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LITHUANIA DAILY NEWS BULLETIN, December 4, 2023

LITHUANIA DAILY NEWS BULLETIN


IN THIS ISSUE:

  1. Russia's grain exports through Latvia do not reach Lithuania – minister
  2. Lithuania records no illegal border crossings from Belarus
  3. Finance minister, CEB governor to discuss investments in Lithuania
  4. Lithuanian parlt ratifies legal assistance, extradition treaties with UAE
  5. Lithuania reports 77 new COVID-19 cases, 2 deaths
  6. Institute to present study on migrants' experiences in Lithuania 
  7. US Switchblade 600 combat drones to be delivered next year – Lithuanian DefMin
  8. Lithuanian minister attended defense forum in US, met with senators
  9. Krivas proposed for Lithuania's ambassador to Council of Europe
  10. SSD warns of attempts to recruit Belarusian opposition in Lithuania via social media (media)
  11. Lithuania contributes EUR 1 mln to Ukraine via CEB fund  (updates)
  12. NATO jets in Baltic scrambled once to intercept Russian plane
  13. Proposal to tighten restrictions on Belarusian citizens registered in Lithuanian parlt
  14. Lithuania contributes EUR 1 mln to CEB's Ukraine Solidarity Fund (expands)
  15. Lithuanian DefMin suggests banning troops from traveling to China, Moldova
  16. Lithuanian finmin expects enough support for final draft budget to pass 
  17. Proposal to tighten restrictions on Belarusian citizens registered in Lithuanian parlt (further expands)
  18. Lithuanian DefMin suggests banning troops from traveling to China, Transnistria (corrects)
  19. Upcoming events in Lithuania for Tuesday, December 5, 2023

Russia's grain exports through Latvia do not reach Lithuania – minister

VILNIUS, Dec 04, BNS - Amid suspicions that Russian grain is entering the European Union via Latvia, Lithuanian Agriculture Minister Kestutis Navickas says Russian grain is moving in transit and does not enter Lithuania.

Nevertheless, the minister acknowledges that the Latvian government should take action.

Ausrys Macijauskas, the head of the Lithuanian Association of Grain Growers, has called for stronger controls at the Lithuanian-Latvia, border to prevent Russian grain from entering Lithuania.

"Grain from Russia travels by rail and it is very easy to control this as it is visible in the declarations. I have checked and there was certainly concern whether Latvian grain (Russian grain from Latvia - BNS) had not emerged in our port, but there is no such information, and the port has confirmed that there is no Latvian grain," Navickas told the pubic radio LRT on Friday.

Macijauskas says about one million tons of grain have been imported from Russia to Latvia so far. 

"The shocking fact is that Latvia, and perhaps other neighboring countries as nobody knows this because there is no control, are importing grain from the aggressor country. (...) Almost one million tons of grain have been imported from Russia," Macijauskas told the radio.

He believes that controls at the Lithuanian-Latvian border should be tightened and that it should be monitored to make sure that Russian grain does not enter Lithuania.

"Clearly, neither we nor, the Latvian government like the fact that this process is taking place, but the question remains open as to why is the Latvian government not taking action," Navickas said.

By Valdas Pryšmantas

Editor: Roma Pakėnienė

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Lithuania records no illegal border crossings from Belarus

VILNIUS, Dec 04, 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 Monday morning.

Latvia reported 14 attempts at illegal border crossings on Sunday.  Poland registered no such attempts on Saturday, according to the latest available information. 

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

Lithuanian border guards have prevented a total of 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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Finance minister, CEB governor to discuss investments in Lithuania

VILNIUS, Dec 04, BNS – Carlo Monticelli, the governor of the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB), is coming to Vilnius on Monday to meet with Finance Minister Gintare Skaiste to discuss the CEB's investments in Lithuania and the bank's role in providing assistance to Ukraine.

The meeting will include an official signing ceremony for Lithuania's 1-million-euro contribution to the CEB's Ukraine Solidarity Fund and will be followed by a news conference. 

The purpose of the CEB's Ukraine Solidarity Fund is to support internally displaced persons and contribute to the reconstruction of Ukraine.

The Fund will address various social needs arising from the war, such as ensuring the well-being and integration of internally displaced persons, and rebuilding the social infrastructure of the most important areas of the country.

 

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Lithuanian parlt ratifies legal assistance, extradition treaties with UAE

VILNIUS, Dec 04, BNS – The Lithuanian parliament last week ratified the country's treaties with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on extradition, mutual legal assistance and transfer of sentenced persons. 

The Seimas voted unanimously to ratify all three treaties, with 110 votes in favor of two of them and 111 votes in favor of the third.

The treaties, signed last year, will come into force once they have been ratified by both countries.

The Justice Ministry has said the Treaty on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters establishes a legal basis for the countries to provide each other with mutual assistance in the investigation, prosecution and trial of criminal cases.

The Extradition Treaty provides for the extradition of persons suspected, accused or convicted of criminal offences, and the Treaty on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons provides for the possibility for convicted persons to serve their custodial sentence in their own country and sets out the conditions and procedures for the transfer of convicted persons.

During the debate on the ratification of the treaties in the Seimas, Justice Minister Ewelina Dobrowolska said that the UAE had already ratified one bilateral treaty on extradition.

Lithuania signed the treaties in order to return Emilija Sedleckaite, a young Lithuanian woman convicted of possessing drugs and sentenced to life in prison in the UAE, to her home country.

Even before the treaties were signed, the Lithuanian citizen was released after her amnesty request was granted by the UAE, following several previous rejections of similar requests.

The Justice Ministry then said that the efforts of several Lithuanian ministries and the diplomatic corps, and Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte's visit to the UAE in October 2021 had contributed to the signing of the treaties. 

The UAE is not a signatory to the European Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons, so in the absence of a bilateral treaty, there was no legal way for Lithuania to take over a convicted person for further serving of their prison sentence. 

 

By Milena Andrukaitytė

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Lithuania reports 77 new COVID-19 cases, 2 deaths

VILNIUS, Dec 04, BNS – Lithuania has recorded 77 new coronavirus infections and two deaths from COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, official statistics showed on Monday morning.

The 14-day primary infection rate has risen to 436.5 cases per 100,000 people, with the seven-day percentage of positive tests at 38.3 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. 

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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Institute to present study on migrants' experiences in Lithuania 

VILNIUS, Dec 04, BNS – The Human Rights Monitoring Institute on Monday is holding a presentation of a study on migrants' experiences and Lithuania's migration policy, and an expert discussion. 

"When the so-called migration crisis hit Lithuania in 2021, it became clear that Lithuania was unprepared for the challenge of the migration phenomenon in various senses, both in the short and the long term," the Institute has said in a press release.  

"While attempts are still being made to paint the migrant crisis as a 'well-managed hybrid attack crisis', it is important to note that many human rights violations have been committed throughout this period," it said.

"People's rights were violated when they were turned away trying to cross the border, or when they found themselves in Lithuania, when – children, women, men – were deprived of their fundamental rights and freedoms." 

The analytical study, carried out by the Human Rights Monitoring Institute together with its partner Mental Health Perspectives, focused on the experiences of migrants in Lithuania and the state's response to irregular migration, according to the press release.

The study highlights the legal, humanitarian and mental health aspects of migration and offers comprehensive recommendations for improving the state's migration policy and practical implementation processes, it said.

"It is important to note that the current policy tramples on the rights of people irregularly arriving across the Belarusian border," the institute said in the press release.

The conclusions of the study and Lithuania's migration policy will be discussed in detail at the National Martynas Mazvydas Library in Vilnius.

 

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US Switchblade 600 combat drones to be delivered next year – Lithuanian DefMin

VILNIUS, Dec 04, BNS – American Switchblade 600 combat drones will be delivered to Lithuania next year, the Lithuanian Defense Ministry said on Saturday.

Wahid Nawabi, CEO of AeroVironment, confirmed the news to Arvydas Anusauskas who is currently in the United States.

Lithuania signed a contract for these drones in December 2022. 

"We are the first country in the world, after the US itself, to acquire the new Switchblade combat drones. This will be a significant reinforcement of our armed forces with a redeployable capability that will allow us to destroy armored enemy vehicles up to 40 km away. We are already seeing these effects in Ukraine," Anusauskas was quoted as saying in the statement.

On Friday, the Lithuanian defense minister visited the AeroVironment production facility in California where he inspected the equipment under development and discussed possibilities for further cooperation.

Switchblade 600 combat drones are the next generation of long-range combat drones, featuring ultra-precise optics, the ability to stay airborne for up to 40 minutes, and an effective anti-tank warhead capable of destroying heavy armored vehicles, including tanks. This kamikaze drone is capable of destroying targets in a "top-down" attack.

Together with these combat drones, Lithuania is buying drone launching and control equipment, a simulator for personnel training and a maintenance package from the US.

The US is one of the main security allies in the Baltic region and one of Lithuania's main partners in terms of defense acquisitions. Lithuania currently has more than 60 acquisition projects with the US. Each year, US assistance funds allocated to Lithuania and the other Baltic states contribute to the accelerated development of Lithuania's defense capabilities.

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Lithuanian minister attended defense forum in US, met with senators

VILNIUS, Dec 04, BNS – Lithuanian Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas took part in a defense forum and met with members of the Senate during his visit to the United States, his ministry said on Monday. 

Anusauskas and top US security and defense officials discussed key existing challenges to the global security agenda at the Ronald Reagan National Defense Forum. The forum focused on the ongoing conflict in Gaza, the war in Ukraine and the challenges and possible responses posed by China.

"Participants agreed that the continued support of US citizens, the capabilities and technological superiority of the defense industry, and rallying allies are key to enabling the US to meet the emerging security challenges now and in the future," the statement said.

Forum participants repeatedly underlined the will of both political parties to continue providing American support to Ukraine and the ability to come to an agreement, even in the context of major political disagreements, Anusauskas said.

"The US needs allies as strong and as committed as Lithuania. From all the US officials I met, I heard an appreciation of Lithuania's defense strengthening and active defense policy, and a strong call to keep up the momentum and to continue the work that has been started," Anusauskas said.

On the sidelines of the forum, the minister had separate meetings with a number of representatives of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Anusauskas also met with former US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, former US Secretary of the US Army Ryan McCarthy, Lockheed Martin Vice President Kathryn Wheelbarger, Palantir founder and CEO Alex Karp and other influential US officials and journalists.

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Krivas proposed for Lithuania's ambassador to Council of Europe

VILNIUS, Dec 04, BNS – Andrius Krivas is proposed for the post of Lithuania's ambassador to the Council of Europe.

A respective draft resolution will be submitted to the Cabinet. The decision will then have to be approved by President Gitanas Nauseda.

The Foreign Ministry said that the nomination has been discussed by the parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs and that the candidate's vetting procedures have been completed.

The search for a new ambassador to the Council of Europe began after Andrius Namavicius was recalled from the position on October 31.

The Foreign Minister then said that the decision to recall Namavicius, a lawyer by profession, was made in preparation for transferring him to Vilnius' embassy to the Netherlands to work with international legal institutions, as Lithuania is involved in legal proceedings at The Hague-based courts.

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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SSD warns of attempts to recruit Belarusian opposition in Lithuania via social media (media)

VILNIUS, Dec 04, BNS - Attempts are being made to recruit Belarusian opposition and businesses representatives in Lithuania via social media, Darius Jauniskis, director of Lithuania's State Security Department has warned.

"We are now witnessing attempts to recruit people using modern means, i.e. via social media. Let's say that Belarusian opposition representatives or business representatives who are here are being recruited and influenced by the Belarusian KGB and the Belarusian so-called GUBOPIK, which I mentioned. They are offered through social media to cooperate with the special services, to provide information about the opposition in Lithuania, and in some cases, sometimes even to pay for certain activities that they did in the past. We clearly see such activities," Jauniskis told the Lithuanian public broadcaster's Dienos Tema (The Topic of the Day) program.

More than 60,000 Belarusians now live in Lithuania.

"If 17,000 a year enter, let's say, with work visas or temporary residence permits, so do the math: we will have about 100,000 in 2025. That is, I would say, is a significant force. Be that as it may, there will obviously come a time, there will come a red line when we will certainly not be able to cope because verification does take time, resources and effort. And there is no guarantee that we can look at everyone, check everyone, and, as you know, you can't put an intelligence agent or a policeman next to everyone," the SSD chief said.

The SSD has included some conclusions, analysis and additional data in its assessment of the growing Belarusian diaspora in Lithuania.

"Now it is up to the politicians and Lithuanian institutions to decide whether or not to level the playing field. It is our duty to warn about the threats. We see great potential for this," Jauniskis said when asked whether equal migration conditions should be set for Belarusians and Russians. He would support this.

In his words, Russian intelligence has been dealt a very severe blow as around 400 Russian intelligence officers working under diplomatic cover have been expelled from various EU and NATO countries.

"In short, it was a big blow, but we see that they are taking up other methods," the SSD director said.

Jauniskis said earlier that the operation of the Belarusian KGB "has reached historical highs and has never been so active", adding that some members of the large Belarusian diaspora in Lithuania are raising certain questions for the security services.

"Moreover, let's not forget that there is also a very large Belarusian diaspora in our country, people  who comes here and, in fact, raise certain counter-intelligence issues," Jauniskis said.

By Ingrida Steniulienė

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Lithuania contributes EUR 1 mln to Ukraine via CEB fund  (updates)

VILNIUS, Dec 04, BNS – Finance Minister Gintare Skaiste and Carlo Monticelli, the governor of the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB), signed in Vilnius on Monday an agreement on Lithuania's 1-million-euro contribution to the CEB's Ukraine Solidarity Fund.  

The Fund will support internally displaced persons and contribute to the reconstruction of Ukraine.

 

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NATO jets in Baltic scrambled once to intercept Russian plane

VILNIUS, Dec 04, BNS - NATO fighter jets stationed in the Baltic states as part of the NATO Air Policing Mission were scrambled once last week to identify and escort military aircraft of the Russian Federation in international airspace over the Baltic Sea, the Lithuanian Defense Ministry said on Monday.

On November 27, NATO fighter jets took off to intercept an AN-26 flying from mainland Russia to the Kaliningrad region without a flight plan, with its onboard transponder switched off but was in contact with the regional air traffic control center.

The NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states is conducted out from Lithuania and Estonia.

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Proposal to tighten restrictions on Belarusian citizens registered in Lithuanian parlt

VILNIUS, Dec 04, BNS – A proposal was registered in the Lithuanian Seimas on Monday to tighten restrictions on Belarusian citizens by putting them on a par with the existing restrictions for Russian nationals, with an exception only for Belarusians with highly skilled jobs.

"Since our intelligence assessment has shown that there is an increased threat from the Belarusian special services, that migrants, who come to Lithuania to work and receive residence permits are possibly being recruited, and they return and receive assignments, and that employees of the security structures also come to Lithuania to do their shady job. We need to protect ourselves and to control the inflow of these migrants as much as possible while stopping it completely," MP Paulius Saudargas, one of the lawmakers behind the new bill, told the BNS.

The amendments to the Law on Imposing Restrictive Measures Regarding the Military Aggression Against Ukraine foresee that the acceptance of applications for temporary residence permits by Belarusian citizens via an external service provider abroad would be stopped, as is currently the case for Russian nationals.

An exception would only apply to Belarusian citizens who intend to do highly skilled jobs included in the list of high value-added professions with a shortage of workers in Lithuania.

These amendments were registered by Laurynas Kasciunas, chair of the parliamentary Committee on National Security and Defense, representing the ruling conservative Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats, and his fellow party members Saudargas and Audronius Azubalis, a vice speaker of the Seimas.

The MPs point out that the restrictions would only apply to the first temporary residence permits, i.e. to new arrivals. Meanwhile, old workers who have already received temporary residence permits once in Lithuania would be able to extend them without any restrictions.

"Applications for temporary residence permits from both Russian and Belarusian citizens would not be accepted, with exceptions for cases when a government-authorized body mediates or when people already have Lithuanian or Schengen visas, or if they already have residence permits, or if they are going to do highly skilled jobs included in the list of high value-added professions," Saudargas said.

The lawmakers also argue that, besides dissidents, an admission exception can only be put in place for Belarusians who want to do highly skilled jobs, as allowing everyone on the list of shortage occupations would practically make the restriction useless.

"Foreigners willing to obtain residence permits in Lithuania at any cost would be trying to pass themselves off as representatives of professions in short supply," the MPs say in their explanatory note.

The lawmakers also note that the restrictions do not apply to Russian and Belarusian citizens holding a visa from Lithuania or another Schengen state, as well as to people fleeing persecution and repression by regimes on humanitarian grounds, as well as to those who have obtained visas through the mediation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In addition to the proposed tighter restrictions, Russian and Belarusian democrats and representatives of civil society would be able to apply for a national visa on humanitarian grounds through an external service provider abroad, with the mediation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The MPs point out that such persons can now obtain Schengen visas but they are only issued for a three-month stay, while the national visa is issued for one year.

Lithuania has now a law on restrictive measures for Russian and Belarusian citizens in place, but the latter are subject to fewer restrictions.

Russians and Belarusians are restricted in their ability to obtain Lithuanian visas and electronic resident status, but Russians have additional restrictions on their ability to enter Lithuania, to acquire real estate and their applications for residence permits are temporarily rejected.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda maintained that Belarusian citizens should be subject to the same sanctions as Russians, but the Seimas overrode his veto on the grounds that Belarusian citizens should be subject a more relaxed regime.

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Lithuania contributes EUR 1 mln to CEB's Ukraine Solidarity Fund (expands)

VILNIUS, Dec 04, BNS – Finance Minister Gintare Skaiste and Carlo Monticelli, the governor of the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB), signed in Vilnius on Monday an agreement on Lithuania's 1-million-euro contribution to the CEB's Ukraine Solidarity Fund.  

The Fund will support internally displaced persons and contribute to the reconstruction of Ukraine.

According to Skaiste, the Fund will focus on Ukraine's social and healthcare infrastructure and the reconstruction of residential buildings. 

"We see this contribution as part of a broader strategy. Lithuania has allocated more than 1.9 percent of its GDP to support Ukraine through various financial and direct aid instruments. This is one of the highest figures among all countries that provide assistance to Ukraine," the minister said after the signing ceremony. 

"In this period, we need to help Ukrainians not only on the military front, but also in the social sphere, where there are many challenges," she added.  

Monticelli noted that Lithuania's contribution to the Ukraine Solidarity Fund is among the largest in the world, relative to its GDP. 

"With this 1 million (euros) provided to the Ukrainian solidarity fund, we have a clear sign that Lithuania trust us as a solid partner, as effective users of (...) tax payers' money to support Ukraine," the governor told reporters.

"We are particularly honored about this contribution; we see it as a catalyst for further contributions," he added. 

Skaiste and Monticelli also discussed the CEB's investments in Lithuania and the bank's role in providing assistance to Ukraine.

According to Skaiste, the CEB invested 313 million euros in Lithuania in 2022. 

The CEB's officials say the bank's investments in Lithuania amounted to around 150 million euros this year, with plans to approve a further 57 million euros for the renovation of buildings. In 2024, the bank plans to allocate more funds to Lithuania.

 

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Lithuanian DefMin suggests banning troops from traveling to China, Moldova

VILNIUS, Dec 04, BNS – As Lithuanian lawmakers consider amendments that would ban the country's professional troops from traveling to unfriendly countries, the Defense Ministry has proposed banning the country's troops from traveling not only to Russia and Belarus, but also from going to Moldova, China and other countries.

The ministry has drafted a resolution for the government to approve a list of foreign countries or territories professional troops would be banned from traveling to for off-duty purposes. The changes would come into force in January.

The list of banned countries would include Russia and its occupied Crimea, Belarus, as well as Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, including the Transnistrian region, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and the Abkhazian and South Ossetian regions of Georgia.

Similarly, professional troops would not be allowed to travel to foreign countries or territories if the Foreign Ministry advised citizens against traveling to these countries or told them to leave immediately.

The draft resolution also proposes defining cases and establishing the procedure under which professional troops would only be allowed to travel to foreign countries or territories included in the above-mentioned list with a permit.

Under the proposed amendments, the government could determine cases, including exceptions due to personal circumstances, and the procedure when professional troops could travel to foreign countries or territories included in the list with a permit or declaration of information on departure.

The Defense Ministry says such a ban has to do with national security interests.

In late September, Lithuania's National Crisis Management Center reported that people working with classified information would not be able to travel to Russia, Belarus and other countries that pose a threat to Lithuania.

Some 56,000 people will be affected by these restrictions, the center said. 

The move to restrict some Lithuanian citizens from traveling to unfriendly comes amid reports that Belarusian intelligence services have been stepping up their activities at the Lithuanian-Belarusian border for some time already. According to Lithuanian intelligence, Lithuanian citizens are being questioned at border checkpoints and forced to cooperate with Belarusian intelligence services through blackmail and psychological pressure.

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Lithuanian finmin expects enough support for final draft budget to pass 

VILNIUS, Dec 04, BNS – As the Lithuanian parliament plans to vote on the draft state budget for 2024 on Tuesday, Finance Minister Gintare Skaiste expects that votes from the ruling coalition will be enough to pass it.

Skaiste believes that the draft budget has been sufficiently well discussed and takes into account the current challenges.

"I don't have a crystal ball, but I'd say that the sharpest corners have been smoothed out. In my opinion, the discussions were quite fruitful, the priorities expressed by members and committees of the Seimas were taken into account, and funding for both roads and non-formal education was increased," the minister told reporters on Monday.  

"I'd hope that the final draft budget will receive support from members of the Seimas and that it does reflect the current challenges that we face today," she added.  

Skaiste expects sufficient support from coalition partners to adopt the budget.

"Naturally, we count on support from the coalition members because the budget implements the government's program, and since we work together in the government, I believe that the budget should receive the backing of all coalition partners," she said. 

Earlier on Monday, the government approved a proposal to increase next year's budget expenditure by around 650,000 euros by raising the net borrowing limit. 

The spending increase takes into account only a small portion of MPs' latest proposals totaling 690 million euros.

As a result of the first budget adjustment, next year's projected budget revenue declined by 30 million euros to 16.98 billion euros and expenditure rose by 111 million to 20.6 billion euros, compared to the original draft. 

This raised the budget deficit from 2.9 to 3 percent, the upper limit of the Maastricht criteria, meaning that spending can no longer be increased.

 

 

By Valdas Pryšmantas

Editor: Roma Pakėnienė

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Proposal to tighten restrictions on Belarusian citizens registered in Lithuanian parlt (further expands)

Updated version: adds Bilotaite's comment

VILNIUS, Dec 04, BNS – A proposal was registered on Monday to tighten restrictions on Belarusian citizens by putting them on a par with the existing restrictions for Russian nationals, with an exception only for Belarusians with highly skilled jobs.

"Since our intelligence assessment has shown that there is an increased threat from the Belarusian special services, that migrants, who come to Lithuania to work and receive residence permits are possibly being recruited, and they return and receive assignments, and that employees of the security structures also come to Lithuania to do their shady job. We need to protect ourselves and to control the inflow of these migrants as much as possible while stopping it completely," MP Paulius Saudargas, one of the lawmakers behind the new bill, told the BNS.

Interior Minister Agne Bilotaite says her ministry has consistently maintained its position that sanctions against Russian and Belarusian citizens should be the same and has no plans to change it, especially after the recent warnings of from the State Security Department about the increased activity of the Belarusian KGB.

"We see what our SSD says, those threats, and we have consistently maintained that position on the threats that may arise from Belarusian citizens entering Lithuania, and we will not change our position, it will remain consistent as it has been so far," Bilotaite told reporters on Monday.

She hopes that the Seimas will take the changed situation into account and put restrictions for Russian and Belarusian nationals on a par, adding that the existing sanctions for Russian citizens are effective.

"Yes, they are effective as the number of people trying to enter the territory of Lithuania has gone down significantly, and we see certain effect, not only here, but also across the region, and given the security situation, we really think it is worthwhile to come back to the issue of the same regulation for Belarusian citizens as well," Bilotaite said.

The amendments to the Law on Imposing Restrictive Measures Regarding the Military Aggression Against Ukraine foresee that the acceptance of applications for temporary residence permits by Belarusian citizens via an external service provider abroad would be stopped, as is currently the case for Russian nationals.

An exception would only apply to Belarusian citizens who intend to do highly skilled jobs included in the list of high value-added professions with a shortage of workers in Lithuania.

These amendments were registered by Laurynas Kasciunas, chair of the parliamentary Committee on National Security and Defense, representing the ruling conservative Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats, and his fellow party members Saudargas and Audronius Azubalis.

The MPs point out that the restrictions would only apply to the first temporary residence permits, i.e. to new arrivals. Meanwhile, old workers who have already received temporary residence permits once in Lithuania would be able to extend them without any restrictions.

"Applications for temporary residence permits from both Russian and Belarusian citizens would not be accepted, with exceptions for cases when a government-authorized body mediates or when people already have Lithuanian or Schengen visas, or if they already have residence permits, or if they are going to do highly skilled jobs included in the list of high value-added professions," Saudargas said.

The lawmakers also argue that, besides dissidents, an admission exception can only be put in place for Belarusians who want to do highly skilled jobs, as allowing everyone on the list of shortage occupations would practically make the restriction useless.

"Foreigners willing to obtain residence permits in Lithuania at any cost would be trying to pass themselves off as representatives of professions in short supply," the MPs say in their explanatory note.

The lawmakers also note that the restrictions do not apply to Russian and Belarusian citizens holding a visa from Lithuania or another Schengen state, as well as to people fleeing persecution and repression by regimes on humanitarian grounds, as well as to those who have obtained visas through the mediation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In addition to the proposed tighter restrictions, Russian and Belarusian democrats and representatives of civil society would be able to apply for a national visa on humanitarian grounds through an external service provider abroad, with the mediation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The MPs point out that such persons can now obtain Schengen visas but they are only issued for a three-month stay, while the national visa is issued for one year.

Lithuania has now a law on restrictive measures for Russian and Belarusian citizens in place, but the latter are subject to fewer restrictions.

Russians and Belarusians are restricted in their ability to obtain Lithuanian visas and electronic resident status, but Russians have additional restrictions on their ability to enter Lithuania, to acquire real estate and their applications for residence permits are temporarily rejected.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda maintained that Belarusian citizens should be subject to the same sanctions as Russians, but the Seimas overrode his veto on the grounds that Belarusian citizens should be subject a more relaxed regime.

By Milena Andrukaitytė

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Lithuanian DefMin suggests banning troops from traveling to China, Transnistria (corrects)

Corrected version: corrects headlines, corrects paras 1, 3, new paras 5, 6

VILNIUS, Dec 04, BNS – As Lithuanian lawmakers are considering amendments that would ban the country's professional troops from traveling to unfriendly countries, the Defense Ministry has proposed banning the country's troops from traveling not only to Russia and Belarus, but also from going to the Transnistrian region in Moldova, China and other countries.

The ministry has drafted a resolution for the government to approve a list of foreign countries or territories professional troops would be banned from traveling to for off-duty purposes. The changes would come into force in January.

The list of banned countries would include Russia and its occupied Crimea, Belarus, as well as Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, including the Transnistrian region, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and the Abkhazian and South Ossetian regions of Georgia.

Similarly, professional troops would not be allowed to travel to foreign countries or territories if the Foreign Ministry advised citizens against traveling to these countries or told them to leave immediately.

The registered draft resolution includes Moldova, but the Defense Ministry explained that there was a technical error in the list of unfriendly countries Lithuanian troops would be banned from traveling to.

According to the ministry, the bill state "the Transnistrian region of the Republic of Moldova", instead of "the Republic of Moldova, including the Transnistrian region".

The draft resolution also proposes defining cases and establishing the procedure under which professional troops would only be allowed to travel to foreign countries or territories included in the above-mentioned list with a permit.

Under the proposed amendments, the government could determine cases, including exceptions due to personal circumstances, and the procedure when professional troops could travel to foreign countries or territories included in the list with a permit or declaration of information on departure.

The Defense Ministry says such a ban has to do with national security interests.

In late September, Lithuania's National Crisis Management Center reported that people working with classified information would not be able to travel to Russia, Belarus and other countries that pose a threat to Lithuania.

Some 56,000 people will be affected by these restrictions, the center said. 

The move to restrict some Lithuanian citizens from traveling to unfriendly comes amid reports that Belarusian intelligence services have been stepping up their activities at the Lithuanian-Belarusian border for some time already. According to Lithuanian intelligence, Lithuanian citizens are being questioned at border checkpoints and forced to cooperate with Belarusian intelligence services through blackmail and psychological pressure.

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Upcoming events in Lithuania for Tuesday, December 5, 2023

VILNIUS, Dec 05, BNS – The following events are scheduled in Lithuania for Tuesday, December 5, 2023:

PRESIDENT  Gitanas Nauseda to have a phone conversation with his Moldovan counterpart Maia Sandu at 2 p.m.

EDUCATION, SCIENCE AND SPORT MINISTER Gintautas Jakstas to meet with French Ambassador Alix Everard at 4 p.m.

 

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Dec 06 2023

LITHUANIA DAILY NEWS BULLETIN, November 30, 2023

LITHUANIA DAILY NEWS BULLETIN


IN THIS ISSUE:

  1. Upcoming events in Lithuania for Thursday, November 30, 2023
  2. Lithuania records no illegal border crossings from Belarus
  3. NATO Baltic air policing contingents to change over Thursday 
  4. Around 100 Palestinian supporters protest in Vilnius against Israeli actions  (updates)
  5. Lithuania, Poland, Ukraine secure seats on chemical watchdog's council
  6. Lithuania reports 1,141 new COVID-19 cases, 4 deaths
  7. Lithuanian president to attend UN climate change conference in Dubai
  8. Lithuanian president against VAT hike for defense without food exemption
  9. Lawyer Vegele announces decision to run for Lithuanian president in 2024   
  10. Defense bonds would increase public debt – Lithuanian PM
  11. Lithuania's Dulkys, other EU health ministers to discuss drug policy issues
  12. Ukrainians hardly interested in Lithuanian citizenship – department
  13. Lithuanian defmin to head to US for major defense forum
  14. Russia's not yet ready for conventional war, might engage in diversions – Lithuanian chair
  15. Lithuanian court upholds decision to revoke Russian citizen Vodo's residence permit
  16. Senate approves McDonald as US Ambassador to Lithuania
  17. Gas prices for Lithuanian households to fall 4-7 cents from January 
  18. Lithuania, Georgia sign plan for defense cooperation
  19. Lithuanian ministry fined EUR 40,500 for restricting competition in railway market
  20. Russia interested in opening Kaliningrad crossing, no proposals yet – Lithuanian MFA
  21. Mayor of Lithuania's Jonava named suspect in municipal payouts probe 
  22. Lithuania allocate funds for needs of Palestinian civilians
  23. Ellex Valiunas, Covington & Burling to represent Lithuania in dispute with Belaruskali
  24. Jonava mayor suspends Lithuanian SocDem Party membership amid funds misuse suspicions
  25. Ex-Lithuanian MP pleads not guilty to sexual charges
  26. Belgium, France take over helm of NATO air policing mission in Baltics
  27. Banks in Lithuania pay almost EUR 102 mln in solidarity levy
  28. Lithuanian govts sets up commission to coordinate preparations for German brigade

Upcoming events in Lithuania for Thursday, November 30, 2023

VILNIUS, Nov 30, BNS – The following events are scheduled in Lithuania for Thursday, November 30, 2023: 

SPEAKER OF THE SEIMAS Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen to take part in a roundtable discussion on "Toward Total Global Defense: Overview of the Situation and Next Steps" at 10 a.m.; to meet with Deputy Foreign Minister Jovita Neliupsiene at 11 a.m.; to meet with Zygimantas Pavilionis, chairman of the parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs, at 1 p.m. 

PRIME MINISTER Ingrida Simonyte to give an interview to the Ziniu Radijas radio station at 8:05 a.m.

HEALTH MINISTER Arunas Dulkys to attend a meeting of the EU Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council in Brussels.

INTERIOR MINISTER Agne Bilotaite, on a working visit to Germany, to meet with Federal Police President Dieter Romann in Potsdam at 11 a.m. and with Federal Minister of the Interior and Community Nancy Faeser in Berlin at 2 p.m. 

ARMED FORCES 

A changeover ceremony for military units performing the NATO air policing mission in the Baltic states to take place at the Air Base in Siauliai at 1:30 p.m.

OTHER EVENTS

Vilnius University's Institute of International Relations and Political Science to host the Annual Lithuanian Political Science Conference "The Echoes of Polycrisis in Lithuania and the World" starting at 9:15 a.m. 

Vilnius University, along with the French Embassy and the French Institute, to hold a conference on "Culture and Imaginary Facing the War" starting at 9:15 a.m. 

 

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Lithuania records no illegal border crossings from Belarus

VILNIUS, Nov 30, 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, and 18 irregular migrants were not allowed into Poland on Tuesday, according to the latest available information.

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

Lithuanian border guards have prevented a total of 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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NATO Baltic air policing contingents to change over Thursday 

VILNIUS, Nov 30, BNS – The Lithuanian Air Force Base in Siauliai is hosting the NATO Baltic Air Policing mission's changeover ceremony on Thursday. 

"After four months on duty, the Italian Air Force capability will be replaced by a Belgian Royal Air Force detachment with four F-16 Fighting Falcons and a French Air Force Detachment with Mirage2000 that will reinforce the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states," the Lithuanian Defense Ministry said on Wednesday.

The Belgian Air Force will be policing the Baltic airspace for the seventh time with an 80-strong contingent including pilots, technicians, medical personnel, support teams, communications and other specialists.  

The French Air Force will be guarding the Baltic skies for the eighth time with a contingent of around 100 military specialists of different areas.

The outgoing Italian detachment was protecting the Baltic airspace with four Eurofighter Typhoon fighter aircraft.

"Over the course of the deployment, they were also generously engaging in community support events in Panevezys," according to the press release.

NATO member countries have taken turns safeguarding the Baltic airspace since Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania joined the Alliance back in 2004.

"Since then, 17 Allies have flown the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states. The mission completed by the Italian Air Detachment will the 63rd since the launch of the NATO Baltic Air Policing effort in 2004," the ministry said.

 

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Around 100 Palestinian supporters protest in Vilnius against Israeli actions  (updates)

VILNIUS, Nov 30, BNS – Around 100 people gathered in Vilnius on Wednesday evening for a protest against Israel's actions, marking the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.

The organizers say the aim is to express solidarity with the Palestinian people, pay tribute to those who have died as a result of Israel's military action in Gaza and the West Bank, and condemn what they say are crimes against humanity.

"We want to send a message that war crimes and crimes against humanity should not occur in the modern world. Unfortunately, they are being committed by Israel in Palestine right now and have been committed for a long time since the establishment of Israel," Andrius Mazeika, one of the organizers, told BNS on Wednesday.

Protesters, carrying Palestinian flags, gathered in the central Cathedral Square. People chanted "stop the genocide" and some held placards reading "End the occupation", "Free Palestine", and others.

Participants of the pro-Palestinian protest were met by a group of Israel's supporters waving the Jewish state's flag.

"These are criminals, and the people who have gathered here support the criminals," Arkadijus, a 66-year-old pensioner on the pro-Israeli side, told reporters. 

Israel's supporters kept interrupting the pro-Palestinian protesters, shouting "Hamas loves you".

The protest was organized by several organizations, including Fridays for Future and Gyvenimas Per Brangus (Life is too precious). 

Mazeika also said that the aim of the protest was to send a message that the only solution is to "guarantee the dignity, human rights and freedom of the Palestinians".

"In that case, we will no longer have to talk about Hamas, the IDF (The Israel Defense Forces) or war," he said.

Justina Kaluinaitė, a 35 -year-old working in development cooperation, noted that Palestinians lack security, food, and water, adding that the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip has caused a humanitarian catastrophe.

"We have situations where other people are dying as a result of man-made situations," the woman told BNS.

"It's terrible; it's incomprehensible to me how this can go on for so long," she added.

From Cathedral Square, protesters marched along Gediminas Avenue to Vincas Kudirka Square where a tribute was held for those killed.

The demonstrators marched chanting "Stop bombing children" and "Palestine will be free". 

At the square, participants lit candles, made speeches and urged people to be critical of the media coverage of the conflict.

More than a month ago, a "march of silence" was held in Vilnius to show solidarity with the Palestinian victims.

Similar solidarity rallies in response to the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas took place in major European cities such as London, Milan, Paris, Rome, and others. 

Previously, pro-Israel solidarity events were also organized in the Lithuanian capital. 

The war between Israel and Hamas began on October 7. The Palestinian militant group has since killed at least 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taken nearly half a hundred hostages.

In response to this attack, the deadliest in the country's history, Israel launched an offensive in the Gaza Strip to destroy Hamas.

Since then, Palestinian hospitals, schools, refugee camps, mosques and churches, and residential buildings have been hit.

According to the Hamas government in the Gaza Strip, nearly 15,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in the Palestinian territory.

The United Nations says that about 1.7 million people, nearly three quarters of Gaza's population, have fled their homes and that there are critical shortages of water, food, fuel and electricity.

 

By Greta Zulonaitė

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Lithuania, Poland, Ukraine secure seats on chemical watchdog's council

VILNIUS, Nov 30, AFP-BNS – Lithuania, Poland and Ukraine secured seats on the Executive Council of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) after Russia lost in its bid for re-election to the chemical watchdog's decision-making body on Wednesday. 

Four countries – Russia, Ukraine, Poland and Lithuania – were competing for three seats on the OPCW Executive Council.

Russia received the fewest votes, meaning that it will have no seat on the council for the first time in the organization's history.

"OPCW is a very reputable international body and terrorists have no place in it," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky posted on X.

Zelensky said Russia's exclusion from the council was a "logical result" of its aggression against Ukraine.

"Its role in international affairs keeps diminishing and its isolation keeps growing," he added. 

This news was also confirmed by Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis. 

"Russia has just been voted off the OPCW Executive Council," Landsbergis posted on X. "Ukraine, Poland and Lithuania were successful."     

"It's time for all international organizations to clean themselves up in order to maintain their relevance and credibility," he added.

The OPCW won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2013 for its efforts to eliminate the threat posed by chemical weapons to the world.

In July, the organization announced that all the world's declared stockpiles of chemical weapons were "verified as irreversibly destroyed".

 

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Lithuania reports 1,141 new COVID-19 cases, 4 deaths

VILNIUS, Nov 30, BNS – Lithuania has recorded 1,141 new coronavirus infections and four deaths from COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, official statistics showed on Thursday morning.

The 14-day primary infection rate has risen to 406.8 cases per 100,000 people, with the seven-day percentage of positive tests unchanged at 37.3 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. 

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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Lithuanian president to attend UN climate change conference in Dubai

VILNIUS, Nov 30, BNS – Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda will attend the UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai on Friday, the presidential press service said on Thursday.

Nauseda will deliver a national address to the plenary session of the COP28.

"In his speech, he will call on world leaders to contribute to halting climate change through active actions and commitments, and will underline Lithuania's strong commitment in this area, as well as our country's ambitious goals in the areas of green economy, energy and climate neutrality," the presidential press service said.

On the sidelines of COP28, Nauseda is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with other heads of state, and he will also meet with Lithuanians living in the UAE.

COP28 will bring together the heads of state from the parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Priorities for this year's climate change conference include accelerating the energy transition, identifying climate finance, and focusing climate action on nature, people, lives and livelihoods.

Around 70,000 people will attend the climate conference starting on Thursday. It could be the largest UN climate meeting in history.

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Lithuanian president against VAT hike for defense without food exemption

VILNIUS, Nov 30, BNS – Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda vows not to support a VAT hike to increase defense funding, unless an exemption for food and other essentials is introduced.

He made the remarks as politicians are considering introducing a so-called defense tax by raising some of the existing taxes. No concrete proposals have been registered so far, but politicians are considering raising VAT or corporate tax rates, for example, to boost defense funding.

The president believes the public may be angered by talk of new taxes in the context of the tax reform stalled in the parliament.

"To talk about the introduction of individual taxes again in this context, and even more so about raising taxes like VAT, means angering the Lithuanian population again with individual proposals taken out of context, even with the best intentions," the president told the Lithuanian public broadcaster LRT's Dienos Tema (The Topic of the Day) on Wednesday. "This is not good and it certainly does not serve global peace and stability, especially the stability of society."

Presidential advisor Frederikas Jansonas says a higher VAT would also increase the tax burden on the most disadvantaged in Lithuania, which is why Nauseda would only support a VAT hike for defense spending if more VAT exemptions were introduced at the same time.

"Since VAT is a regressive tax and its increase would hit the poorest in the country the hardest, the president will not support a VAT increase for defense purposes without additional solutions, such as VAT relief for food or other essential goods," Jansonas told BNS.

The government proposes allocating 2.75 percent of GDP to defense next year. Around 2.52 percent will come from stable budgetary allocations, with the remainder will come from the existing temporary bank solidarity levy and borrowed funds.

The standard VAT rate in Lithuania is 21 percent, and there are also reduced rates of 5 and 9 percent for various goods and services.

By Saulius Jakučionis

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Lawyer Vegele announces decision to run for Lithuanian president in 2024   

VILNIUS, Nov 30, BNS – Lawyer Ignas Vegele has announced his decision to run for Lithuanian president next year.

"Hearing and feeling the trust of many people who love Lithuania, I have decided to run in next year's presidential election," he said at a campaign launch event on Wednesday evening.

The 48-year-old lawyer said he is returning to politics because Lithuania needs "strong, courageous, yet open leadership for the nation and all its people."

"Leadership that is not afraid to staunchly defend our nation's fundamental values, and seek justice, Lithuania's security and peace, and concern for the most vulnerable," the presidential candidate said.

"Leadership that spares no effort or determination and has the competence to change Lithuania's flawed political and governance system," he added.

Vegele served as vice-chairman of the Board of the Christian Democratic Party of Lithuania from 2002 to 2004 and its chairman from 2004 to 2006. He unsuccessfully ran for the European Parliament.

In his campaign launch event, Vegele said that he does not represent any political party or political interest, nor is he committed to any business.

"All the more so, I have no obligations to any foreign country or any special or security service,” he said.

Vegele vowed to be active both in domestic and foreign policy.

The lawyer claimed that some of the country's officials are currently not coping with their duties, but he did not name any of them.

He described the current government’s foreign policy as "experimental". 

"We had a falling out with China, now we are back to supporting the one-China policy. The same is happening with the long-term strategy toward Belarus. For years, we carried a heavy political burden of having a difficult neighbor, but we managed to keep it (Belarus) neutral. In the end, in the last few years, we have given it to Russia,” said Vegele.

"We need to avoid making mistakes, we need to talk to our main partners, our security partners – NATO, EU officials – before we take decisions," he added.

Asked about the financing of his campaign, Vegele said that he personally covered the costs of Wednesday's presentation event, but he did not specify how much it cost.

The lawyer also said that he plans to open a campaign account next week. 

"One candidate may need millions to become president, another candidate may need tens of thousands. I hope I won't need much money," he said.

The lawyer promised to present his team later.

Lithuania will hold its next presidential election on May 12 next year.

Opinion polls indicate that Vegele is among the top three most popular candidates, along with Gitanas Nauseda, the incumbent, and Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte.

The ruling conservative Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats (HU-LCD) has named Simonyte as the party's presidential candidate.  

Nauseda is expected to announce his decisions on whether or not to run in the 2024 race on December 7. 

The Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union is fielding Aurelija Veryga, a former health minister and now an MP, in the presidential election. The Democratic Union "For Lithuania" has named Giedrimas Jeglinskas, a former deputy defense minister and NATO assistant secretary general, as its candidate.

The Freedom Party is nominating Dainius Zalimas, a former president of the Constitutional Court, and the Freedom and Justice has named Arturas Paulauskas, its acting chairman, as the party's candidate.

The Liberal Movement announced on Tuesday that it would not nominate a candidate.

Valdas Tutkus, a former chief of defense, Mantas Varaska, the mayor of Kazlu Ruda, a town in southern Lithuania, and Antanas Kandrotas have also announced their intention to run for president. 

Kandrotas, known by the nickname Celofanas (Cellophane), is on trial in a criminal case concerning the August 2021 riot outside the parliament building in Vilnius. 

 

By Augustas Stankevičius, Saulius Jakučionis

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Defense bonds would increase public debt – Lithuanian PM

VILNIUS, Nov 30, BNS – The proposal by some politicians to raise additional revenue for national defense by issuing defense bonds would increase the public debt, Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte says.

"Defense bonds are the same debt, so it seems to me that all of those who are proposing to borrow more for defense are just playing tricks because it is self-deception. (...) If we increase the percentage we allocate to defense without increasing the percentage of revenue we collect in the budget, then we are simply increasing our debt," Simonyte told the Ziniu Radijas news radio on Thursday.

The opposition Lithuanian Social Democratic Party political group in the Seimas has called on the government to consider creating a new source of revenue, defense bonds. According to the party, the defense budget is currently clearly insufficient and it is urgent to find alternative sources of funding.

The prime minister says that as the debt grows, so would its servicing costs, which could be used to finance the same defense.

The government proposes allocating 2.75 percent of GDP to defense next year. Around 2.52 percent will come from stable budgetary allocations, with the remainder will come from the existing temporary bank solidarity levy and borrowed funds.

The total planned expenditure on national defense for next year will amount to 2.06 billion euros.

By Valdas Pryšmantas

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Lithuania's Dulkys, other EU health ministers to discuss drug policy issues

VILNIUS, Nov 30, BNS – Lithuanian Health Minister Arunas Dulkys is meeting with his EU counterparts in Brussels on Thursday to discuss the bloc's medicines policy, mental health, pandemic prevention and other issues.

At the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council's meeting, ministers will exchange views on improving the EU's open strategic autonomy in the field of health, including regarding medicines shortages and the EU's pharmaceutical strategy, the Health Ministry has said. 

Ministers are also expected to approve conclusions on mental health and policy prioritization in this area.

Among other things, Spain, which currently which holds the EU's rotating presidency, will update ministers on proposals for a regulation on fees payable to the European Medicines Agency (EMA).

Spain and the European Commission will also provide information on ongoing negotiations on an international agreement on pandemics prevention and preparedness.

 

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Ukrainians hardly interested in Lithuanian citizenship – department

VILNIUS, Nov 30, BNS – As a study by the East European Studies Center showed that about ten percent of Ukrainians would like to stay in Lithuania and become citizens, Evelina Gudzinskaite, director of the Lithuanian Migration Department, says the department has not yet received any such inquiries, adding that only nine Ukrainians have obtained Lithuanian citizenship this year. 

"We do hear mostly questions about what will happen in a year's time, that is, Ukrainians who turn to us don't think that far, the uncertainty is so great. The most common question for them is how to extend their residence permit. After that, of course, if the temporary protection expires, there will be questions about how to continue staying in Lithuania," Gudzinskaite told the Lithuanian public radio LRT.

"We receive practically no questions about citizenship. If we look at how many Ukrainians have applied for citizenship in recent years, so only a handful, this year only nine Ukrainians have become citizens through naturalization," she said. 

Interior Vice Minister Arnold Abromavicius says citizenship is a universal institute and there is no distinction between which country's citizen wants to acquire it. There are clear requirements for citizenship: ten years of residence and knowledge of the Lithuanian language. Exceptions are made when marrying a Lithuanian citizen, in which case the time is shorter.

Ukrainians can also apply for a permanent residence permit after spending five years in Lithuania, having basic knowledge of the Lithuanian language and without posing national security concerns, the vice minister said.

According to Gudzinskaite, many Ukrainians find it quite difficult to obtain a permanent residence permit due to their mobile lifestyle. 

"In order to obtain permanent resident status, you have to have lived in Lithuania for five years. We have noticed that Ukrainians are quite mobile, and many of them still want to return to Ukraine. There are cases where they come back to Ukraine, live, realize that it is impossible to live there, and they return. They do not maintain continuity, they often leave Lithuania," Gudzinskaite said.

The East European Studies Center has recently published a survey showing that most Ukrainians do not have very defined plans for the future. When asked how long they plan to stay in Lithuania, 41 percent said they would stay until the end of the war in their home country, while 39 percent said they planned to spend several years in Lithuania. Around ten percent said they were determined to stay, and the same number said they would stay until they could settle safely in Ukraine.

Currently, about 86,000 Ukrainian citizens live in Lithuania.

By Jurgita Andriejauskaitė

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Lithuanian defmin to head to US for major defense forum

VILNIUS, Nov 30, BNS – Lithuanian Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas on Thursday is leaving for the United States to attend the Reagan National Defense Forum (RNDF). 

In the forum, a major annual event of the US security and defense community, Anusauskas will join US security and defense officials for discussions on today's key security challenges, the Defense Ministry said in a press release. 

RNDF brings together high-level US administration officials, members of the Congress, senior military leadership, representatives of influential media outlets, and several international guests.

The forum's program includes discussions on US defense priorities, key challenges to the US security agenda, and the development of the US defense industry. 

On the sidelines of the forum, Anusauskas will hold meetings with members of the Congress.

As part of his US visit, the minister is also scheduled to visit AeroVironment's factory.  

Lithuania has signed a contract on the acquisition of the company's Switchblade 600 combat drones from the US.

 

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Russia's not yet ready for conventional war, might engage in diversions – Lithuanian chair

VILNIUS, Nov 30, BNS - Russia is not ready for a conventional war against Western countries and will need five to seven years to rebuild its capabilities after the invasion of Ukraine, Laurynas Kasciunas, chair of the Lithuanian parliamentary Committee on National Security and Defense, says.

Nevertheless, he says, other scenarios are possible, such as an incursion without the intention to occupy, or attacks on strategic facilities.

"I agree with those who say that Russia is not ready for a major divisional conventional war now, it will need several years to rebuild its capabilities, especially if some kind of ceasefire is established according to their rules," Kasciunas told the parliament on Thursday.

"Five to seven years (to prepare - BNS) for a conventional war, yes. But there are other scenarios, other forms: the hybrid field, the grey zone, incursions without the aim of occupation, Hamas scenarios that we have seen in Israel, diversions against strategic facilities", the committee chair said.

The Lithuanian parliament is on Thursday holding a discussion on the implementation of the total defense concept to assess how the state's national defense preparedness should be strengthened through the public and NGO sectors.

In his opening remarks, Kasciunas stressed that total defense is the responsibility of every citizen, and it is mandatory in Lithuania due to the geopolitical situation

The model of total defense may vary, he said, as it is primarily based on universal conscription in some countries, while in others it is a "multi-layered thing", and Lithuania is moving towards the latter. But for the system to work, everyone needs to know their place within total defense.

For her part, Speaker of the Seimas Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen says the implementation of the principle of total defense is one of the main security objectives of the country, along the establishment of an army division and the physical deployment of the German brigade.

Earlier this month, the State Defense Council approved the national defense plan and set out the mechanisms for its implementation and cooperation. It also established the e National Coordination Council for Total Defense, which held its first meeting last Monday.

By Milena Andrukaitytė

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Lithuanian court upholds decision to revoke Russian citizen Vodo's residence permit

VILNIUS, Nov 30, BNS - The Supreme Administrative Court of Lithuania on Wednesday issued a final and binding ruling upholding the decision to revoke Russian citizen Vladimir Vodo's residence permit in Lithuania.

"The decision remains unchanged, the appeal was rejected," Neringa Lukoseviciene, spokesperson for the court, told BNS on Thursday.

As previously reported, the Migration Department revoked Vodo's residence permit after the State Security Department concluded that he was a threat to national security.

The State Security Department submitted an assessment to the Migration Department, stating that, according to the available information and taking into account the current geopolitical situation, Russian citizen Vladimir Vodo's residence in Lithuania poses a threat to the state's security.

Vodo, who claims to be a journalist, has disloyal views towards Lithuania, disseminates propaganda on social media in line with Russia's information policy, and has come in contact with representatives of the Russian and Belarusian intelligence services.

Lithuania's Migration Department has revoked 125 residence permits in Lithuania in total since the start of this year, including 97 issued to Russian citizens. The majority of these Russian citizens had their residence permits revoked following the SSD's conclusions that hey posed a threat, according to information available to BNS.

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Senate approves McDonald as US Ambassador to Lithuania

VILNIUS, Nov 30, BNS - Diplomat Kara McDonald has been appointed US ambassador to Lithuania after the Senate approved her appointment.

"The Senate confirmed by voice vote Kara C. McDonald … to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Lithuania," the Senate posted on X.

The US Embassy in Lithuania says it is not yet clear when the new ambassador will arrive in Lithuania.

McDonald previously served as a deputy assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights and labor. From January 2021 to April 2022, she was simultaneously appointed as senior officer for monitoring and combating anti-Semitism in the Office of the Special Envoy.

She previously served as US consul general in Strasbourg.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in French and Comparative Literature from the University of Michigan, and a Master of Arts from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. She speaks or has studied French, Romanian, and Russian.

The diplomat will replace outgoing ambassador Robert Gilchrist who has represented the US in Lithuania since 2019.

US ambassadors to foreign countries are confirmed by the Senate.

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Gas prices for Lithuanian households to fall 4-7 cents from January 

VILNIUS, Nov 30, BNS – Natural gas prices for Lithuanian households are set to fall by 4-7 euro cents per cubic meter from January, compared to their current levels.

The National Energy Regulatory Council (NERC) on Thursday set the tariffs for Ignitis' consumers for the first half of 2024.

The price for households with the lowest consumption (up to 300 cubic meters per year) is declining by 7 cents to 1.29 euros and that for consumers using the fuel to heat their homes (between 300 and 20,000 cubic meters annually) is going down by 4 cents to 0.83 euros. 

The third group with the highest consumption (over 20,000 cubic meters) will also see a reduction of 4 cents, to 0.79 euros.

Currently, consumers using the least amount of gas pay 1.36 euros per cubic meter and those using gas to heat their homes pay 0.87 euros. The group consuming the most gas pays 0.83 euros.

The state currently subsidizes part of Ignitis' natural gas tariffs, but the scheme will be scrapped starting from January.

 

By Valdas Pryšmantas

Editor: Roma Pakėnienė

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Lithuania, Georgia sign plan for defense cooperation

VILNIUS, Nov 30, BNS - Lithuanian and Georgian Defense Vice Ministers Zilvinas Tomkus and Lela Chikovani have signed a bilateral plan for strengthening cooperation in 2024.

The plan outlines the visits, participation in exercises and courses planned for next year, the Defense Ministry said on Thursday.

Lithuanian-Georgian defense cooperation covers a wide range of areas, including military training and education, joint participation in exercises in Lithuania and Georgia, consultations on the conscription system, and a strong focus on cyber defense.

There is also military cooperation between the Land and Special Operations Forces and the countries' military academies.

"Defense cooperation with Georgia is one of our priority areas in the Eastern Partnership countries. Lithuania will continue to consistently support Georgia's Euro-Atlantic aspirations, both at the political level and through practical assistance," Tomkus said.

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Lithuanian ministry fined EUR 40,500 for restricting competition in railway market

VILNIUS, Nov 30, BNS – The Lithuanian Competition Council said on Thursday that it has imposed a fine of 40,530 euros on the Transport Ministry for restricting competition and access to public railway infrastructure. 

The Competition Council said in a press release that certain rules adopted by the Transport Ministry in 2020 favor LTG Cargo, the freight transportation arm of the state railway group Lietuvos Gelezinkeliai (Lithuanian Railways, LTG), and discriminate against other potential service providers.

"The investigation was initiated in November 2021 based on suspicion that certain provisions of the rules regarding the allocation of capacity in the overloaded part of the public railway infrastructure might contradict the Law on Competition. These rules apply in cases where multiple companies wish to transport freight by rail, and there is a shortage of available infrastructure capacity in a specific section," the competition watchdog said.

Among other things, the rules, approved by the then Transport Minister Jaroslav Narkevic, barred Gargzdu Gelezinkelis, a company indirectly controlled by Igor Udovickij, from transporting freight through Lithuania.  

The Transport Ministry said in a statement that its disagrees with the watchdog's ruling and will challenge it in court.

According to Ramunas Dilba, the ministry's chancellor, Narkevic's decision was not aimed at restricting access to the infrastructure for any specific carriers, including Gargzdu Gelezinkelis. 

The ministry points out that under EU law, it is up to the state to decide which rail services are to be given priority. For example, promoting the use of electric trains may give priority to such a carrier, while encouraging combined transport could prioritize a carrier that transports goods in semi-trailers.

"Such and similar requirements are a matter for the state to decide and should not be considered as restricting competition," it said. 

According to the ministry, while finalizing the train schedules for 2022-2023 and 2023-2024, no sections were declared congested, thus all companies were allocated the capacity they requested. 

Gargzdu Gelezinkelis has been engaged in legal battles over the authorities' failure to allocate it transport capacities in 2019-2020.

In September, the EU Court of Justice clarified the interpretation of a directive on the principles governing the use of railway infrastructure in the bloc.

Ir ruled that a priority criterion may be applied when evaluating applications, provided that its application allows infrastructure capacity to be allocated in a fair and non-discriminatory manner and in accordance with EU law.

Gargzdu Gelezinkelis is 85 percent owned by Swiss-based Hasenberg, which is owned by Fortis Asset Management, a Latvian company controlled by Udovickij. The latter directly owns 6 percent of Gargzdu Gelezinkelis, with another 9 percent held by five other natural persons.

  

 

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Russia interested in opening Kaliningrad crossing, no proposals yet – Lithuanian MFA

VILNIUS, Nov 30, BNS - Russia is interested in the possibility of opening the Dubki-Rambynas border crossing point but has not yet made any proposals to Lithuania, Lithuania's Foreign Ministry has told BNS.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not received such proposals, but the Russian Federation is raising the issues mentioned in your request," the ministry said.

According to newkaliningrad.ru, earlier this month, the Kaliningrad regional authorities sent a letter to the Russian Foreign Ministry, asking it to hold talks with Lithuania on the opening of the Dubki-Rambynas border checkpoint, as well as on lifting th existing rail transit quotas.

For its part, the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry says the transit of passengers to and from the Kaliningrad region is taking place smoothly and in accordance with the agreed conditions for the facilitated transit of Russian citizens through the territory of Lithuania.

Meanwhile, there is no separate agreement for the transit of Russian goods. According to the ministry, "Lithuania controls the transit of these goods consistently in accordance with the European Union legislation and the guidelines of the European Commission".

The Dubki-Rambynas checkpoint has already been put in place but is still closed on the Lithuanian side.

By Augustas Stankevičius

Editor: Roma Pakėnienė

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Mayor of Lithuania's Jonava named suspect in municipal payouts probe 

VILNIUS, Nov 30, BNS – Mindaugas Sinkevicius, the Social Democratic mayor of the central town of Jonava and president of the Association of Local Authorities in Lithuania, has been named a suspect in a pre-trial investigation into the possible misappropriation of municipal funds he received as a councilor, the Prosecutor General's Office said on Thursday.

Law-enforcement officials have brought formal charges of abuse, falsification of a document and misappropriation of property against the mayor, it said in a press release.

As a member of the Jonava District Municipal Council at the time, Sinkevicius was entitled to receive allowances for expenses incurred while performing his duties as a councilor, including for office supplies, postage, telephone, Internet, transport services, and rent of office space. 

According to the Prosecutor's Office, the investigation revealed that between 2019 and 2023, Sinkevicius may have used the funds to buy items for his personal use and pay the bills for a mobile phone used by his wife.

There are also indications that certain financial documents submitted to the Jonava District Municipality Administration to justify the expenses might have been falsified. 

According to law enforcement, the available information gives them ground to suspect that Sinkevicius unlawfully received over 1,500 euros from the municipal budget.

When suspicions of abuse of municipal payouts became public, Sinkevicius denied the allegations, but pledged to refund part of the money.

In May, the Jonava mayor announced his decision to refund 4,000 euros paid for communication services, because he had given one of his phones to his wife to use while she was on maternity leave.

The Special Investigation Service is conducting a total of 16 pre-trial investigations into suspicions of abuse by municipal councilors of allowances for transport, communications and stationery expenses.

 

By Milena Andrukaitytė

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Lithuania allocate funds for needs of Palestinian civilians

VILNIUS, Nov 30, BNS - Lithuania will allocate an additional 100,000 euros in humanitarian aid for civilians in Gaza as the temporary ceasefire continues, the country's Foreign Ministry says.

"Lithuania's contribution will help international humanitarian organizations in Palestine to provide food, medicine, water and other vital assistance to civilians and facilitate the evacuation of the sick, wounded and other vulnerable people," the ministry said in a statement.

Initial estimates of humanitarian needs in Gaza exceed 1 billion euros.

The war between Israel and the Islamist group Hamas began on October 7 after the group killed at least 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took nearly 250 hostages. In response to this attack, the deadliest in the country's history, Israel launched an offensive in the Gaza Strip to destroy Hamas. According to the group's government in the Gaza Strip, nearly 15,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in the area. Some 1.7 million people have been forced to flee their homes and 2.2 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance.

According to the UN, water, food and electricity shortages remain critical in Gaza Strip.

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Ellex Valiunas, Covington & Burling to represent Lithuania in dispute with Belaruskali

VILNIUS, Nov 30, BNS – Lithuania will be represented by one of the country's biggest law firms Ellex Valiunas and Covington & Burling, a London-based world-renowned law firm, after the Belarusian potash fertilizer producer Belaruskali initiated an arbitration vase against Lithuania and demands damages for the losses it incurred as a result of the suspension of fertilizer transit via Lithuania in February 2022, Ellex Valiunas has told BNS. 

"Yes, we can confirm this fact," Jolanta Venskute, acting business development manager at Ellex Valiunas, told BNS.

She refrained to disclose the value of the claim and the arbitration court involved, as well as the value for the contract signed and whom the law firms signed it with.

"The arbitration process is strictly confidential and we cannot disclose any further details in order not to harm the state's interests," Venskute said.

Lithuanian Transport and Communications Minister Marius Skuodis told reporters earlier that this is "a normal procedure if a party appeals against one or another provision of intergovernmental agreements". 

He refrained to comment on the details of Belaruskali's complaint, citing the confidentiality of the process. 

Belaruskali filed a lawsuit for the termination of the 1999 bilateral investment agreement and is demanding damages after the Lithuanian government annulled the freight contract between Lietuvos Gelezinkeliai (Lithuanian Railways, LTG), the country's state-owned railway company, and Belaruskali in January 2022, suspending potash fertilizer shipments through Lithuania as of February 1. 

The Belarusian fertilizer giant is demanding around 1 billion euros in damages, according to the TV3 news website.

The New York Times reported that a report by the Lithuanian government, which assessed the potential damages caused by the suspension of Belarusian exports through the port of Klaipeda, said that Lithuania could be sued for up to 15 billion US dollars.

The New York Times has also described Belaruskali as a "cash cow" serving the Belarusian regime's leader Alexander Lukashenko.

By Erika Alonderytė-Kazlauskė

Editor: Roma Pakėnienė

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Jonava mayor suspends Lithuanian SocDem Party membership amid funds misuse suspicions

VILNIUS, Nov 30, BNS – Mindaugas Sinkevicius, the mayor of the central town of Jonava, is suspending his membership of the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (LSDP) and suggesting that the Association of Local Authorities in Lithuania suspend his duties as its president amid law enforcement's suspicions of the misuse of municipal allowances. 

"In order not to harm the organizations of which I am a member, I am temporarily suspending my activities in the LSDP and I will submit a similar proposal to the board of the Association of Local Authorities to suspend my duties as president," Sinkevicius posted on Facebook on Thursday.

This followed the announcement by the Prosecutor General's Office that law-enforcement officials have brought formal charges of abuse, falsification of a document and misappropriation of property against the mayor in their pre-trial investigation into the possible misappropriation of municipal funds he received for his activities as a councilor. 

"Suspicions are not a charge or a conviction," said Sinkevicius. "Trusting in Lithuania's legal system, I will defend my position legally and believe that the suspicions will not be substantiated." 

 "I will not speculate on how and when this process will end. However, I can say now, as I have before, that I do not feel that I violated municipal rules or the country's laws," he added. 

Sinkevicius also maintains that he answered all questions about the alleged misuse of expenses at a press conference in May and that he cannot comment further on the situation due to the ongoing pre-trial investigation. 

"I answered all the questions I was asked and explained the content of my expenses. I have returned the funds that were questioned at the time to the municipal budget and have sincerely apologized to everyone. Unfortunately, this does not seem to be enough," he said.

In its congress in May, the LSDP decided that its members who have misused municipal funds will have to pay them back and recommended that they suspend their membership if law enforcement gets involved. 

As a member of the Jonava District Municipal Council at the time, Sinkevicius was entitled to receive allowances for expenses incurred while performing his duties as a councilor, including for office supplies, postage, telephone, Internet, transport services, and rent of office space. 

According to the Prosecutor General's Office, however, the investigation revealed that between 2019 and 2023, Sinkevicius may have used the funds to buy items for his personal use and pay the bills for a mobile phone used by his wife.

There are also indications that certain financial documents submitted to the Jonava District Municipality Administration to justify the expenses might have been falsified, the prosecutors said.

According to law enforcement, the available information gives them ground to suspect that Sinkevicius unlawfully received over 1,500 euros from the municipal budget.

When suspicions of abuse of municipal payouts became public, Sinkevicius denied the allegations, but pledged to refund part of the money.

In May, the Jonava mayor announced his decision to refund 4,000 euros paid for communication services, because he had given one of his phones to his wife to use while she was on maternity leave.

The Special Investigation Service is conducting a total of 16 pre-trial investigations into suspicions of abuse by municipal councilors of allowances for transport, communications and stationery expenses.

According to the prosecutors' statement, Sinkevicius is the third person against whom formal suspicions have been brought in such a pre-trial investigation.

On October 19, suspicions of misusing municipal funds were brought against Sergei Dmitrijev, a former Vilnius City Municipality Council member, and his wife.

 

By Milena Andrukaitytė

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Ex-Lithuanian MP pleads not guilty to sexual charges

VILNIUS, Nov 30, BNS – Ex-Lithuanian MP Kristijonas Bartosevicius accused of sexual offences against minors has pleaded not guilty and plans to testify at the next court hearing.

"The indictment has been read out and the accused does not admit his guilt on the charges brought against him," Jolita Gudeliene, spokesperson for the Panevezys Regional Court, told BNS on Thursday after the court hearing.

Bartosevicius is accused of committing 10 criminal offenses, including two sexual assaults on minors on minors, four offenses of molestation of a person under 16 years of age, and four offenses of minor bodily harm.

The former lawmaker is expected to testify on December 20.

Bartosevicius attended the Thursday hearing via videolink.

During the hearing, the court also accepted two more civil claims from the victims' representatives. There are three of them in total.

The former MP remains subject to the previously imposed measures of restraint, including an undertaking not to leave and a ban on contact with certain persons. He has had his documents taken by law-enforcement bodies.

Bartosevicius may face a prison sentence ranging from 3 to 15 years for sexual assault, up to 5 years in jail for the molestation of a person aged under 16, and lighter sentences for health impairment.

Bartosevicius is suspected of committing the offenses while he served as a member of the Seimas.

The delfi.lt news website reported earlier that the former MP is suspected of having molested members of Azuoliukas, a Vilnius-based choir for boys and young men.

Prosecutors launched their pre-trial investigation in this case in November 2022 and brought formal suspicions against Bartosevicius in February.

The man resigned as an MP in late January.

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Belgium, France take over helm of NATO air policing mission in Baltics

VILNIUS, Nov 30, BNS – Belgium and France has today taken over the helm of the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states.

A Belgian Royal Air Force detachment with four F-16 Fighting Falcons and a French Air Force Detachment with Mirage2000 that will reinforce the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states replaced an Italian Air Force capability after four months, the Defense Ministry said.

The Belgian Air Force will be providing its seventh rotation of the mission. It will include approx. 80 members: pilots, technicians, medical personnel, support groups, communications specialists, etc.

The French will be guarding the Baltic skies for the eighth time with a contingent of strength of approx. 100 military specialists of different areas.

The outgoing Italian detachment was protecting the Baltic airspace with four Eurofighter Typhoon fighter aircraft.

NATO allies have been deploying troops and assets to guard the Baltic airspace since March 2004 when Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia joined NATO. Since then, 17 Allies have flown the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states. The mission completed by the Italian Air Detachment will the 63rd since the laucnh of the NATO Baltic Air Policing effort in 2004.

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Banks in Lithuania pay almost EUR 102 mln in solidarity levy

VILNIUS, Nov 30, BNS - Eight Lithuanian commercial banks and credit unions have paid 101.6 million euros in solidarity levy to the state budget by Thursday afternoon, the State Tax Inspectorate told BNS on Thursday.

"Solidarity levy premiums amounting to 101.6 million euros have already been paid and 8 financial institutions have transferred them," Ruta Asadauskaite, spokesperson for the tax authority, told BNS. 

Siauliu Bankas told BNS earlier it would transfer more than 2.6 million euros in the second solidarity levy installment. And Luminor already transferred 12.5 million euros at the beginning of the week. The other major banks are yet announce the amounts they have paid.

Banks in Lithuania have until the end of November 30 to make the second payment.

The Bank of Lithuania estimates that the banks' solidarity levy for the third quarter of this year will exceed 100 million euros, and that the total contribution for this year could reach around€250 million euros.

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Lithuanian govts sets up commission to coordinate preparations for German brigade

VILNIUS, Nov 30, BNS - The Lithuanian government is setting up a special commission to coordinate preparations in Lithuania to host the German army brigade.

According to the draft resolution, the commission will include the prime minister, the government chancellor and all ministers except for the ministers of the economy and innovation, energy and culture.

The commission will meet to discuss inter-institutional issues related to the presence of the German brigade in the country and to initiate the adoption of the necessary decisions. It will also consider measures needed to ensure the presence of the German unit and, if necessary, make proposals to the government "on the allocation of necessary resources or other decisions related to the implementation of such measures".

According to the draft resolution, Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas will be tasked to set up a working group involving representatives of the institutions represented in the commission. The working group will involve independent experts, representatives of state and municipal institutions, bodies and other organizations to discuss inter-institutional issues and propose solutions related to the provision of civil infrastructure and services. 

Anusauskas has also been tasked to represent the government in a joint working group of the Lithuanian and German Ministries of Defense.

Germany vows to deploy the brigade in Lithuania within the next few years, and a cross-border treaty is expected to be signed next year. Germany is expected to deploy 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 prepare not only military infrastructure, but also so-called social infrastructure, such as schools, kindergartens and leisure facilities.

 

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Dec 06 2023

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