonderytė-Kazlauskė, Giedrius Gaidamavičius

Editor: Roma Pakėnienė

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Kurlianskis, Masiulis given prison sentences in political corruption case in Lithuania (updates)

Kurlianskis was sentenced to six years in prison and was fined 25,000 euros, and Masulis was issued a prison sentence of five years and six months.

Another defendant in this case, Vytautas Gapsys of the Labor Party, was also found guilty and sentenced to four years and six months.

MG Grupe, the Liberal Movement and the Labor Party were fined 1 million, 500,000 and 400,000 euros respectively.

Former Liberals Sarunas Gustainis and Gintaras Steponavicius were fined 25,000 and 20,000 euros respectively.

The Court of Appeal's ruling enters into force immediately on the day of its publication.

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Lithuania identifies 2,000 threats in 1st year of questionnaire for Russians, Belarusians

VILNIUS, Nov 22, BNS – Lithuania's authorities have identified more than 2,000 instances of threats in the first year since the introduction of a special questionnaire for Russian and Belarusian citizens, the Migration Department said on Wednesday.

From the end of November 2022, all Russian and Belarusian citizens applying for migration services, such as issuing or replacing permits for temporary or permanent residence in Lithuania, are required to complete a questionnaire to provide certain information and express their attitudes towards the war in Ukraine.

After the Migration Department examined the gathered information and additional data from various national institutions, 1,644 Belarusian citizens were found to be a threat to national security.

Belarusian citizens were refused a temporary residence permit in Lithuania on 562 occasions and refused a replacement of their residence permit on 343 occasions.

Belarusians had their previously valid temporary residence permits revoked on 450 occasions. Two Belarusian citizens were refused permanent residence permits in Lithuania, and eight had such documents revoked.

Belarusians were refused national Lithuanian visas on 279 occasions.

A total of 397 Russian citizens were found to be a threat to national security, 76 of whom were refused a temporary residence permit in Lithuania, 84 were refused a replacement of their residence permit, 90 had their previously valid temporary residence permits revoked, and another 90 had their permanent residence permits revoked.

Two Russian citizens were denied permanent residence permits in Lithuania when applying for the first time. Russians were refused national Lithuanian visas on 55 occasions.

All the Belarusian and Russian nationals were also banned from entering Lithuania.

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Lithuania's top court sentences all defendants in high-profile political corruption case (expands)

(Updated version: uodates throughout)

VILNIUS, Nov 22, BNS - The Lithuanian Court of Appeal on Wednesday changed the ruling of the court of first instance and sentenced all the defendants in a high profile political corruption case, with some of them getting prison terms.

They were all sentenced for giving and accepting bribes and influence peddling.

Raimondas Kurlianskis, a former vice-president of MG Baltic (now MG Grupe), was sentenced to six years in prison and was fined 25,000 euros, and Eligijus Masiulis, the former leader of the Liberal Movement, was issued a prison sentence of five years and six months.

Another defendant in this case, Vytautas Gapsys of the Labor Party, was also found guilty and sentenced to four years and six months.

MG Grupe, the Liberal Movement and the Labor Party were fined 1 million, 500,000 and 400,000 euros respectively.

Former Liberals Sarunas Gustainis and Gintaras Steponavicius were fined 25,000 and 20,000 euros respectively.

The Court of Appeal's ruling enters into force immediately on the day of its publication. It can still be appealed with the Supreme Court of Lithuania.

Commenting on the ruling, Judge Albinas Bielskis said that Kurlianskis and the politicians in question had a long-standing and fairly close relationship.

"During the periods when the offences in this case were committed, systematic meetings between Kurlianskis and the above-mentioned members of the Seimas were recorded, which were usually initiated by Kurlianskis. And he did so intentionally as the meeting would take place at the time when political issues important for the MG Baltic group were being discussed by the Seimas or other state or municipal institutions," the judge said.

Steponavicius was convicted of abuse of power without any evidence of bribery.

Lithuania's law enforcement authorities informed about the searches and arrests in the case on May 12, 2016.

On that day, Masiulis announced his resignation as leader of the Liberal Movement, and he also stepped down as an MP.

Gapsys also announced his resignation from the parliament after he was notified about suspicions brought against him by law enforcement authorities at a later stage of the pre-trial investigation, but was later re-elected.

Gustainis was expelled from the party while he was still a special witness, and he also resigned from the Vilnius City Council.

Steponavicius, who was also questioned as a special witness, also suspended his party membership and did not stand for election during the 2020 Seimas election.

MG Grupe is one of the largest manufacturing, trading, real estate and media groups in Lithuania.

Opened more than seven years ago, the political corruption case destroyed the politicians' careers and the Liberal Movement's chances to win the Seimas election in 2016.

Gapsys has received his second conviction after he was previously convicted in the so-called Labor Party's fraudulent bookkeeping case.

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Kurlianskis on guilty verdict: it's not the end

VILNIUS, Nov 22, BNS - Raimondas Kurlianskis, a former vice-president of MG Baltic (now MG Grupe), who has been convicted in a high-profile political corruption case in Lithuania, says it is not the final court ruling in this case.

"There are probably two important things. The first is that the court ruling must be enforced, and the second is that it is not the final court ruling. That's what I wanted to say," Kurlianskis told reporters on Wednesday after he was sentenced to six years in prison and fined 25,000 for bribing and influencing a number of politicians.

Kurlianskis says he will have to serve his prison sentence.

"I will have nowhere to go, I will have to serve my prison sentence. I am not ready right now. (...) I will report myself (to the place of incarceration - BNS)," Kurlianskis said.

He still maintains his innocence and plans to appeal with the Supreme Court of Lithuania.

"Either one side or the other appeals to the Supreme Court (...). We will appeal. On what grounds, I cannot say. (...) I have not pleaded guilty, and I do not plead guilty, so the verdict will be appealed," Kurlianskis said.

Earlier in the day, the Lithuanian Court of Appeal and sentenced all the defendants in this case, including Eligijus Masiulis, the former leader of the Liberal Movement party, and Vytautas Gapsys, a member of the Labor Party.

Last year, the Vilnius Regional Court acquitted all the defendants in this case.

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Verdict bars Lithuanian Labor Party from elections – leader

VILNIUS, Nov 22, BNS – Andrius Mazuronis, chairman of the Lithuanian Labor Party, said on Wednesday that he does not understand the Court of Appeal's verdict against the party and its member Vytautas Gapsys, adding that the sentence effectively bars his party from running in next year's elections.

"While court decisions should be respected, I don't understand this one and don't accept it as fair," Mazuronis told BNS.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Court of Appeal overturned the ruling of the first instance court and convicted all defendants in a high-profile political corruption case involving MG Grupe, one of Lithuania's biggest business groups formerly known as MG Baltic.

The court imposed a fine of 400,000 euros on the Labor Party as a legal entity.

According to Mazuronis, for a party that receives small grants from the state budget, this means a halt to its political activities.

"I believe that both our party and the Liberal Movement (...) are prevented from taking part in the upcoming elections," he said.

The Labor Party and Gapsys were convicted of bribery and influence peddling. The discounts granted by MG Grupe's TV stations for the Labor Party's political advertising and support for Meno ir Sporto Projektai (Art and Sport Projects), a limited liability public legal entity, were deemed as bribes.

According to law-enforcement, Gapsys acted in the interests of MG Grupe in exchange for a 27,100-euro bribe.

"I find such a court decision completely incomprehensible, when people are sent to prison for negotiating what they are appointed for as heads of the electoral staff," said Mazuronis.

The court sentenced Gapsys to four and a half years of actual imprisonment.

Mazuronis described the verdict as "dictated by society."

"It is incomprehensible to me how a court of first instance, given the same factual circumstances, (...) passes a radically different verdict than a court of second instance," the politician said, referring to last year's ruling by Vilnius Regional Court to acquit the defendants in the political corruption case.

The chairman said they will appeal the Court of Appeal's judgment to the Supreme Court of Lithuania.

"Politicians have become scapegoats for pressure from the judiciary and society," he said. "It's unfortunate that the judicial system in Lithuania is unable to resist pressure from high-level politicians or society."

The Labor Party's council plans to discuss the situation on Wednesday evening.

By Saulius Jakučionis

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Lithuania's top court sentences all defendants in high-profile political corruption case (further expands)

(updates throughout; updated amounts of fines)

They were all sentenced for giving and accepting bribes, and influence peddling.

Raimondas Kurlianskis, a former vice-president of MG Baltic (now MG Grupe), was sentenced to six years in prison and was fined almost 19,000 euros, and Eligijus Masiulis, a former leader of the Liberal Movement, was issued a prison sentence of five years and six months.

Another defendant in this case, Vytautas Gapsys of the Labor Party, was also found guilty and sentenced to four years and six months in jail.

MG Grupe, the Liberal Movement and the Labor Party were fined over 1.1 million euros, almost 377,00 euros and more than 301,000 euros respectively.

Former Liberals Sarunas Gustainis and Gintaras Steponavicius were fined almost 19,000 and over 15,000 euros respectively. The latter was convicted of abuse of power as there was no evidence of bribery.

Commenting on the imposed fines, Judge Albinas Bielskis said that the court took into account the nature, quantity and gravity of the offenses.

'Fragmented' approach to evidence

The Court of Appeal's judgement becomes final on the day it is issued, but it can still be appealed to the Lithuanian Supreme Court.

Commenting on the ruling, Bielskis said that Kurlianskis and the politicians had a long-standing and fairly close relationship.

The MPs "willingly accepted" these invitations to meet, he added.

In Bielskis' words, contrary to the lower court, the Court of Appeal established a causal link between the "requests of a corrupt nature made by Kurlianskis to Masiulis during the meetings" and the bribe paid in return.

The judge said that the Court of Appeal re-examined the entirety of the evidence,

According to Bielskis, the court of first instance "assessed the evidence in the case in a fragmented and selective manner, without placing it in the overall context of the events, and failing take into account the close relationship between Kurlianskis and Masiulis".

"This (...) led to unfounded and incorrect conclusions by the regional court," he said.

Vilnius Regional Court last year acquitted the defendants in the political corruption case.

A seven-year process

Lithuania's law enforcement authorities informed the public about the searches and arrests in the case on May 12, 2016.

On that day, Masiulis announced his resignation as leader of the Liberal Movement, and he also stepped down as an MP.

According to the case-file, 242,400 euros, 130 pounds and 1,600 US dollars were found during the searches of Masiulis' home in May 2016.

The Court of Appeal found that the legitimate income of Masiulis and his former wife was insufficient to justify the money found.

Gustainis was expelled from the party while he was still had the status of a special witness in the case, and he also resigned from the Vilnius City Council.

Steponavicius, who was also questioned as a special witness in the case, suspended his party membership. He did not run for parliament in 2020.

MG Grupe is one of the largest manufacturing, trading, real estate and media groups in Lithuania.

Opened more than seven years ago, the political corruption case destroyed the politicians' careers and the Liberal Movement's chances to win the Seimas election in 2016.

Gapsys has received his second conviction after he was previously convicted in the so-called Labor Party fraudulent bookkeeping case.

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Lithuanian parlt speaker proposes abolishing employment quotas for foreigners

VILNIUS, Nov 22, BNS - Speaker of the Lithuanian Seimas Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen and members of her Liberal Movement party's political group in the parliament have proposed abolishing the existing employment quotas for foreigners.

The amendments to the Law on the Legal Status of Aliens propose abolishing the annual quotas for the employment of foreigners and to exempt foreigners whose profession is included in the list of professions that are in short supply in Lithuania from the obligation to obtain a work permit.

The lawmakers propose removing the article on the establishment and use of quotas, according to which an annual quota is established for foreigners coming to work in Lithuania in line with the list of professions in short supply, approved by the social security and labor minister in agreement with the interior minister.

"This was a decision made by the previous ruling block and opposed by both employers and migration experts. It was allegedly aimed at protecting Lithuania's labor market. However, in practice, such a system has only created unnecessary bureaucratic burden and additional costs for employers and the state," Cmilyte-Nielsen was quoted as saying in a statement issued by the Seimas press service.

Under the existing rules, foreigners who plan to work in Lithuania are required to obtain a work permit once the annual quota is exhausted, even if there is a shortage of workers of that specific profession.

The Seimas speaker points out that such professions are included in the list because there is a shortage of these workers in the local market, but they do not automatically enter the labor market after the foreigners' quota is exhausted.

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Lithuania: Masiulis vows to appeal after being sentenced for corruption

VILNIUS, Nov 22, BNS – Eligijus Masiulis, the former leader of Lithuania's Liberal Movement, vows to appeal his conviction after the Lithuanian Court of Appeal sentenced him to prison in a high-profile political corruption case on Wednesday.

"That's what the verdict is and it will be appealed to the Supreme Court," Masiulis told BNS on Wednesday after the Court of Appeal reversed the ruling of the court of first instance and convicted all the defendants in the political corruption case against MG Grupe (formerly known as MG Baltic). Masulis was sentenced to five years and six months in prison.

"We certainly see grounds for appealing to the Supreme Court, and those grounds are very serious. They stem, first of all, from the ruling of the court of first instance after it assessed in great detail every single fact in the case," Masiulis said. "We see both procedural violations and violations of the Law on Intelligence. There will certainly be more than one argument."

The former politician says no new relevant facts emerged during the Court of Appeal proceedings.

"In other words, the court looked into the same facts that were assessed by the regional court." Masiulis said. "I feel a bit puzzled that courts in the same country are able to assess the same facts so radically differently."

The verdict of the Court of Appeal enters into force immediately on the day of its publication, but can still be appealed to the Supreme Court of Lithuania.

Speaking with BNS, Ramunas Matonis, spokesman for the Police Department, said that although the court's verdict was final, it would be enforced upon receipt of the order, which could take up to several days.

Raimondas Kurlianskis, a former vice-president of MG Baltic (now MG Grupe), was sentenced to six years in prison. Another defendant in this case, Vytautas Gapsys of the Labor Party, was also found guilty and sentenced to four years and six months. The two were also issued fines.

MG Grupe, the Liberal Movement and the Labor Party were fined 1.1 million, 377,000 and 301,000 euros respectively.

Former Liberals Sarunas Gustainis and Gintaras Steponavicius also received substantial fines.

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Lithuania will have drone capabilities within its defense system in 2024 – chair

VILNIUS, Nov 22, BNS - The lessons of the war in Ukraine have been learnt, and next year the Lithuanian defense system will already have drone capabilities, Laurynas Kasciunas, chair of the parliamentary Committee on National Security and Defense, says.

"I feel that lessons have been learnt from the Ukrainian war, and drone capabilities are being planned and purchased. Next year, we will already have clear drone capabilities within our defense system," he told reporters at the Seimas on Wednesday after the CNSD's closed-door meeting, held to review military acquisitions.

In his words, anti-drone systems will be acquired "over the upcoming years" and they will allow neutralizing higher-level drones, like the ones now being used by Russia in its war against Ukraine.

The systems purchased by Lithuania will be able to perform both intelligence and offensive functions, Kasciunas pointed out.

In December, the Lithuanian Defense Materiel Agency signed a contract to buy Switchblade 600 combat drones from the US administration.

At the time, the Defense Ministry said drone launch and control equipment will be bought together with drones, as well as a simulator for personnel training and a maintenance package. The total value of the contract is around 45 million euros.

Almost 13 million euros are allocated in next year's budget bill for the acquisition of drones and anti-drone systems. In total, the Defense Ministry plans 954 million euros worth of acquisitions next year, and the sum includes the temporary bank solidarity levy.

The Defense Ministry said on Wednesday Lithuania is buying weaponry for the army under a clear long-term vision.

"Today, Lithuania prioritizes the development of five highest-priority capabilities: the Lithuanian army's land maneuver, air defense, indirect fire support and intelligence capabilities, as well as the improvement of individual soldiers' equipment and the conditions for soldiers, and the development of infrastructure," the ministry said, adding that light weapons, armored vehicles, drones and artillery systems are being procured in line with these priorities.

By Jūratė Skėrytė

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Lithuania sends 3 mln rounds of ammo, remote detonation systems to Ukraine

VILNIUS, Nov 22, BNS – Lithuania has handed over 3 million rounds of ammunition, remote detonation systems and winter equipment to the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the Defense Ministry said on Wednesday.

"Our commitment to Ukraine remains steadfast. When forming our aid packages, we are responding to Ukraine's key needs and priorities," Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas said in a press release.

"By providing ammunition, remote detonation systems and equipment for harsh winter conditions, we are tangibly strengthening Ukraine's resilience against Russian aggression," he added.

The Lithuanian Armed Forces delivered the new military aid package to the Ukrainian Armed Forces on Wednesday, according to the press release.

This follows the delivery of power generators last week, and NASAMS launchers at the start of the month.

According to the ministry, Lithuania "also provides active training assistance to the Ukrainian military, takes in injured service members for medical care, arranges expert consultations and contributes financially to international funds of assistance to Ukraine".

In total, Lithuania has provided military assistance worth around half a billion euros to Ukraine so far, it said.

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Lithuanian MP Gapsys to appeal prison sentence in political corruption case

VILNIUS, Nov 22, BNS – Lithuanian MP Vytautas Gapsys said on Wednesday that he is already preparing a cassation appeal against the prison sentence handed down to him in the so-called MG Grupe political corruption case.

"I am already working on my cassation appeal, so I am focusing on this activity," Gapsys told BNS.

"I will make my comments and answer the questions tomorrow before the plenary session," he added.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Court of Appeal reversed the ruling of the first instance court and convicted all defendants in the high-profile political corruption case centering around MG Grupe (former MG Baltic), one of Lithuania's biggest business groups.

Gapsys was sentenced to four years and six months in prison. The MP, along with his Labor Party, was convicted of accepting a bribe from Raimondas Kurlianskis, a former MG Baltic vice-president.

According to law-enforcement, Gapsys acted in the interests of MG Grupe in exchange for a 27,100-euro bribe.

Other defendants in the case were sentenced to imprisonment and fines of thousands of euros.

By Augustas Stankevičius

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Lithuanian, South Korean PMs discuss bilateral ties, cooperation

VILNIUS, Nov 22, BNS – Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte and her South Korean counterpart Han Duck-soo discussed bilateral relations and the potential for developing economic cooperation over the phone on Wednesday.

The two leaders also discussed the importance of supporting Ukraine, the Lithuanian government's office said in a press release.

"Without the privilege of a safe neighborhood, our countries are well aware of the importance of strengthening cooperation between democracies," it quoted Simonyte as saying.

"We are pleased with the intensified contacts and the dialogue between like-minded people, and we hope that this is just the beginning of even closer ties between Lithuania and South Korea," she said.

The Lithuanian prime minister emphasized that as the partnership between the countries strengthens, it is important to fill it with specific business, investment and other projects, according to the press release.

South Korea's bid to host the EXPO 2030 world exhibition in the city of Busan was also presented during the conversation, it said.

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Lithuanian Supreme Court rejects prosecutor's appeals in Real IRA suspects' cases

VILNIUS, Nov 22, BNS – The statute of limitations for the prosecution of two Irish citizens accused of terrorism offences had expired before their cases were referred to court for trial, the Lithuanian Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday.

Its judgement is final and not subject to appeal.

The three-judge panel ruled that the lower courts applied the law correctly when they terminated the cases due to the statute of limitations.

The prosecutor's cassation appeals in both cases were dismissed.

The Vilnius Regional Court in September 2022 decided to close the criminal proceedings brought against Liam Campbell, one of the Irishmen, on charges of attempting to provide support to the Real IRA terrorist group.

The same court also dropped the case against Brendan McGuigan, the other Irishman charged with terrorist offences.

The Lithuanian Court of Appeal last January dismissed the prosecutor's appeals against the Vilnius court's rulings and stated that the applicable statute of limitations had elapsed on January 22, 2018, before the criminal cases were sent to court.

The prosecutor challenged the lower courts' conclusion that the statute of limitations for the passing of a judgement of conviction was 10 years.

According to the prosecutor, the 15-year statute of limitations should have been applied, but since this period expired during the hearing of the cases before the Court of Appeal, the criminal proceedings should be discontinued.

Judge Arturas Ridikas of the Supreme Court said that the statute of limitations should be calculated according to the version of the Criminal Code that was in force at the time the offense was committed.

Therefore, the Supreme Court held that the ten-year statute of limitations was applicable to the cases.

The offences the Irishmen were charged with dated between 2006 and 2008.

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

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

Lithuanian and foreign law enforcement officials suspected that a group of Irish citizens, including the Campbell brothers, between November 2006 and January 2007 sought to acquire arms in Lithuania for the terrorist group.

At least three firearms, a large quantity of ammunition of high explosive power, explosives, explosive materials, submachine guns, sniper rifles, pistols, grenade launchers, cartridges, detonators, grenades and other items could have been illegally purchased in Lithuania, according to the case-file.

The acquired weapons were to be smuggled to Ireland and the terrorist group's members were to be trained in Lithuania to use them, with 100,000 euros provided for the purpose.

By Ingrida Steniulienė

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Upcoming events in Lithuania for Thursday, November 23, 2023

VILNIUS, Nov 22, BNS – The following events are scheduled in Lithuania for Thursday, November 23, 2023:

The SEIMAS to hold plenary sittings starting at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

The Labor Party's political group to meet with FOREIGN MINISTER Gabrielius Landsbergis at 1 p.m.

PRIME MINISTER Ingrida Simonyte to participate in the so-called "government hour" at the Seimas at noon.

CULTURE MINISTER Simonas Kairys to attend a meeting of EU culture ministers in Brussels.

OTHER EVENTS

Vilnius officials to hold a news conference at 10 a.m. to present the program for the festive period in the capital.

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Nov 27 2023

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