LITHUANIA DAILY NEWS BULLETIN, November 9, 2023

LITHUANIA DAILY NEWS BULLETIN

IN THIS ISSUE:

Taiwanese formin meets with Lithuanian parlt speaker, MPs, discusses relations
Upcoming events in Lithuania for Thursday, November 9, 2023
Twenty irregular migrants turned away on Lithuania's border with Belarus
Taiwan's formin to meet with MPs, take part in democracy forum in Vilnius
Lithuania reports 560 new COVID-19 cases, no deaths
Lithuanian parlt to consider proposals on Grazulis' immunity, Zemaitaitis' impeachment
7 out of 10 voters would support Nauseda vs. Simonyte for president – survey
Lithuanian FM says hearing various considerations from EU members on Kyiv accession talks
Lithuania's CEC distributes state budget appropriations to political parties
Presidential election in Lithuania to take place on May 12
Taiwanese formin meets with Lithuanian parlt speaker, MPs, discusses relations (expands)
Taiwanese formin meets with Lithuanian parlt speaker, MPs, discusses relations (further expands)
European, African officials, UN, OSCE reps to attend Future of Democracy Forum in Vilnius
Migration Department revokes ex-Yedinstvo leader’s permanent residence permit in Lithuania
Ecofin: Lithuania to receive EUR 1.75 b in European loans, grants
Upcoming events in Lithuania for Friday, November 10, 2023
Lithuania supports Armenia's European, democratic orientation

Taiwanese formin meets with Lithuanian parlt speaker, MPs, discusses relations

VILNIUS, Nov 09, BNS – Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu met with Speaker of the Lithuanian Seimas Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen on Thursday and also held a meeting with other lawmakers.

"It is two good friends meeting with each other and sharing all kinds of things about bilateral relations. It was wonderful," Wu told reporters.

Speaking with BNS, Cmilyte-Nielsen, who has recently visited Taiwan herself, thanked the minister for the warm welcome she received in Taipei.

"We discussed ways to further step up economic cooperation and support for Ukraine," she said.

Wu also met with members of the parliamentary group for relations with Taiwan.

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Upcoming events in Lithuania for Thursday, November 9, 2023

VILNIUS, Nov 9, BNS – The following events are scheduled in Lithuania for Thursday, November 9, 2023:

SPEAKER OF THE SEIMAS Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen to meet with Gary Kasparov at 11.20 a.m.

FOREIGN MINISTER Gabrielius Landsbergis to meet with Marija Pejcinovic Buric, secretary general of the Council of Europe.

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

VILNIUS, Nov 09, BNS – Lithuanian border guards have in the past 24 hours turned away 20 migrants attempting to cross into the country from Belarus illegally, the State Border Guard Service (SBGS) said on Thursday morning.

Twenty attempts to cross illegally into Lithuania recorded on Wednesday followed an eight-day pause in attempted illegal crossings,

Latvia reported 95 attempts at illegal border crossings on Wednesday, and 120 irregular migrants were not allowed into Poland on Tuesday, according to the latest available information.

A total of 2,211 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 some 21,500 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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Taiwan's formin to meet with MPs, take part in democracy forum in Vilnius

VILNIUS, Nov 09, BNS –Taiwan's Foreign Minister Joseph Wu, currently on a visit to Vilnius, will on Thursday meet with Lithuanian lawmakers and take part in the Future of Democracy Forum.

Matas Maldeikis, head of the parliamentary group for relations with Taiwan, earlier told BNS that MPs planned to discuss economic cooperation, the security situation in the Indo-Pacific, and support to Ukraine with the minister.

Meanwhile, Lithuanian leaders and the foreign minister do not plan to meet with Joseph Wu. According to political analysts, Lithuania's top officials are thus avoiding hints about recognizing Taiwan as a state, which are irritating China.

"We follow the one-China policy, which implies that we have no official contacts," Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis told reporters on Wednesday.

On Thursday night, Taiwan's top diplomat will participate in the Future of Democracy Forum organized by the Institute of International Relations and Political Science at Vilnius University and the Foreign Ministry.

The forum is attended by democracy activists and defenders from all over the world. As the IIRPS told BNS, "some of them face security challenges at home due to their activities, so the event's program is only available to the participants".

Vilnius' decision to allow Taipei to open a Taiwanese representative office in the Lithuanian capital in 2021 angered China and Beijing limited its relations with Vilnius and blocked Lithuanian exports and imports. This led the EU's appeal to the World Trade Organization early last year.

Despite the opening of the Taiwanese representative office, Lithuania maintains its "one China" approach stating that there is only one sovereign state called China and Taiwan is an integral part of it.

By Augustas Stankevičius

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Lithuania reports 560 new COVID-19 cases, no deaths

VILNIUS, Nov 09, BNS – Lithuania has recorded 560 new coronavirus infections and no deaths from COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, official statistics showed on Thursday morning.

The 14-day primary infection rate has risen to 216 cases per 100,000 people, with the seven-day percentage of positive tests at 35.3 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.

Some 68.5 percent of people in the country have received at least one coronavirus vaccine jab so far, according to the statistics.

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Lithuanian parlt to consider proposals on Grazulis' immunity, Zemaitaitis' impeachment

VILNIUS, Nov 09, BNS – The Lithuanian parliament is set on Thursday to discuss proposals to strop Petras Grazulis, a member of the non-attached group in the Seimas, of his immunity to face charges of expressing contempt for members of the LGBTIQ community, and also to start impeachment proceedings against Remigijus Zemaitaitis, another member of the same group, for anti-Semitic statements.

The parliament has already given its initial backing to the two motions, and lawmakers will now consider them and vote on them next week.

A couple of weeks ago, the prosecutor general addressed the Seimas asking to lift the legal immunity of Grazulis, a member of the non-attached political group in the Lithuanian parliament, so that prosecutors could charge him for publicly ridiculing and expressing contempt for a group of persons or a person on grounds of their sexual orientation.

Prosecutors launched an investigation against him on May 26, 2022 after Grazulis' statement in a parliament corridor.

On May 26, 2022, after the Seimas gave its initial backing to the civil union bill legalizing same-sex unions, Grazulis met several representatives of the LGBTIQ community as he was leaving the plenary session hall and called them degenerates spreading STDs, and said they should get treatment.

In Zemaitaitis' case, the ruling block is initiating impeachment proceedings against him for anti-Semitic statements, saying that the MP's public statement and social media posts are anti-Semitic and incite to hatred. Having assessed his statement and post, a special parliament inquiry commission concluded earlier there were grounds to impeach him.

It stated that the MP attributed serious and very serious crimes committed by other persons or groups of persons to the Jewish people, blamed the Jewish people as a whole for the actions of individuals of that nationality or of certain acts of the State of Israel or its institutions.

It is also pointed out that, when speaking about the State of Israel, Jewish persons and the Jewish people as a whole, Zemaitaitis "used derogatory, impersonal, stereotyping, dehumanizing rhetoric, and presented tendentious and biased evaluations of historical and contemporary events related to Jewish persons".

The commission stated that, as a high-ranking state politician, the MP had insulted and humiliated the Israeli ambassador to Lithuania, an accredited official representative of the State of Israel, had insulted the State of Israel, and had openly justified and endorsed statement encouraging violent crackdown on the Jews.

According to the Seimas Statute, if such a commission finds that there are grounds for impeachment and the Seimas approves this conclusion, lawmakers will have to turn to the Constitutional Court for it to determine whether the MP in question has seriously violated the Constitution and broken his oath of office. A simple majority is sufficient for that.

If the Constitutional Court were to find a violation, the resolution to revoke the MP's mandate would be deemed adopted if at least three-fifths or at least 85 members of the Seimas voted in favor.

Zemaitaitis, who had been invited to cooperate with the impeachment commission in various ways, never showed up at its meetings. He calls the commission unlawful, and accusations against him absurd.

For its part, the Prosecutor General's Office is conducting a pre-trial investigation into public contempt and incitement to hatred against any national, racial, ethnic, religious or other group of people. Zemaitaitis, who enjoys legal immunity, has been questioned as a special witness.

By Milena Andrukaitytė

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7 out of 10 voters would support Nauseda vs. Simonyte for president – survey

VILNIUS, Nov 09, BNS - Seven out of ten votes would go to Lithuania's incumbent President Gitanas Nauseda, if voters were to choose between him and Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte in a presidential election, according to new surveys by the 15min.lt news website

After combining the results of two surveys and summing up the answers of the respondents who said they would vote, the website predicts that if the two politicians were to face each other in the presidential runoff, 30 percent would support Simonyte and 70 percent would vote for Nauseda.

According to the Vilmorus live and telephone survey, 53.6 percent of respondents would have voted for Nauseda in October, while 14.3 percent would have voted for Simonyte. In July 2022, 47.6 percent would have supported the president and 16.4 percent would have voted for the prime minister.

According to the Nordstat online poll, 46 percent would vote for Nauseda and 28 percenr would pick Simonyte, compared to 34 and 29 percent respectively in July 2022.

BNS reminds that the Seimas is currently considering a proposal to hold a presidential election in Lithuania on May 12.

Simonyte has been nominated by the ruling conservative Homeland Union - Lithuanian Christian Democrats. Meanwhile, Nauseda is yet to announce whether he will seek re-election.

Nauseda already faced Simonyte in the presidential runoff in 2019 and won after receiving 65.68 percent of votes against 33.04 percent of votes for Simonyte.

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Lithuanian FM says hearing various considerations from EU members on Kyiv accession talks

VILNIUS, Nov 09, BNS – Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis says he is hearing "various considerations" from European Union (EU) member states on Ukraine's EU membership negotiations.

His comments came after the European Commission recommended opening formal membership talks with Ukraine and Moldova as well as granting candidate status to Georgia. However, a final and unanimous decision on this still has to be taken by national leaders.

"I cannot say whether the EU leaders are ready to vote unanimously, because it is a matter of a unanimous vote,” Lithuanian top diplomat told reporters in the Seimas on Thursday.

“We are hearing all sorts of considerations, Hungary, an opponent of the EU's geopolitical direction, has said immediately that it does not support such a decision, it has made remarks about Ukraine's democracy, and I always invite you to look in the mirror.”

However, he stressed that the European institutions have the leverage and bargaining power to find the solution.

"I want to believe that it will be found," the head of Lithuanian diplomacy said.

He also pointed out that the Commission had also expressed certain conditions.

The European Commission on Wednesday lauded Ukraine, saying that the government “has shown a remarkable level of institutional strength, determination and ability to function.”

But it also said that talks should only start once it has addressed corruption, lobbying concerns, and a law on national minorities.

"This must be taken seriously," Landsbergis said.

However, he said that "Lithuania is ready to stand with Ukraine on the road to reform, too".

"We will help every step of the way, we will mobilize coalitions so that there will be more help", the minister said.

The Community’s leaders are expected to decide whether to endorse the Commission's recommendations at a summit in Brussels on December 14-15.

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Lithuania's CEC distributes state budget appropriations to political parties

VILNIUS, Nov 09, BNS – Lithuania's Central Electoral Commission on Thursday distributed state budget appropriations to the country's political parties for the second half of this year, and one more party, the Lithuanian Green Party, received funding after the last municipal election.

Having crossed the 2-percent threshold, this party received more than 62,000 euros.

A total of 2.9 million euros has been allocated to 12 parties. The ruling conservative Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats received the largest share of the funds – over 780,000 euros, followed by the opposition Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union with more than 478,000 euros and the opposition Lithuanian Social Democratic Party with more than 413,000 euros.

The Liberal Movement, part of the ruling block, received more than 235,000, the opposition Labor Party was granted more than 207,000 euros and the Freedom Party, also part of the ruling coalition, received over 168,000 euros.

Having several representatives elected in single-mandate constituencies, the Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania – Christian Families Alliance received over 147,000 euros, followed by the Lithuanian Regions Party with over 99,000 euros, the Freedom and Justice Party with more than 83,000 euros, the People and Justice Union (Centrists, Nationalists) with over 73,000 euros.

The Democrats "For Lithuania" received funding under a different article – as a party founded after the last Seimas election but having a political group in the Seimas. The democrats received 176,000 euros.

Compared to the previous six months, the payouts have been adjusted by the results of the municipal election that was held in the spring.

A total of 5.8 million euros are planned in the state budget for political parties that exceeded the 2-percent threshold and they will receive 0.56 euros for each vote in the last parliament, municipal or EP election.

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Presidential election in Lithuania to take place on May 12

VILNIUS, Nov 09, BNS - A presidential election in Lithuania will be held on May 12, the country's parliament decided on Thursday after 119 MPs voted in favor, one vote against and one abstention.

According to the Constitution, the Seimas sets the date for a presidential election.

Last spring, the Seimas also announced that a compulsory referendum on the legalization of multiple citizenship would also be held on May 12.

If the first round of voting fails to elect a new president, the run-off will be held on May 26.

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Taiwanese formin meets with Lithuanian parlt speaker, MPs, discusses relations (expands)

(Updated version: updates throughout)

VILNIUS, Nov 09, BNS – Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu had an unannounced meeting with over a dozen Lithuanian MPs, including Speaker of the Lithuanian Seimas Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen, at the Seimas in Vilnius on Thursday and discussed ties between Vilnius and Taipei.

Wu arrived in Vilnius as he continues his visit to the Baltic states, hoping to strengthen ties.

On the eve of the visit, Lithuania's leaders and Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said they would not meet with the Taiwanese minister because of the one-China policy and they avoid any hint of recognition of Taiwan, but the Seimas speaker received Wu for a few minutes in her office.

"It is two good friends meeting with each other and sharing all kinds of things about bilateral relations. It was wonderful," Wu told reporters.

Speaking with BNS, Cmilyte-Nielsen, who has recently visited Taiwan herself, said she thanked the minister for the warm welcome she received in Taipei.

"We discussed ways to further step up economic cooperation and support for Ukraine," she said.

Wu also met with members of the parliamentary group for relations with Taiwan. He downplayed the fact that he would not be having official meetings with Lithuanian leaders.

"Lithuania is such a good friend of Taiwan and we want to discuss with whoever people who are interested in working together with us so that the bilateral relations between Taiwan and Lithuania can even be better," he said.

"Frontline democracies"

Wu also met with members of the parliamentary group for relations with Taiwan in Vilnius, and will later participate in a democracy forum.

Speaking to reporters, the Taiwanese minister highlighted similarities between the two countries and called the Baltic states and Taiwan "frontline democracies" who "face the expansion of authoritarianism".

"In this part of the world, it's Russia launching war against Ukraine and also talking about Baltic states as part of the Russian Federation. (...) In the Indo-Pacific, China has also being expanding themselves, pointing that Taiwan is part of China. This is against the will of Taiwanese people," the minister said, adding that he feels the support of Lithuania and other Baltic states.

"We share the same values – freedom, democracy, the protection of human rights and the rule of law. (...) This is unlimited space for us to cooperate with each other and that's my purpose to come to this part of the world to work with each other," Wu said.

Later in the day, Taiwan's top diplomat will participate in the Future of Democracy Forum organized by the Institute of International Relations and Political Science at Vilnius University and the Foreign Ministry.

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Taiwanese formin meets with Lithuanian parlt speaker, MPs, discusses relations (further expands)

(Updated version: updates throughout)

Wu arrived in Vilnius as he continues his visit to the Baltic states, hoping to strengthen ties.

"It is two good friends meeting with each other and sharing all kinds of things about bilateral relations. It was wonderful," Wu told reporters.

Speaking with BNS, Cmilyte-Nielsen, who has recently visited Taiwan herself, thanked the minister for the warm welcome she received in Taipei.

"We discussed ways to further step up economic cooperation and support for Ukraine," she said.
Wu also met with members of the parliamentary group for relations with Taiwan.

Wu downplayed the fact that we would not be having official meetings with Lithuanian leaders.

"Frontline democracies"

Wu also met with members of the parliamentary group for relations with Taiwan in Vilnius, and will later participate in a democracy forum.

This is the first time a Taiwanese foreign minister visits the Baltic states.

Lithuania as Taiwan's gateway to the EU

Lithuania has the most advanced relations with Taiwan among all the Baltic countries as Vilnius allowed Taipei to open a Taiwanese representative office in the Lithuanian capital in 2021.

This move angered China and Beijing restricted relations with Vilnius and blocked Lithuanian exports and imports, forcing the EU to appeal to the World Trade Organization early last year.

Lithuania expects high-tech business investment from Taiwan. So far, the most notable example of the intensified bilateral relations is Teltonika's cooperation agreement with Taiwan's Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) to share semiconductor technology.

Wu says Lithuanian businesses, including laser developers, can become part of Taiwan's semiconductor production and supply chains.

"TMSC is making an investment in Germany. Of course, it is not just that investment in Germany, we hope that we can bring lots of countries, lots of industries together to form that ecosystem and, of course, Lithuania will have advantage in that area," the Taiwanese minister said.

Matas Maldeikis, chair of the parliamentary group of relations with Taiwan, says Lithuania wants to be part of the chip ecosystem because "it is part of our economic growth".

"We want to be a place through which Taiwan can discover the EU market," the MP told reporters after the group's meeting with Wu.

For his part, Zygimantas Pavilionis, chair of the Seimas Committee on Foreign Affairs, said they discussed support for Kyiv as it’s fighting against Russian invasion: "We asked for their help for further support in Ukraine".

Tallinn has announced that it will allow Taiwan to open a non-diplomatic Taipei representative office in the country to boost economic and cultural ties with the self-ruled island, but pledges to maintain the "one China" principle in political relations.

Wu says negotiations on the representative office will take time but he hopes it will eventually be opened and that relations will be mutually beneficial.

Asked whether he would seek to have Taiwan mentioned in the name of the mission, the minister said: "It is a topic that needs to be negotiated and this is just the beginning of negotiations. I won't be able to go into details".

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European, African officials, UN, OSCE reps to attend Future of Democracy Forum in Vilnius

VILNIUS, Nov 09, BNS – Vilnius is hosting a Future of Democracy Forum, organized by the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry and the Institute of International Relations and Political Science at Vilnius University, which will be attended by officials from European and African countries as well as representatives of international organizations.

They include Belarusian opposition activist Sviatlana Tsichanouskaya, Daw Zin Mar Aung, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the National Unity Government of Myanmar, Jan Lipavsky, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, and Marija Pejčinović Burić, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, the Foreign Ministry said in a press release on Thursday.

The event will also be attended by special rapporteurs of the United Nations, representatives of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and prominent democracy advocates.

Taiwan's Foreign Minister Joseph Wu, who is visiting Vilnius, will also attend the forum.

Participants are expected to come from nearly fifty countries representing different regions of the world. The Forum will also be joined by a dozen participants of the World Liberty Congress, which took place in Vilnius just before the Future of Democracy Forum and which brought together over 300 democracy activists this year.

The Forum will be held under the international Chatham House Rule.

"Today we are living in a period of many parallel crises. The war in Ukraine, the violence in the Middle East, the tensions in the South Caucasus or in the Indo-Pacific region. In such dynamic circumstances, we must not lose sight of the need to preserve and further develop democracy as the most precious and important part of our political heritage," Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said.

"Lithuania has a reputation as a haven for democratic forces. This is the foundation on which our own nation is built. These are the values we believe in and are committed to. That is why building a united community of democracies, mobilizing and coordinating our actions is more important than ever," he added.

The Forum will discuss how to empower democracy activists, human rights defenders and independent journalists, both inside and outside their own countries, and how to protect them from repression by authoritarian regimes.

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Migration Department revokes ex-Yedinstvo leader’s permanent residence permit in Lithuania

VILNIUS, Nov 09, BNS – The Migration Department has revoked the permanent residence permit in Lithuania of Valery Ivanov, the former leader of the pro-Soviet organization Yedinstvo.

"The Migration Department confirms that Russian citizen Valery Ivanov has had his permanent residence permit in Lithuania revoked. This decision was taken after the Migration Department carried out an investigation, analyzed publicly available information and received additional information from the country's responsible institutions – the State Security Department, the Police Department, the State Border Guard Service," the Migration Department said in comments sent to BNS on Thursday.

The decision was sent to Ivanov on Wednesday and can be appealed within 14 days.

LNK TV News was the first to break this news.

"When the court agrees that I have to leave Lithuania, my homeland, then I will have to consider this issue somehow", Ivanov told LNK.

In late September, Lithuanian prosecutors notified the former leader of Yedinstvo of suspicions raised against him regarding public approval of international and Soviet crimes against Lithuania as well as regarding assisting another state to act against Lithuania.

According to the Migration Department, even if the decision to revoke Ivanov's permit were to become final before the end of the criminal proceedings, he would be obliged to stay in Lithuania while the proceedings continue and he would be subject to detention measures.

However, he would be obliged to leave after the end of the trial and the entry into force of the decision.

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Ecofin: Lithuania to receive EUR 1.75 b in European loans, grants

VILNIUS, Nov 09, BNS - The EU Economic and Financial Affairs Council in Brussels on Thursday approved an updated economic recovery plan "New Generation Lithuania", which provides for 1.75 billion euros of new investments, most of which will be loans.

"The Ecofin decision is the final one for Lithuania's access to concessional European loans.

Lithuanian Finance Minister Gintare Skaiste says 1 billion euros will be allocated for business loans and other financial instruments, and more than 550 million euros will be provided in loans for electricity generation from renewable sources. A further 198.4 million euros will come as a grant from the RepowerEU initiative, the Finance Ministry said.

"We expect the first funds to reach the economy as early as the end of this year," the minister was quoted as saying in the statement.

After a fierce debate, on October 30, the Lithuanian government approved the updated plan agreed with the European Commission, despite differences with Brussels over the postponement of the tax reform deadlines for Lithuania when the Commission did not take into account the government's request to postpone the deadlines until early 2025.

The new plan adds new investments, including 2.3 billion euros in European grants and 1.55 billion euros in loans.

The delivery of the plan's commitments is linked to the receipt of funds under the EU's Recovery and Resilience Facility.

The new investments are expected to boost real GDP growth by 0.97 percent on average, or 492.5 million euros per year, between 2023 and 2027.

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Upcoming events in Lithuania for Friday, November 10, 2023

VILNIUS, Nov 10, BNS – The following events are scheduled in Lithuania for Friday, November 10, 2023:

PRESIDENT Gitanas Nauseda to open the annual Regions' Forum at 9.30 a.m.; to attend the forum's second part at 1 p.m.

SPEAKER OF THE SEIMAS Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen to attend an international conference on violence again women and international child abduction at 10 a.m.; to meet with Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky at 1 p.m.

JUSTICE MINISTER Ewelina Dobrowolska to meet with Marija Pejcinovic Buric, secretary general of the Council of Europe, at 11 a.m.; to attend a working lunch at the Dutch Embassy in Lithuania at 12.30 p.m.

FOREIGN MINISTER Gabrielius Landsbergis to meet Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky and hold a press conference after the meeting at 11 a.m.; to attend the Future of Democracy Forum.

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Lithuania supports Armenia's European, democratic orientation

VILNIUS, Nov 09, BNS - Lithuania supports Armenia's European and democratic orientation, Lithuanian Foreign Vice Minister Jonas Survila said in Vilnius on Thursday after meeting with his Armenian counterpart Paruyr Hovhannisyan who came to attend the Future of Democracy Forum.

"Lithuania values Armenia's democratic development and strongly supports the EU's mediation efforts towards a peaceful, sustainable and comprehensive settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict through diplomatic means," Survila said.

According to the Foreign Ministry, Lithuania actively seeks more meaningful and deeper cooperation between the EU and Armenia, as well as the EU support for the strengthening of Armenia's security and resilience, and the implementation of economic diversification.

During the meeting, the Armenian representative briefed Survila on the security situation in the South Caucasus region and the challenges his country is currently facing.

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Nov 10 2023

LITHUANIA DAILY NEWS BULLETIN

IN THIS ISSUE:

Lithuanian parlt rejects proposal to scrap ban on promoting LGBTIQ family concept
Lithuania records no illegal border crossings from Belarus for 7th straight day
Lithuanian formin hopes for green light from EU Commission on Ukraine's EU membership
Installation on White Bridge in Vilnius to commemorate hostages kidnapped in Israel
SBGS deputy chief: Lithuanian border guards’ weaponry should meet NATO standards this year
Lithuania reports 1,190 new COVID-19 cases, two deaths
Lithuania’s LTG Cargo asks law enforcement to probe transport of luxury cars to Russia
Lithuanian PM calls implementing ECHR ruling on LGBTQI 'matter of state's self-respect'
Lithuania’s LTG Cargo asks law enforcement to probe transport of luxury cars to Russia (expands)
Lithuanian formin has no doubt Poland will find shortest route to stable govt
Victims of Hamas attach remembered in Vilnius with installation for kidnapped people
Lithuania's LTG suspends re-exports of luxury cars to third countries from December
Two tank battalions to form core of German brigade in Lithuania
Lithuanian formin doubts over Bajarunas return to London
Lithuanian president says he does not accept "green light to despise the family"
Lithuania's LTG suspends re-exports of luxury cars to third countries from December (expands)
Lithuanian parlt rejects proposal to scrap ban on promoting LGBTIQ family concept (expands)
Upcoming events in Lithuania for Wednesday, November 8, 2023

Lithuanian parlt rejects proposal to scrap ban on promoting LGBTIQ family concept

VILNIUS, Nov 07, BNS – Lithuanian lawmakers on Tuesday rejected a proposal to abolish the existing ban on disseminating information among minors, "denigrating family values" and promoting the LGBTIQ family concept.

50 lawmakers voted in favor of the amendments drafted by the Justice Ministry, but 56 voted against and 19 abstained.

The proposed amendment would have removed the legal provision that defines information that has a negative impact on minors as information that "denigrates family values, promotes a different concept of marriage and family formation from that enshrined in the Constitution and the Civil Code".

"Hungary currently has similar regulation, and the European Commission has not only found an infringement, but has also filed a lawsuit," Justice Minister Ewelina Dobrowolska said when introducing the motion.

The amendments had been submitted following the ECHR's ruling that Lithuania violated the provisions of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms on freedom of expression.

The Strasbourg court delivered the judgment in the case of now deceased Neringa Macate who challenged the suspension in Lithuania of the publication of her book Amber Heart. The collection of fairy tales, which depicts same-sex relationships, was published by the Lithuanian University of Educational Sciences in 2013.

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

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

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Lithuania records no illegal border crossings from Belarus for 7th straight day

VILNIUS, Nov 07, BNS – Lithuanian border guards recorded no attempts to cross into the country from Belarus illegally for the seventh day in a row on Monday, the State Border Guard Service (SBGS) said on Tuesday morning.

Latvia reported 56 attempts at illegal border crossings on Monday, and 94 irregular migrants were not allowed into Poland on Sunday, according to the latest available information.

A total of 2,191 irregular migrants have been barred from entering Lithuania from Belarus at non-designated places so far this year.

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

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

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Lithuanian formin hopes for green light from EU Commission on Ukraine's EU membership

VILNIUS, Nov 07, BNS – Lithuania’s foreign minister expects a positive assessment from the European Commission on Ukraine's readiness to start negotiations on EU membership, but has no doubt that the subsequent discussions at the level of the heads of state will be difficult.

"The decision itself is kept under nine locks, but the visit of the president of the European Commission to Kyiv indicates that she would probably not go with bad news ... The expectation in the circle of many countries that support Ukraine, and certainly among Ukrainians themselves, is that the decision will be positive," Gabrielius Landsbergis told the LRT radio.

He stressed that the next steps would still have to be approved by the EU Council.

"The discussion there will be very difficult indeed. The European Union has been paralyzed on many issues for almost a year", the minister said.

Ukraine was granted EU candidate status last year and hopes to start formal negotiations later this year on what needs to be done to have its membership approved. The European Commission is due to report this week on Ukraine's progress towards EU membership.

EU Commission chief, Ursula von der Leyen, said while she visited Kyiv on weekend that Ukraine had “reached many milestones” on its path towards membership in the bloc.

"Reforming your justice system. Curbing the oligarchs grip. Tackling money laundering and much more," she said adding she was "confident" Ukraine would progress with the accession process when these reforms were implemented.

Along with Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova are also seeking to open EU membership negotiations.

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Installation on White Bridge in Vilnius to commemorate hostages kidnapped in Israel

VILNIUS, Nov 07, BNS – An installation will be held on the White Bridge in Vilnius on Tuesday to commemorate the 242 hostages kidnapped from Israel by the Palestinian group Hamas.

The action will take place on the White Bridge for about an hour. The organizers say to have borrowed many of the materials.

According to the organizers, the action comes exactly one month after Hamas members invaded Israel from the Gaza Strip on October 7, massacred civilians and took more than 242 innocent people hostage. The kidnapped range in age from 10 months to 85 years. The hostages include citizens of 42 other countries.

In the aftermath of the attack, thousands of people all over the world, from Australia to European capitals, in 30 US states, in South America and in Africa, have joined together to raise awareness of the hostages taken by Hamas and to call for their release.

Hamas militants stormed into Israel from Gaza on October 7, killing some 1,400 people, mostly civilians, and taking more than 220 people hostage.

Israel has responded with a fierce aerial campaign that has so far killed more than 10,000 Palestinians, most of them civilians, in Gaza, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.

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SBGS deputy chief: Lithuanian border guards’ weaponry should meet NATO standards this year

VILNIUS, Nov 07, BNS – The weaponry of Lithuanian border guards should fully comply with NATO standards by the end of this year, and the old Kalashnikov submachine guns will be abandoned, Antanas Montvydas, deputy chief of the State Border Guard Service (SBGS), has said.

"As far as armaments are concerned, 3 million euros was allocated last year which was spent on purchasing armaments compliant with NATO standards with the help of the Defense Ministry, and 7 million euros has been allocated for the same activity this year. We hope that our weapons will be fully compliant with NATO standards by the end of the year and we will give up the Kalashnikov submachine guns we have now," he told the LRT radio on Tuesday.

Until 2022, most of the SBGS officers were equipped with Russian-made Kalashnikov-type automatic weapons. Last year, the army handed over about 2,500 G-36 automatic rifles to the border guards. This year it plans to buy additional more than 1,000 automatic rifles.

According to Montvydas, the legislation would have to be amended and new functions would have to be assigned to the SBGS in order for the border guards to acquire heavier weaponry.

By Ignas Jačauskas

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Lithuania reports 1,190 new COVID-19 cases, two deaths

VILNIUS, Nov 07, BNS – Lithuania has recorded 1,190 new coronavirus infections and two deaths from COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, official statistics showed on Tuesday morning.

The 14-day primary infection rate has risen to 207.2 cases per 100,000 people, with the seven-day percentage of positive tests at 36.7 percent.

The number of COVID-19 patients in hospitals stands at 142, including nine ICU cases.

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

Some 68.5 percent of people in the country have received at least one coronavirus vaccine jab so far, according to the statistics.

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Lithuania’s LTG Cargo asks law enforcement to probe transport of luxury cars to Russia

VILNIUS, Nov 07, BNS – LTG Cargo, the freight arm of Lietuvos Gelezinkeliai (Lithuanian Railways, LTG), Lithuania's state-owned railway company, has asked law enforcement to investigate a possible violation of international sanctions in the export of luxury cars to third countries.

According to the company’s press release, LTG Cargo experts responsible for sanctions supervision became suspicious about possible schemes to circumvent restrictions on luxury cars shipped to Russia.

LTG Cargo contacted law enforcement following an internal investigation.

The company claims that it has already taken action to prevent such shipments and has forwarded the investigation material it has gathered on possible sanction circumvention schemes to the Prosecutor General's Office.

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Lithuanian PM calls implementing ECHR ruling on LGBTQI 'matter of state's self-respect'

VILNIUS, Nov 07, BNS - It is a matter of the state's self-respect to implement the European Court of Human Rights's ruling regarding the bank on telling minors about LGBTQI families, Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte says.

"It seems to me that it is a matter of our state's self-respect to correct those things," she told reporters at the Seimas on Tuesday.

The situation is very clear, the prime minister said, adding that there is a Strasbourg court ruling and it needs to be implemented, although she predicted there might be a heated debate on the bill.

She also does not rule out that the adoption of the amendment could be delayed, but stressed that the ECHR ruling would need to be implemented anyway.

An amendment to the Law on the Protection of Minors Against the Detrimental Effect of Public Information is set to be submitted to the Seimas on Tuesday, and it would remove the existing ban on telling minors about LGBTQI families from the law.

It would remove the provision that defines information that has a negative impact on minors as information that "denigrates family values, promotes a different concept of marriage and family formation from that enshrined in the Constitution and the Civil Code".

The planned change follows the ECHR's ruling that Lithuania violated the provisions of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms on freedom of expression.

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

Politicians predict that the debate on this issue could become another divide in the Seimas, like the ratification of the Istanbul Convention or the legalization of civil unions.

By Jūratė Skėrytė, Milena Andrukaitytė

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Lithuania’s LTG Cargo asks law enforcement to probe transport of luxury cars to Russia (expands)

On Tuesday, LTG Cargo contacted law enforcement following an internal investigation.

The company claims that it has already suspended the transport of such shipments and has forwarded the investigation material it has gathered on possible sanction circumvention schemes to the Prosecutor General's Office.

“We have informed our customers that LTG Cargo is suspending the transport of all luxury cars by rail through the territory of Lithuania due to the unacceptable risk posed by businesses seeking to circumvent sanctions,” the press release quoted Egle Sime, LTG Cargo CEO, as saying.

It is believed that luxury cars destined for third countries – Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Georgia, and Turkmenistan – are in fact being transported to Russia.

An internal investigation by LTG Cargo into 447 Mercedes, Porsche Cayenne, Cadillac and other luxury cars transported by nine customers revealed that 75 of them were registered in Russia, 55 entered Russia through other countries and no data was found on the place of registration of the remaining cars.

Four companies were found to be involved in a possible sanctions circumvention scheme.

According to Sime, possible sanctions circumvention schemes are monitored continuously.

“Every day, we work with a team of experts to prevent every attempt to circumvent the existing sanctions and to trace possible schemes to circumvent the restrictions. We cooperate with the relevant authorities and take all the steps we can to prevent unauthorized cargo from reaching Russia," she said.

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Lithuanian formin has no doubt Poland will find shortest route to stable govt

VILNIUS, Nov 07, BNS – Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis says he has no doubt that Poland will find the "best and shortest way" to form a stable government.

However, he refrained to comment on the Polish president's decision to task Mateusz Morawiecki, the incumbent prime minister, to form a new government, despite the fact that his party failed to secure a majority.

"I will not comment on domestic political decisions. Our strategic partner, I have no doubt, will find the best and shortest way to form a stable and effective government, and we will continue our assistance to Ukraine as a whole and our strategic partnership with the government that will be formed," Landsbergis told reporters at the parliament on Tuesday.

On Monday, Poland’s president tapped outgoing Morawiecki to try to form a new government even though his Law and Justice party (PiS) failed to win a majority in the general election last month. It lost its majority to the three opposition party appliance led by the Civic Platform (PO), but it remained the largest single party with the most votes.

Andrzej Duda, an ally of the current government, said earlier there were two candidates for prime minister – the incumbent prime minister delegated by the PiS, and also the country's former Prime Minister Donald Tusk, the main opposition leader.

The president's decision is expected to delay the formation of a functioning government, as lawmakers are unlikely to give Morawiecki the necessary approval for his cabinet of ministers.

Duda stressed that Morawiecki's party should be allowed to stay in power because it won more votes than any other single political force.

The president also says that if Morawiecki fails, he will ask Tusk's Civic Coalition to form a government as it;s the second largest party in the country's parliament.

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Victims of Hamas attach remembered in Vilnius with installation for kidnapped people

VILNIUS, Nov 07, BNS - Hundreds of heart-shaped balloons have been attached to chairs, prams and wheelchairs as part of an installation near the White Bridge in Vilnius to remember the Israelis kidnapped by Palestinian Hamas militants a month ago.

Balloons have also been attached to some of their photos, and also a screen on the riverbank shows videos sent by their relatives.

"Today marks exactly one month since 242 civilians were kidnapped from Israel, including babies, children, men, women and the elderly. This installation represents different age groups: prams represent children, chairs represent men and women, and wheelchairs represent the elderly," Liana Jagniatinsky, one of the organizers, told BNS. "We very much hope that they will return home to their families."

On October 7, the Palestinian group Hamas invaded Israel from the Gaza Strip, killing at least 1,400 people, mostly civilians, and taking nearly half a hundred hostages. In response to the attack, Israel launched a bombing campaign in the Gaza Strip and is also carrying out ground operations.

Jagniatinsky says the aim of this act is to express solidarity with the families of the kidnapped people.

"They are going through a very difficult tragedy," she said. "And we also want to draw the public's attention to the fact that these things are happening."

The Jewish Community of Vilnius and the Israeli company Wix, which has a branch in Vilnius, also joined the campaign.

"Our aim is not to forget that the kidnapped people are still being held in some basements and we demand their immediate release," the community's leader Aleksandras Cernovas told BNS. "We pray that they all return home safely."

Yarden Vinitski, a 31-year-old Israeli who came to Lithuania for a few weeks to work, says the attack a month ago was particularly painful, adding that her relatives and all Israelis were in a state of uncertainty about the condition of the abducted people.

"Every minute that they are there it is so painful. We don't know if they are eating, if they are showering, if children are allowed to cry, to play," she said, adding that the least the community can do is to organize such actions that show support for the families of hostages.

"We want to support all those families, but we feel like family members of all these hostages," she said.

Israeli Ambassador to Lithuania Hadas Wittenberg Silverstein also attended the event and told BNS that the abducted people must be released immediately and the world must realize that Israel is fighting against Hamas, not the Palestinians.

"Sometimes there is a misunderstanding. We are in the war against the Hamas organization, not against the Palestinians. Unfortunately, this war is done in Gaza which is a very dense population area. Sometimes there is pressure and calls for a ceasefire without understanding that this is the only means for Israel to make sure those people come back home and make sure it wont happen again," the ambassador said.

The heads of all major UN agencies issued a rare joint statement on Monday, expressing outrage at the number of civilian casualties in Gaza and calling for an immediate humanitarian pause.

The Gaza Strip's health ministry says nearly 10,000 people, mostly civilians, have died in the Palestinian territory since the start of the war with Israel.

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Lithuania's LTG suspends re-exports of luxury cars to third countries from December

VILNIUS, Nov 07, BNS - LTG Cargo, the freight arm of Lietuvos Gelezinkeliai (Lithuanian Railways, LTG), Lithuania's state-owned railway company, will suspend re-exports of luxury cars via Lithuania to third countries from December 1, and they will be subject to enhanced checks in November.

The move comes after an internal investigation revealed that luxury cars shipped to third countries, including Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Georgia and Turkmenistan, may be traveling to Russia in violation of the existing EU sanctions.

"The applications for November shipments were submitted and approved last month. Customers who submitted their applications in November and whose shipments will meet the requirements of the enhanced controls and who can prove beyond doubt that they comply with the sanctions will be allowed to transport these goods, provided that the shipments are completed by December 1," the company told BNS.

Earlier in the day, LTG said it would reject all applications for the shipment to third countries of cars valued at more than 50,000 euros and produced in the last five years.

LTG Group's Corporate Affairs Director Aleksandras Zubriakovas said that the existing international sanctions on the re-exports of luxury cars via Lithuania to third countries may have been violated through the falsification of declarations.

"The essence of this scheme is the submission of a false declaration where the car seller, the company, provides false information about the final destination, which is not difficult to check by the car's VIN code," Zubriakovas told BNS on Tuesday.

In his words, the re-exports of luxury cars to third countries, mainly Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, increased in 2022 after the European Union imposed sanctions on Russia in response to its attack on Ukraine. This year, LTG's tighter cargo checks have led to a slight drop in the flow of such cargo.

LTG Cargo on Tuesday turned to the Prosecutor General's Office, asking it to investigate a possible breach of the existing international sanctions.

214 wagons with around 2,140 cars went through Lithuania in January, which is 10 times more than in 2022 (21 wagons, up to 210 cars), and the value of these cars ranged between 70,000 and 200,000 euros.

By Goda Vileikytė

Editor: Roma Pakėnienė

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Two tank battalions to form core of German brigade in Lithuania

VILNIUS, Nov 07, BNS – Two tank battalions should form the core of a German brigade in Lithuania, the German Defense Ministry has said.

They are the 203rd tank battalion from Augustdorf, North Rhine-Westphalia, and the 122nd tank and grenadier battalion from Oberviechtach, Bavaria. In total, the brigade will consist of three combat battalions as well as command and support elements.

According to the ministry, the third battalion will initially consist of the German-led NATO Forward Presence Battalion Battle Group.

The two battalions will be redeployed to Lithuania once the necessary infrastructure is in place.

This decision was taken on Monday by Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, following a proposal by the Bundeswehr Inspector General.

The brigade to be deployed in Lithuania will be called Panzerbrigade 42. The brigade's deployment headquarters is expected to be moved to Lithuania in the final quarter of 2024. Germany intends to deploy a total of around 4,000 troops in the brigade in Lithuania.

Vilnius plans that the bulk of the German brigade will be deployed in Lithuania in 2026. The troops and their accompanying families are to be accommodated in Vilnius, Rudninkai and Rukla, but specific locations have not yet been specified as discussions have not yet been finalized.

The joint Lithuanian-German working group has agreed to sign the deployment plan by December 22.

The German defense minister said earlier that not only military infrastructure, but also social infrastructure, such as schools and leisure facilities, would have to be put in place for the arrival of the German brigade in Lithuania.

This is needed, he said, because German troops will rotate every three years, meaning that their families will also be coming to Lithuania.

Lithuania and Germany started discussing the deployment of a German brigade in Lithuania after Russia invaded Ukraine.

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

Germany has also led an international NATO battalion deployed in Lithuania since 2017.

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Lithuanian formin doubts over Bajarunas return to London

VILNIUS, Nov 07, BNS – Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis doubts that Eitvydas Bajarunas, the country's ambassador to the UK who was summoned to Vilnius for consultations in mid-October, will be able to return to London.

However, the minister acknowledges that a decision on the diplomat's fate could take some time to agree with the presidential office.

"I have very serious doubts about whether that person could return to work at the embassy because of the protection of the staff, because these are people who are still working there. If the ambassador were to return, if we were forced, let's say, to return him somehow, I think people would be very much dissatisfied, that's a fact, and people would just leave," Landsbergis told reporters at the Seimas on Tuesday.

Bajarunas is facing accusation of misconduct and working conditions from embassy staff in London. The Foreign Ministry's General Inspectorate investigated the complaints, found irregularities and proposed considering whether Bajarunas was fit to lead the embassy.

He was summoned to Vilnius for consultations in mid-October. The president called this decision "half-hearted", noting that it did not solve anything and left the diplomatic mission without a leader for at least six months.

For his part, Landsbergis said on Tuesday the situation at the embassy was good as it was carrying out all the functions necessary for Lithuania, and the staff felt safe.

Bajarunas has asked for an independent investigation, claiming that he is being psychologically abused by the Foreign Ministry because the leaked information is damaging his reputation.

Presidential advisor Asta Skaisgiryte said earlier President Gitanas Nauseda could only decide on Bajarunas' fate after receiving the conclusion of "an independent investigation carried out in accordance with all the institutional procedures".

Landsbergis says Bajarunas, who is currently working in Vilnius, is in a "very comfortable situation" because of the presidential office's position as he is still paid as if he were working in London.

The minister says such a situation "can go on as long as necessary" and stressed that he must protect the embassy staff.

Landsbergis also hinted that Bajarunas felt he had the support of the presidential office to "go all the way".

The foreign minister says he will continue discussions on how to deal with the situation, but noted that the presidential office "has pushed itself into a corner with very strong statements, requests for non-existent investigations".

Responding to suggestions that the ambassadorial post in London is allegedly being prepared for a specific person, Landsbergis also said that he would not rule out that someone from the presidential office might start working there.

"The president could send one of his advisers to London. I can certainly see some great people, and Asta Skaisgiryte, a former ambassador in London, I think she would be a great ambassador if she comes back, or some members of her team," Landsbergis said. "I would certainly not see any problem here: to prepare a place or to find a consensus among those people who are on the presidential team, first of all, if they are competent people who meet the requirements."

However, he stressed, any ambassadorial appointment is a compromise, so even if the aim is to send a specific person to London, Nauseda would have a veto on this issue.

By Austėja Masiokaitė-Liubinienė

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Lithuanian president says he does not accept "green light to despise the family"

VILNIUS, Nov 07, BNS – Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said on Tuesday that he is against "giving the green light to despise the family".

His comments came as the Seimas on Tuesday plans to table amendments to a law banning the dissemination to minors of information "that despises family values" and promotes the LGBTIQ concept of family.

"Allowing or giving the green light to despise the family is unacceptable to me altogether. I think I have answered clearly enough," the president told reporters in Pakruojis, North Lithuania, when asked whether he would veto the amendments.

The amendments drafted by the government remove the provision that defines information that has a negative impact on minors as information that "denigrates family values, promotes a different concept of marriage and family formation from that enshrined in the Constitution and the Civil Code".

Critics of the current regulation argue that the current regulation prohibits stories about LGBTIQ families in general.

The planned amendments follow the ruling of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) that Lithuania violated the provisions of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms on freedom of expression.

The Strasbourg court delivered the judgment in the case of now deceased Neringa Macate who challenged the suspension of the publication of her book Amber Heart in Lithuania. The collection of fairy tales, which depicts same-sex relationships, was published by the Lithuanian University of Educational Sciences in 2013.

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

Politicians predict that the debate on this issue could become another divide in the Seimas, like the ratification of the Istanbul Convention or the legalization of civil unions.

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Lithuania's LTG suspends re-exports of luxury cars to third countries from December (expands)

VILNIUS, Nov 07, BNS – LTG Cargo, the freight arm of Lietuvos Gelezinkeliai (Lithuanian Railways, LTG), Lithuania's state-owned railway company, will suspend re-exports of luxury cars via Lithuania to third countries from December 1, and they will be subject to enhanced checks in November.

Earlier in the day, LTG said it would reject all applications for the shipment to third countries of cars valued at more than 50,000 euros and produced in the last five years.

LTG Cargo on Tuesday turned to the Prosecutor General's Office, asking it to investigate a possible breach of the existing international sanctions.

It is believed that luxury cars destined for third countries – Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Georgia, and Turkmenistan – are in fact being transported to Russia.

Four companies were found to be involved in a possible sanctions circumvention scheme.

Zubriakovas said he could not disclose the names of these companies.

"As this is potential pre-trial investigation material, and today, as you know, we have turned to the Prosecutor General's Office, we cannot disclose the names of the companies," he told BNS.

A total of 214 wagons with around 2,140 cars went through Lithuania in January, which is 10 times more than in the same period of 2022 (21 wagons, up to 210 cars), and the value of these cars ranged between 70,000 and 200,000 euros.

This comparison is important to illustrate the situation before the war in Ukraine and the start of the sanctions.

At that time, 1,039 wagons with around 10,400 cars passed through Lithuania in January-August, 4 times more than in the same period last year (225 wagons with around 2,250 cars).

By Goda Vileikytė

Editor: Roma Pakėnienė

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Lithuanian parlt rejects proposal to scrap ban on promoting LGBTIQ family concept (expands)

(Updated version: updates throughout)

50 lawmakers voted in favor of the amendments drafted by the Justice Ministry, but 56 voted against and 19 abstained.

The opposition mostly voted against the bill, except for four members, and the Freedom Party, part of the ruling block, unanimously voted in favor.

A number of members of the ruling conservative Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats also voted against.

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

Agne Sirinskiene, a member of the non-attached political group in the Seimas, said before the vote that when listening to the minister's arguments, one got the impression that the Seimas as hosting a "party of lies and liars".

"The adoption of this bill is not necessary for the implementation of the ECHR ruling," she said, adding that the existing law prohibits denigrating family values and the promotion of the LGBTIQ concept of family, not the provision of information.

"Neither denigrating, nor promotion amount to simple provision of information. What the minister is doing now, by wanting to remove this restriction, is in fact allowing denigrating family values in front of children, encouraging children to enter into different marriages, homosexual marriages," Sirinskiene said.

For his part, Andrius Mazuronis, leader of the opposition Labor Party, also said that the ECHR's decision could be implemented without changing the law.

"It seems to me that we have a very simple practice in lawmaking: if you can leave a law unchanged, if its provisions do not pose any practical difficulties in implementation, then you simply do not need to change them," the politician said.

In a Facebook post after the vote, Dobrowolska said "the Seimas has disappointed a lot of people today because this bill has never had such broad support as it has today".

"Writers and translators have expressed concern about the right to expression, psychologists have talked about the emotional state of society and the bullying that continues to be instigated, and, of course, there's concern among members of the LGBTQ+ community who are only seeking equal rights. It is not surprising that the Seimas is shy to loudly declare at home what Lithuania has consistently supported in all EU formats: that homosexual citizens are equal, their families are families and their love is love," the minister said.

"However, it is very disappointing that today's motion submitted to the Seimas would have implemented the ECHR's ruling in the case of Macate vs. Lithuania. The ECHR Grand Chamber's ruling that found that the 'protection of minors' in force in Lithuania today is incompatible with the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms," she said, adding that the Seimas failed the rule of law test and had "put Lithuania on the EU's substitutes' bench".

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Upcoming events in Lithuania for Wednesday, November 8, 2023

VILNIUS, Nov 8, BNS – The following events are scheduled in Lithuania for Wednesday, November 8, 2023:

SPEAKER OF THE SEIMAS Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen to meet with Estonian Ambassador Kaimo Kuusk at 10 a.m.; to meet with Deputy US Ambassador Tami Waser at noon.

PRIME MINISTER Ingrida Simonyte to chair a Cabinet meeting and sitting at 1 p.m.

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Nov 10 2023

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