LITHUANIA DAILY NEWS BULLETIN IN THIS ISSUE: Upcoming events in Lithuania for Thursday, September 5, 2024 Lithuania records no illegal border crossings from Belarus CoE justmins to discuss establishment of special tribunal for Russian crimes Russian-Lithuanian border fortification measures to be presented in Pagegiai Tesla opens its 1st pop-up store in Lithuania Lithuania should stop increasing defense funding through tax raises – minister Tesla opens its 1st pop-up store in Lithuania (expands) Lithuanian MP Vysniauskas appears for questioning in 'receipt' case Setting up tribunal for Russia takes time to ensure 'bulletproof' legal base – CoE chief Tsikhanouskaya says Moscow, Minsk behind recent attacks on Belarusians in Vilnius Four vandalism attacks against Belarusians recorded in Vilnius in recent days Lithuania, Poland agree to deepen defense ties, rally support for Kyiv Upcoming events in Lithuania for Friday, September 6, 2024 Upcoming events in Lithuania for Thursday, September 5, 2024 VILNIUS, Sep 05, BNS – The following events are scheduled in Lithuania for Thursday, September 5. PRESIDENT Gitanas Nauseda and Polish President Andrzej Duda to attend a bilateral defense fodum in Warsawr at 10 a.m.; to lay flower at the Union of Lublin Monument at 1.20 p.m.; to visit the HQ of the Lithuanian-Polish-Ukrainian Brigade at 1.35 p.m.; to sign a declaration of bilateral relatons at 2.55 p.m.; the presidents' statements to the press at the National Museum in Lublin at 3.05 p.m. DEFENSE MINISTER Laurynas Kasciunas and INTERIOR MINISTER Agne Bilotaite to attend a presentation of countermobility measures in Pagegiai at 11 a.m. JUSTICE MINISTRY The Informal Conference of the Ministers of Justice of the Council of Europe "Towards Accountability for International Crimes Committed in Ukraine" will start in Vilnius. The Council of Europe Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law to be signed at 9.15 a.m.; a joint press conference of Justice Minister Ewelina Dobrowolska and Marija Pejcinovic Buric, secretary general of the Council of Europe, at 11.15 a.m. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , Vilnius newsroom Lithuania records no illegal border crossings from Belarus VILNIUS, Sep 05, BNS – Lithuanian border guards have recorded no attempts to cross into the country from Belarus illegally over the past 24 hours, the State Border Guard Service (SBGS) said on Thursday morning. Latvia reported five attempts at illegal border crossings on Wednesday, and 149 irregular migrants were not allowed into Poland on Monday, according to the latest available information. A total of almost 500 irregular migrants have been barred from entering Lithuania from Belarus at non-designated places so far this year, a much lower number than in previous years. 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. Lithuanian border guards have prevented a total of more than 22,300 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. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , Vilnius newsroom CoE justmins to discuss establishment of special tribunal for Russian crimes VILNIUS, Sep 05, BNS – Justice ministers from the Council of Europe countries are gathering in Vilnius on Thursday for a conference to discuss further steps for the establishment of a Special International Tribunal for Russia's international crimes in Ukraine. According to the Justice Ministry, the Informal Conference of the Ministers of Justice of the Council of Europe "Towards Accountability for International Crimes Committed in Ukraine" is one of the most important events of the Lithuanian Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. The conference will focus on bringing together justice ministers of the Council of Europe to discuss the next steps required for the establishment of a Special International Tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine. The conference is expected to include a broader discussion on the challenges and possible solutions to ensure a common standard of national investigations, the unified quality and evaluation of evidence, and the potential of in absentia judgments to effectively contribute to the establishment of justice. The Council of Europe Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law will also be signed during the conference. A total of around 200 people are expected to attend the conference. Lithuania holds the presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe from May 17. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , Vilnius newsroom Russian-Lithuanian border fortification measures to be presented in Pagegiai VILNIUS, Sep 05, BNS – Countermobility measures to fortify the Panemune (Queen Louise) Bridge and the River Nemunas' ford will be presented at the Panemune border checkpoint on Thursday, and the bridge will remain fortified after the presentation. Defense Minister Laurynas Kasciunas told BNS on Thursday that fortifications would be presented in two places, but "there will be more such places". "This is the beginning of fortification," he stressed. According to the minister, the plan is to install about 80 dragon's teeth reinforced with concertina wire in the ford where an adversary's enemy heavy equipment could pass through. On the bridge, 80 dragon's teeth and seven Czech hedgehogs will be installed, some of which will also be reinforced with concertina wire. "Metal beams will also be installed at a later stage as a back-up barrier to prevent the passage of heavy machinery," Kasciunas said, adding that countermobility measures will be arranged in a checkerboard order and they will remain on the Panemune bridge, and those in the river will be used depending on the water level. "The bridge will be permanently (fortified - BNS). Since the checkpoint is only open for pedestrians, … we will keep everything as it is but pedestrians will be able to pass, but not the machinery," the minister said. "Speaking of the ford, it has to do with tides. When there is a tide, we don't have a defensive problem. We will react accordingly," he added. According to the minister, Lithuanian border guards have informed Russian officials that pedestrian traffic in both directions on the bridge will be temporarily suspended for about two hours during the presentation. Besides Kasciunas, the event will be also attended by Interior Agne Bilotaite, Government Chancellor Giedre Balcytyte, Remigijus Balteas, chief of the Defense Staff of the Lithuanian Armed Forces, and Rustamas Liubajevas, commander on the State Border Guard Service. In late July, the Lithuanian government approved the implementation of part of the planned countermobility measures, including the establishment of parks, roadblocks, tree sections, restoration of drainage ditches, and the installation of structures for explosives under bridges. The plan is to put countermobility parks in place by April 1 at locations designated by the Lithuanian Armed Forces along the border with Belarus and Russia's Kaliningrad region. Kasciunas said in August that these measures would boost the state's deterrence and defense potential as well as the security of the country's borders with Russia and Belarus. According to the Defense Ministry, 8 million euros will be allocated to the Armarmy and 2.4 million euros will be given to other institutions for the purchase of countermobility engineering equipment this year. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , Vilnius newsroom Tesla opens its 1st pop-up store in Lithuania VILNIUS, Sep 05, BNS – US electric car giant Tesla has opened its first pop-up store in Lithuania, the company said on Thursday. The company plans to start accepting orders in the country and open a permanent store early next year. The Tesla pop-up has been opened at the Akropolis shopping mall in Vilnius. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , +370 5 205 85 17, Vilnius newsroom Lithuania should stop increasing defense funding through tax raises – minister VILNIUS, Sep 05, BNS – Lithuania should get more money for national defense from economic growth and borrowed funds, rather than by raising taxes, Economy and Innovation Minister Ausrine Armonaite says as the country's defense funding is expected to reach 3.2 percent of GDP this year. "We should sop with the taxes. We have already upped the corporate tax, excise duties, etc. The economy is growing, 2.2 percent this year and 2.8 percent is expected next year. Let's not spoil it. Defense can be financed from economic growth, from better budget collection, and from borrowed funds as well," Armonaite told the Ziniu Radijas news radio on Thursday. In addition, the minister said, the unused funds of state institutions can also be used to finance defense as about 160 million euros was left unused last year. These funds, she said, can now only be used to reduce the budget deficit. In August, the Lithuanian government allocated an additional 130 million euros for the purchase of weapon systems. According to the Finance Ministry, this allocation will bring defense funding to 3.2 percent of GDP this year. A package of measures to finance defense was adopted in late June and it include a 1 percent point increase in the corporate income tax to 16 percent and higher excise duties on tobacco, alcohol and fuel. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , Vilnius newsroom Tesla opens its 1st pop-up store in Lithuania (expands) Updated version: updates throughout VILNIUS, Sep 05, BNS – US electric car giant Tesla has opened its first pop-up store in Lithuania, the company said on Thursday. The Tesla pop-up has been opened at the Akropolis shopping mall in Vilnius. This is the first step of Tesla's expansion in the country as it plans to take orders in the country, open a permanent store and launch a Lithuanian configurator as early as the beginning of 2025. Visitors of the new pop-up will be able to book test drives of Tesla's Model Y and Model 3 electric cars. "The new Tesla pop-up (...) offers Lithuanians the opportunity to discover and experience the Model Y and Model 3 and to talk to Tesla product experts," the company said. The full range of European products will be available to Lithuanians in a few months when the permanent Tesla store opens. Local pricing will be announced at that time and the first deliveries will take place later. BNS reported earlier that Tesla's Dutch subsidiary Tesla International established a company in Vilnius in early August. In 2021, Elinta Charge, a developer and manufacturer of charging stations for electric vehicles, installed the first Tesla Supercharger fast charging stations in Lithuania in Kaunas. In February 2020, Tesla representatives also visited Vilnius. BNS sources said at the time that Tesla was interested in developing a network of charging stations for electric cars in Lithuania and was looking for a location for a showroom. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , Vilnius newsroom Lithuanian MP Vysniauskas appears for questioning in 'receipt' case VILNIUS, Sep 05, BNS – Lithuanian MP Andrius Vysniauskas arrived at the Kaunas office of the Special Investigation Service (SIS) for questioning on Thursday, a BNS correspondent on the scene reported. Law enforcement officials are likely to bring formal charges against Vysniauskas, who was stripped of his parliamentary immunity in August, in the so-called "receipt" case. "We are here for the questioning now," the lawyer accompanying the MP told BNS. Neither Vysniauskas nor his lawyer commented on the situation in detail. Prosecutors have said they want to serve Vysniauskas with a notice of suspicion of fraud, abuse of office and document forgery during his term as a councilor in the southern town of Marijampole in order to obtain reimbursement for expenses incurred. Prosecutor General Nida Grunskiene has said that the MP is suspected of forging 19 documents and fraudulently receiving almost 2,200 euros from the municipal budget. The politician says he was shocked by the allegations against him and insists that he did not commit any offence. However, he did not object to the lifting of his legal immunity. Following reports about the allegations, Vysniauskas suspended his membership in the Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats (HU-LCD), stepped down as head of the ruling conservative party's political group in the Seimas and resigned from the parliamentary Committee on Legal Affairs. The MP was listed as number 11 on the HU-LCD multi-member constituency candidate list for the October 13 parliamentary elections, but the party's election headquarters decided to remove him. However, he continues to stand as a candidate in the Marijampole single-member constituency. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , +370 5 205 85 10, Vilnius newsroom Setting up tribunal for Russia takes time to ensure 'bulletproof' legal base – CoE chief VILNIUS, Sep 05, BNS – Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejcinovic Buric said in Vilnius on Thursday that setting up a Special Tribunal for Russia is taking time due to efforts to create a "bulletproof" legal framework. "If we want to have something that, as lawyers would say, is bulletproof and be sure that it is 100 percent according to laws and no one could question that, I think that would be very important for the future of this tribunal, whatever we find as a solution to put forward, it has to be legally sound, and that is why it is unfortunately taking longer," she said on the sidelines of the Informal Conference of the Ministers of Justice of the Council of Europe. Buric added that the process is also taking time because the tribunal is not only about holding Russia accountable for its actions in Ukraine but also about setting an example for the future. Lithuanian Justice Minister Ewelina Dobrowolska expressed a similar position at the conference, which is a key event of Lithuania's presidency of the CoE Committee of Ministers. "If we speak about the special tribunal, the only answer is not a regional one; it's an international matter. It's about how we can make sure that international law works," she said. The minister said she believes that the political will of the countries in the region to establish the tribunal will be mobilized through the CoE's efforts. According to Buric, discussions about the tribunal are ongoing among several dozen countries. One potential solution could be a bilateral agreement between the CoE and Ukraine. "Russia has never faced any responsibility for its atrocities; they are acting this way because they are sure they can get away with it," said Petro Beshta, Ukraine's ambassador to Lithuania. Discussions about setting up a Special Tribunal for Russia's international crimes in Ukraine have been ongoing since the invasion began in February 2022. The conference, entitled "Towards Accountability for International Crimes Committed in Ukraine", also featured the signing the Council of Europe Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law. Lithuania is holding the presidency of the CoE Committee of Ministers from May 17 to November 13, focusing on support for Ukraine. By Paulius Perminas This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , Vilnius newsroom Tsikhanouskaya says Moscow, Minsk behind recent attacks on Belarusians in Vilnius VILNIUS, Sep 05, BNS - Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya claims that the recent attacks on Belarusian organizations in Vilnius are linked to the Russian and Belarusian regimes. "We strongly condemn the series of acts of vandalism in Vilnius against Belarusian organizations and institutions. Such attacks are an aggressive attempt to intimidate the Belarusians settled in Lithuania. And most importantly, it is an attempt to sow strife between the Belarusian and Lithuanian peoples," Tsikhanouskaya's office said in a statement on Thursday. "There is no doubt that we see here the hand of the Lukashenko and Putin regime," the office said. Two windows of the Ivan Lutskevich Belarusian Museum and a window of the chapel of the Patriarchate of Constantinople were smashed in Vilnius on Wednesday, police said. The latter is a place where Belarusians usually pray. Tsikhanouskaya's office also mentioned a third incident when an offensive inscription was made on the asphalt, using red paint, outside the Dapamoga refugee shelter and it reads "No place for Belarusian parasites here!" Lithuania's law enforcement authorities have refrained to comment on whether these incidents are related. Tsikhanouskay's office says this is an attempt by Russia and Belarus to divide their opponents, destabilize the Belarusian community in exile and distract attention from their crimes. According to the Belarusian opposition, the aim of such attacks is to break the spirit of the people who continue to fight for the freedom of their countries "against the Putin and Lukashenko regimes". "But we know they are afraid of our unity. These attempts to sow chaos actually only strengthen our resolve. We are confident that the Lithuanian authorities will carry out a thorough investigation and that those responsible will be punished," the office said. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , Vilnius newsroom Four vandalism attacks against Belarusians recorded in Vilnius in recent days VILNIUS, Sep 05, BNS – Four acts of vandalism targeting Belarusians living in Vilnius have been recorded in recent days, the capital's police told BNS. A hate-inciting message, "No place for Belarusian parasites here," was painted in red on the street outside the Dapamoga refugee shelter. In two other incidents, two windows of the Ivan Lutskevich Belarusian Museum and a window of the chapel of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, where Belarusians usually pray, were smashed. The latest incident took place in the Naujoji Vilnia neighborhood. "At around 4 a.m. on Pergales Street in Vilnius, an unidentified individual used brick fragments to damage the window of the rectory of the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary Queen of Peace and a Subaru car parked next to the rectory," Vilnius police spokeswoman Julija Samorokovskaja told BNS on Thursday. An investigation is underway. Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya has linked these attacks on Belarusian organizations to the Russian and Minsk regimes. Lithuanian law enforcement would not comment on whether these incidents are related. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , Vilnius newsroom Lithuania, Poland agree to deepen defense ties, rally support for Kyiv VILNIUS, Sep 05, BNS – Lithuania and Poland have agreed to deepen their defense and security ties and to rally international support for Ukraine as it defends itself against Russian aggression. This commitment was outlined in a declaration signed on Thursday by Presidents Gitanas Nauseda and Andrzej Duda. The two leaders also stated that they "seek readiness, implementation, and effectiveness for NATO defense plans" and "strongly support" the Euro-Atlantic integration efforts of Ukraine and Moldova. "Addressing the entire international community of like-minded countries, we call for enhancing efforts to provide Ukraine with adequate assistance in rebuilding its critical infrastructure," the document reads. Nauseda told a press conference after the signing of the declaration that Lithuania and Poland "declare in one voice that Ukraine and Moldova are part of the family of free European countries". The EU granted Ukraine and Moldova candidate status in 2022 and launched accession negotiations with the two countries this past summer. "The strategic cooperation between Lithuania and Poland gains particular importance today as Russia continues its unprovoked, unjustifiable, and barbaric large-scale military aggression against Ukraine," Nauseda said. "Today, the Polish president and I reiterate our call on the entire international community of like-minded countries to make greater efforts to provide Ukraine with the support it needs to defend itself," Nauseda said. The declaration also highlights cooperation in science, education, and culture, the expansion of mutual investments, and support for regional connectivity. "We firmly support all regional formats in which both our countries participate and reaffirm our commitment to being a space of resilience, security, cooperation, and progress in our region,” the Lithuanian president told the press conference. He also underscored the symbolism of the meeting at the Lublin Castle and the importance of the legacy of the Union between the two nations. This year marks the 455th anniversary of the Union of Lublin and the 510th anniversary of the Battle of Orsha, in which the combined forces of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and Poland defeated Moscow's forces. Earlier on Thursday, Nauseda and Duda visited the Lithuanian Square and the Lithuanian-Polish-Ukrainian brigade's headquarters in Lublin. The two presidents also opened the Lithuanian-Polish Defense Industry Forum in Warsaw, which brought together over 70 defense companies and organizations from the two neighboring countries. Among other things, cooperation memorandums were signed during the meeting between the Lithuanian Defense and Security Industry Association and the Polish Defense Industry Association, the Lithuanian Confederation of Industrialists and the Polish Confederation Lewiatan, the National Defense Industry Association and the Polish Defense Industry Association, as well as between the Lithuanian Digital Technology Association Infobalt and Poland's Defence24. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , Vilnius newsroom Upcoming events in Lithuania for Friday, September 6, 2024 VILNIUS, Sep 05, BNS – The following events are scheduled in Lithuania for Friday, September 6, 2024: PRESIDENT Gitanas Nauseda to meet with the Board of the Seimas at 11 a.m.; to receive credentials from Apostolic Nuncio Georg Gaenswein at 1:30 p.m. SPEAKER OF THE SEIMAS Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen to attend the Vilnius Conference at 9:30 a.m.; to take part in the meeting with Nauseda at 11 a.m., to be followed by a news briefing at noon. PRIME MINISTER Ingrida Simonyte to take part in Women's Ambassadors Lunch at noon. DEFENSE MINISTER Laurynas Kasciunas to attend the Ukraine Defense Contact Group's meeting at Ramstein Air Base in Germany. INTERIOR MINISTER Agne Bilotaite to meet with European Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarcic at 8:30 a.m.; to take part in the Regional Civil Protection Forum at the Seimas at 9 a.m., to be followed by a news conference at 12.30 p.m. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , Vertimų skyrius
