LITHUANIA DAILY NEWS BULLETIN

 

IN THIS ISSUE:

 

1. Lithuanian PM concedes defeat in presidential election run-off, congratulates Nauseda
2. Voter turnout in Lithuanian presidential run-off lower than usual (updates)
3. Lithuanian PM concedes defeat in presidential election run-off, congratulates Nauseda
4. Lithuanian president thanks PM for honorable presidential race
5. Nauseda declares victory in Lithuania's presidential election
6. Simonyte could lead HU-LCD candidate list for parlt elections again – Landsbergis (expands)
7. Economist Nauseda e-elected Lithuania's president
8. Lithuanian president says he won’t rush to initiate government reshuffle
9. Nauseda vows to refresh his team, wants to keep 'a few key people'
10. Nauseda pledges strong focus on defense, calls freedom 'fragile vessel'
11. SocDems' decision to back Nauseda has proved effective – leader
12. Upcoming events in Lithuania for Monday, May 27, 2024
13. Lithuania records no illegal border crossings from Belarus
14. Lithuanian govt vice-chancellor Krisciunas proposed as ambassador to OECD
15. Lithuania has revoked all weapon permits issued to Russian, Belarusian citizens  
16. 3.5 pct of GDP should be allocated to national defense in Lithuania – Nauseda
17. Nauseda says he has several candidates for Lithuania' chief of defense
18. Lithuanian PM plans to discuss Cabinet changes with president by July
19. I will have strong voice when deciding on new EU commissioner – Nauseda
20. Renaming Taiwanese office won't fundamentally change Lithuania-China ties – Nauseda 
21. Court upholds decision to revoke Belorus director Epifanov's Lithuanian residence permit
22. FSRU Independence returns to Lithuanian seaport after dry docking in Denmark 
23. Iceland's Play Airlines launches Vilnius-Reykjavik flights 
24. Fear of stopping Russia is invitation to Russia to act in our countries – Landsbergis
25. Lithuanian PM's election defeat down to lack of campaigning – Freedom Party leader
26. NATO jets scrambled once to patrol Baltic airspace, twice to intercept Russian planes
27. Lithuania's fertilizer producer Lifosa plans to resume operations 
28. Lithuania: Jonava District mayor found guilty of abuse, misappropriation
29. Lithuanian parlt speaker, six counterparts urge Tbilisi to repeal 'foreign agent' law
30. Lithuanian ForMin extends condolences over deadly landslide in Papua New Guinea
31. Upcoming events in Lithuania for Tuesday, May 278, 2024

 

 

Lithuanian PM concedes defeat in presidential election run-off, congratulates Nauseda

 

VILNIUS, May 26, BNS – Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte conceded her defeat in the presidential election run-off to the country's President Gitanas Nauseda on Sunday night and congratulated him on his victory.

 

"I would like to congratulate the president-elect of Lithuania," Simonyte, who was nominated by the ruling conservative Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats, told reporters.

 

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Voter turnout in Lithuanian presidential run-off lower than usual (updates)

 

Updated version: updates figures in para 3

 

VILNIUS, May 26, BNS –  Voter turnout in Sunday's presidential run-off between President Gitanas Nauseda and Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte was lower than usual for such elections, figures from the Central Electoral Commission showed after the polls closed at 8 p.m.  

 

Voter turnout was 49.61 percent, the lowest since the 2014 presidential run-off. 

 

Some 38.58 percent of voters, or over 900,000, turned out on Sunday and another 11.03 percen, or 257,000, voted in advance.

 

This is down from 59.37 percent in the first round two weeks ago and down from 53.43 percent in the second round of the previous presidential election in 2019. 

 

There were a total of 2,385,234 citizens on this year's voter roll.

 

Nauseda, the incumbent seeking re-election for a second five-year term, took almost 44 percent of the vote in the first round, against 20 percent for his closest rival Simonyte, the candidate of the ruling conservative Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats.  

 

Political analysts and politicians see Nauseda as the clear favorite to win the second round as well.

 

By Jūratė Skėrytė

 

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Lithuanian PM concedes defeat in presidential election run-off, congratulates Nauseda

 

Updated version: updates from para 3

 

VILNIUS, May 26, BNS – Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte conceded her defeat in the presidential election run-off to the country's President Gitanas Nauseda on Sunday night and congratulated him on his victory.

 

"I would like to congratulate the president-elect of Lithuania," Simonyte, who was nominated by the ruling conservative Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats, told reporters.

 

Simonyte said she would return to work as prime minister on Monday.

 

She thanked people for their support, despite calls from some politicians to vote against her in order to keep her out of the run-off.

 

"My term of office did not make it easy to run for president," said the prime minister, who has been leading the Lithuanian government for the past three and a half years.

 

The latest data from the Central Electoral Commission, 20.34 percent voted for Simonyte in the presidential run-off on Sunday.

 

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Lithuanian president thanks PM for honorable presidential race

 

VILNIUS, May 26, BNS – Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda thanked Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte for an honorable presidential race and thoughtful debate during the election campaign after she called him on Sunday night and conceded defeat.

 

"Thank you, Ingrida. I hope that our debate was mature and reflected our respect for each other. I am glad that it was thoughtful enough and deep enough, and I hope that you have the same impression," Nauseda during his phone conversation with the prime minister.

 

"Thank you for the honorable presidential race, and I will certainly see soon as we will have a lot of work to do," the president said.

 

The latest data from the Central Electoral Commission show Nauseda won over 77 percent of the vote on Sunday and was re-elected for his second five-year term.

 

Almost half of the registered voters cast their ballots in the presidential run-off.

 

By Vilmantas Venckūnas

 

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Nauseda declares victory in Lithuania's presidential election

 

VILNIUS, May 26, BNS – Lithuanian President Gitanas Nause declared his victory in the presidential election on Sunday as he secured his second five-year term.

 

"They (the people of Lithuania - BNS) have given me a great mandate of trust and I am well aware that I will have to cherish this credit of trust," he told journalists in Vilnius.

 

"Now that I have five years of experience, I believe I will be able to use this jewel in a proper way, first and foremost to achieve the goals of prosperity for all the people of Lithuania," he added.

 

Nauseda ran for president against Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte nominated by the ruling conservative Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats.

 

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Simonyte could lead HU-LCD candidate list for parlt elections again – Landsbergis (expands)

 

VILNIUS, May 26, BNS - Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte could again lead the Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats' list of candidates for the Seimas election in October, despite her defeat in the presidential run-off on Sunday, the party's leader Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis says.

 

"The first round results reflect significant voter confidence in the party's candidate Ingrida. I am personally convinced that Ingrida Simonyte would be able to lead the party's list for the Seimas election and continue the important work of the government," Landsbergis told BNS on Sunday night.

 

"I will propose to the party's community next week to start a discussion on who will lead the party's list for the general election," he added.

 

Landsbergis congratulated President Gitanas Nauseda on his re-election and said that amid the ongoing war in Europe, Lithuania will continue its pro-Western course of supporting Ukraine and boosting Lithuania's defense.

 

According to Landsbergis, Simonyte demonstrated a high level of political culture and a high standard of European politics during the election campaign and debate.

 

Simonyte is yet to comment on whether she will agree to lead the HU-LCD list during the upcoming Seimas election.

 

On Sunday, she lost to Nauseda after the latter received more than three-quarters of the vote, according to the latest figures.

 

By Saulius Jakučionis

 

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Economist Nauseda e-elected Lithuania's president

 

VILNIUS, May 26, BNS - Economist Gitanas Nauseda, 60, was re-elected Lithuania's president on Sunday.

 

According to the preliminary data from the country's Central Electoral Commission, he secured a landslide victory in the presidential election run-off, having received with more than 75 percent of the vote.

 

His rival Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte, nominated by the ruling conservative Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats, received over 22 percent of the vote.

 

Five years ago, Nauseda received almost 66 percent of votes, but voter turnout was much higher then.

 

"I am seriously thinking about the further creation of a welfare state," Nauseda said on Sunday night, having chosen the creation of a welfare state as his election slogan five years ago.

 

He also vowed to keep Lithuania's existing foreign policy course, hoping that the country will benefit even more its membership in international organizations, firs of all, the European Union and NATO.

 

Nauseda's new five-year term of office will be his last as Lithuania's Constitution prevents a person from being elected president more than twice in a row.

 

Nauseda's first term will expire in July.

 

Nauseda, an economist and a graduate of Vilnius University, holds a PhD in social sciences and worked at the Institute of Economics and Privatization, the State Service for Prices and Competition, the Bank of Lithuania, lectured at Vilnius University for almost three decades, and worked for 18 years for a private bank.

 

The Lithuanian president lists chess, collecting Lithuanian language publications and sports as his hobbies

 

Simonyte says her work as PM impacted her result

 

Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte has already called to congratulate Nauseda on his victory and vowed to continue working as prime minister. However, she does not disclose her future political plans.

 

In her words, the question of whether she will lead the HU-LCD list of candidates for the October general election is "very premature", and the question of whether she would lead the party after the leadership election in 2025 is even more premature.

 

For his part, Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis, leader of the HU-LCD, said earlier on Sunday that Simonyte could lead the party's list again.

 

Simonyte says the fact that the HU-LCD has been in power for almost four years also had impact on the result of the presidential run-off.

 

"Unlike in 2019, when I was running from a rather comfortable position, as an opposition politician, (...) now I stood for election from a completely different position after those three and a half years, during which we have really seen everything," the prime minister said.

 

According to Simonyte, the HU-LCD will hold internal discussions to evaluate the results of the presidential election and "the necessity to change something in any (future election - BNS) strategy".

 

Landsbergis said earlier Simonyte demonstrated a high level of political culture and a high standard of European politics during the election campaign and debates, adding, however, that the pro-Western direction of Lithuania would remain unchanged following Nauseda's re-election.

 

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Lithuanian president says he won’t rush to initiate government reshuffle

 

VILNIUS, May 26, BNS – Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, re-elected for a second term on Sunday, says he will not rush into raising the issue of reshuffling the government but will do so in July when the Cabinet will return its powers after the inauguration.

 

"We should not be discussing this tonight when the results have not yet been officially confirmed, it is certainly not today's issue because, as you understand, I am now the president-elect, (...) I have not yet finished my first term. I will only start my second term in mid-July after the inauguration," Nauseda told reporters on Sunday. "Then we'll have all those procedural issues with the government."

 

The president and his aides said after the first round voting in the presidential election two weeks ago that more than a few ministers could be replaced one the Cabinet returned its powers to the president.

 

Nauseda has previously called for the appointment of a new education, science and sport minister, a position that is now temporarily filled by Social Security and Labor Minister Monika Navickiene, and also said, if elected, he would raise the issue of Agriculture Minister Kestutis Navickas' responsibility.

 

Speaking after the first round, presidential aide Frederikas Jansonas said only Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte could feel secured about her future, if she lost to Nauseda in the run-off.

 

By Vilmantas Venckūnas

 

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Nauseda vows to refresh his team, wants to keep 'a few key people'

 

VILNIUS, May 27, BNS – Lithuanian President-elect Gitanas Nauseda vows to refresh his team of aides for a new term, but says he wants to keep a few key people "at all costs".

 

"I see a few key people that I would like to keep at all costs. They are important to me. I have had many opportunities to see their professionalism and dedication to their work," Nauseda told journalists in Vilnius on Sunday. "I will certainly try to rebuild the team based on the key people, but I expect some changes." 

 

He did not say as to what extent his team would change, but added that five years is "a long time and after five years there is a need for change, including within the team". 

 

The latest figures from the Central Electoral Commission show that Nauseda won 75.55 percent of the vote in Sunday's presidential run-off, and defeated Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte, nominated by the ruling conservative Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats. 

 

Nauseda will be sworn for a new five-year term in July.

 

By Giedrius Gaidamavičius

 

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Nauseda pledges strong focus on defense, calls freedom 'fragile vessel'

 

VILNIUS, May 27, BNS – Lithuania's President-elect Gitanas Nauseda vows to focus on foreign policy and defense, including the reception of the German brigade assigned to Lithuania.

 

"Lithuania's independence and freedom is like a fragile vessel we must cherish, protect and prevent from cracking," he told reporters late Sunday night.

 

According to the latest data, Nauseda won 75.24 percent of the vote in the presidential election run-off on Sunday, and 23.25 percent voted for Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte nominated by the ruling conservative Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats.

 

Nauseda named the United States, Germany, Poland and the other Baltic states as Lithuania's key partners.

 

"We have a very similar position on fundamental issues, like support for Ukraine, the attitude towards the Russian threat," Nauseda said.

 

The plans to continue his started work, saying that ties with the leaders of other countries will help him to do so.

 

Nauseda hopes this would allow Lithuania to take on a "leadership role" internationally. Lithuania will take over the EU presidency in 2027, which is "a good way to show leadership" for the country that has already hosted events such as the NATO and the Three Seas Summits, he said.

 

"Lithuania is becoming a place where world leaders can discuss important existential issues," he said.

 

Maritime border with Latvia

 

Nauseda also hopes his second presidential term will allow Lithuania to get back to discussions with Latvia on their maritime border.

 

"I do believe we will be able to get back to it, and maybe we will have even more favorable conditions for solving it as the confrontation over who owns the alleged oil, which is probably not even there, has hindered the agreement," the president said, adding that the bilateral maritime border issue, which has not yet been ratified by the Latvian parliament, has "lost its dynamics and relevance" due to the changed circumstances.

 

"The issue has taken on a slightly different turn. We started in a completely different context when it was actually thought that there was a need to look for oil in that place, exploration work was started, and completely unnecessary tensions arose with our excellent neighbor," Nauseda said. "Now we are talking more about completely different things – wind farms and so on. I will say it frankly – this issue has lost its dynamics and relevance for both countries," he added.

 

The Lithuanian-Latvian maritime border treaty was signed in the summer of 1999, but has not yet been ratified by Latvia.

 

By Augustas Stankevičius, Giedrius Gaidamavičius

 

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SocDems' decision to back Nauseda has proved effective – leader

 

VILNIUS, May 27, BNS – The Lithuanian Social Democratic Party's decision to back President Gitanas Nauseda in the presidential election run-off has proved effective, the party's leader Vilija Blinkeviciute says.

 

"To tell the truth, I think it was our party's very good decision to support Gitanas Nauseda during this presidential election, and it has proved effective," she told journalists at Nauseda's election HQ on Sunday night, adding that she had no doubt in Nauseda's landslide victory.

 

The LSDP did not have its own presidential candidate this year.

 

Nauseda has previously said he sees Blinkeviciute as one of the key contenders to be the next prime minister if her party wins the upcoming Seimas election in the fall.

 

"This victory truly inspires me to really work. So if people have trust in the LSDP and vote for its in the Seimas election in the fall, then we will all put our crowns on," Blinkeviciute said when asked whether Nauseda's re-election inspired her to seek the prime ministerial position. 

 

The general election in Lithuania will be held in October, and public opinion polls show the Social Democrats are the clear favorites.

 

Nauseda on Sunday defeated Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte nominated by the ruling conservative Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats. And Blinkeviciute says the election result reflects the public opinion about the ruling bloc. 

 

According to the latest figures from the Central Electoral Commission, Nauseda won around 75 percent of the vote on Sunday.

 

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Upcoming events in Lithuania for Monday, May 27, 2024

 

VILNIUS, May 27, BNS – The following events are scheduled in Lithuania for Monday, May 27, 2024.

 

FOREIGN MINISTER Gabrielius Landsbergis to meet with participants of the European Academy of Diplomacy, to attend a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels.

 

BNSPOST-ELECTON PRESS CONFERENCES

 

BNS and LRT to hold press conferences on the results of the presidential election runoff:

 

Gitanas Nauseda at 9 a.m.

 

Ingrida Simonytr at 9.30 a.m.

 

CENTRAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION chair Lina Petroniene and CEC members to hold a press conference at noon.

 

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Lithuania records no illegal border crossings from Belarus

 

VILNIUS, May 27, 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 nine attempts at illegal border crossings on Sunday, and 283 irregular migrants were not allowed into Poland on Saturday, according to the latest available information.

 

A total of 217 irregular migrants have been barred from entering Lithuania from Belarus at non-designated places so far this year.

 

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

 

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

 

Lithuanian border guards have prevented a total of almost 22,000 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.

 

 

 

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Lithuanian govt vice-chancellor Krisciunas proposed as ambassador to OECD

 

VILNIUS, May 27, BNS – Rolandas Krisciunas, first deputy chancellor of the Lithuanian government, is proposed for the post of the country's ambassador to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

 

If appointed, Krisciunas will take up his new duties in Paris, where Lithuania's Permanent Representation to the OECD is based, on August 26, according to a draft government resolution.

 

Prior to his appointment to his current position of first deputy chancellor in August 2021, Krisciunas worked as an advisor to Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte on foreign policy and EU issues.

 

Krisciunas has in the past served as Lithuania's deputy finance minister and deputy foreign minister.  

 

Lina Viltrakiene, the current ambassador to the OECD, was appointed as Lithuania's first permanent representative to the organization in 2019. 

 

Lithuania became a member of the OECD in 2018.

 

In Lithuania, ambassadors are appointed by the president on the government's recommendation and with the approval of the Committee on Foreign Affairs.

 

 

 

 

 

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Lithuania has revoked all weapon permits issued to Russian, Belarusian citizens  

 

VILNIUS, May 27, BNS – Following the parliament's decision a year and a half ago to ban Russian and Belarusian citizens living in Lithuania from possessing weapons, all permits issued to them have been revoked, with arms yet to be recovered from two individuals.

 

The Police Department says in its comment to BNS that 294 Russian and 46 Belarusian citizens held permits to keep or carry weapons at the end of 2022 when the amendment was adopted. All of these permits have since been revoked. 

 

"There are two individuals whose weapons have not yet been taken. They have been contacted but are not currently in Lithuania. The weapons will be taken upon their return to Lithuania," it said.  

 

At the beginning of the year, all persons were informed in writing about the possibility of voluntarily selling their weapons or handing them over to the police by April 1.

 

Most of the Russian and Belarusian citizens used this opportunity, and the remaining weapons were taken by the police after the April 1 deadline passed.

 

"No weapons were confiscated. Most have already been sold. Some have been handed over to gun shops for consignment sale. A small number of weapons are temporarily stored at police offices," the department said.

 

The ban on possessing weapons for Russian and Belarusian citizens residing permanently in Lithuania was initiated by Laurynas Kasciunas, the then-chairman of the parliamentary Committee on National Security and Defense, 

 

The politician then said that the amendment to the Law on the Control of Arms and Ammunition would help prevent the formation and activities of subversive groups favoring hostile states.

 

 

 

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3.5 pct of GDP should be allocated to national defense in Lithuania – Nauseda

 

VILNIUS, May 27, BNS – Lithuania should increase its defense spending to 3.5 percent of GDP "in the coming years", President-elect Gitanas Nauseda says.

 

"I think we should reach at least 3.5 percent of GDP in the coming years because this is not just a made up figure. It is a figure we can base on our urgent needs right now," Nauseda, who was re-elected for his second presidential five-year term on Sunday, told a post-election press conference on Monday.

 

He identified the reception of the German brigade assigned to Lithuania, the modernization of the Lithuanian army and preparations for universal conscription as those "urgent needs".

 

"All of this requires very tangible financial resources, and we have to allocate them because (...) we cannot shatter this vessel, we cannot allow it to break, because it is a vessel that ensures everything else, including prosperity and a sense of security," Nauseda said.

 

Last week, the Finance Ministry unveiled its proposals on ways to increase defense funding as the government aims to spend 3 percent of GDP on national defense from next year.

 

"In my opinion, this is insufficient," the president stressed.

 

2.7 percent of GDP s allocated for national defense in Lithuania's budget this year.

 

According to the initial data from the Central Electoral Commission, over 74 percent of voters voted for Nauseda in the presidential election run-off on Sunday, and 24 percent voted for Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte nominated by the ruling conservative Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats.

 

Nauseda will be sworn in for his second term in July.

 

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Nauseda says he has several candidates for Lithuania' chief of defense

 

VILNIUS, May 27, BNS – Lithuania's President-elect Gitanas Nauseda says he is talking to several candidates for the position of the country's chief of defense and plans to finish consultations after the presidential election.

 

"Consultations have already started. Of course, these consultations have been somewhat disturbed by the fact that the presidential election had not yet taken place. Now that the presidential election has taken place, and now we will be able to finalize these consultations," Nauseda told a post-election press conference on Monday, adding that there are "some really very serious candidates" for the position.

 

"I have already met with some of these candidates and I have raised questions not only about their professionalism, their commitment to the homeland, but I have also asked them if they are psychologically strong and resilient because we might have all kinds of situations and conditions that will arise on the chief of defense's path," the president-elect said.

 

"They have to be not only visionaries, but they have to be fully prepared in every sense, and we have such candidates, as I understand it, and the most important thing now is to choose one of them," Nauseda added.

 

The five-year term of office of Lithuania's incumbent chief of defense, Valdemaras Rupsys, ends in July.

 

According to the Constitution, the chief of defense is appointed and dismissed by the president with the approval of the Seimas.

 

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Lithuanian PM plans to discuss Cabinet changes with president by July

 

VILNIUS, May 27, BNS – With Gitanas Nauseda talking about a Cabinet reshuffle after his re-election for a second-term, Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte plans to meet with him to discuss this matter before the government returns its mandate in July.

 

"When the government returns its mandate (...), the vote is not on the government or its program, nor is the prime minister tasked with forming a government by presidential decree. The vote is primarily on the confidence in the prime minister," Simonyte said at a post-election press conference in Vilnius on Monday.

 

"I believe we'll have opportunities to meet with the president before these procedures are carried out in the Seimas," she added.

 

Nauseda scored a landslide victory in Sunday's presidential run-off with over 74 percent of the vote, against 24 percent for Simonyte, based on preliminary figures from the Central Electoral Commission.

 

Under the Constitution, the government will have to return its mandate to the president after he is sworn in in July, and the head of state will then reappoint the Cabinet.

 

Nauseda and his advisors said after the first round of the presidential election that more than a few ministers could change in the Cabinet after it returns its mandate to the president.

 

The president has previously called for the appointment of a new education, science and sport minister, a position that is now temporarily filled by Social Security and Labor Minister Monika Navickiene, and also said that he would raise the issue of Agriculture Minister Kestutis Navickas' responsibility if re-elected.

 

Simonyte said on Monday that she also intends to discuss the post of the education, science and sport minister with the president before the return of the mandate.

 

"I believe Monika Navickiene is managing well with the additional challenges," she said. "From a practical point of view, she could continue in this role, but I'm not saying it should be so."

 

However, the prime minister does not intend to raise the issue of the agriculture minister's responsibility until the return of the mandate.

 

"I can't say that I'll change anything before the mandate is returned. I think it's both irrational and pointless to do so," Simonyte said.

 

"If the government is to receive a new mandate and its composition is to be confirmed at the same time, I don't see why the composition should be changed before that moment," she added.

 

Simonyte noted that this is a coalition government, meaning that its composition is determined not only by her decisions or those of the president.

 

"There are three parties in the coalition. All these decisions aren't only mine and the president's but also those that have to be discussed in the coalition," she said.

 

Frederikas Jansonas, a presidential advisor, said after the first round that Simonyte was the only Cabinet member who could feel safe about her job after a reshuffle.   

 

 

 

By Vilmantas Venckūnas

 

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I will have strong voice when deciding on new EU commissioner – Nauseda

 

VILNIUS, May 27, BNS – Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, who was re-elected for a second term on Sunday, says he is not yet in a position to name a candidate for European commissioners, adding, however, that his vote in the process will be strong.

 

"Even if I wanted to, even if I had foreseen it, it is almost impossible to say at the moment which party or which parties will nominate a candidate for the European Commission," he told a post-election press conference on Monday.

 

"My voice will be important in this process. I will certainly have a very clear opinion on the candidates, but to say today that it will be one person or another would be simply irresponsible and would be spreading lies," Nauseda said.

 

In a review published last week, Politico, the Brussels-based current affairs publication, mentioned HU-LCD leader and Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis as the only candidate who could become Lithuania's commissioner.

 

Landsbergis has been informally mentioned as a candidate for European commissioners in Lithuania for some time as well, but so far he has not publicly commented on his intentions or chances of working for the Commission.

 

"Two scenarios are possible. First, this ruling majority will delegate its candidate. (...) Second, the candidate would be delegated by the next ruling coalition," Nauseda said without further saying which of the two scenarios is more realistic.

 

Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte said last week that, depending on the appointment of the new president of the European Commission after the European Parliament election, the nomination of European commissioners should take place during the term of this Seimas and this government.

 

EU member states nominated one commissioner each. Currently, Virginijus Sinkevicius is representing Lithuania as the commissioner for environment, oceans and fisheries.

 

In Lithuania, the government, the Seimas and the president have to approve the country's candidate or a European commissioner, and then the European Parliament makes the final decision on all the candidates.

 

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Renaming Taiwanese office won't fundamentally change Lithuania-China ties – Nauseda 

 

VILNIUS, May 27, BNS – Gitanas Nauseda, re-elected for a second five-year term as Lithuania's president, said on Monday that he does not consider the renaming of the Taiwanese Representative Office in Vilnius a priority issue and does not believe it would alter relations with China.  

 

"Overall, I think this isn't a priority issue at the moment. I want to calmly sort out all the foreign policy issues with my new team," Nauseda told a post-election press conference.

 

"Relations with China are as they are, and I really don't think that changing the name of the representative office would fundamentally change anything," he said.

 

In early May, Nauseda told BNS that he saw a need to rename the office.

 

Frederikas Jansonas, the president's chief communications advisor, has said that if it is found that the name of the Taiwanese Representative Office is the only thing bothering China, changing it could be considered.

 

"I have probably articulated quite clearly my attitude towards China and (...) the need for the European Union to have a very clear policy towards China, because there have been certain shifts over the past few years," Nauseda told the press conference on Monday.

 

"China has demonstrated its unwillingness and inability to communicate and engage in dialogue (...) with the European Union and other states that adhere to the rule of law and democratic principles," the president said.

 

"China is either covertly or sometimes directly supporting Russia in its war against Ukraine," he noted.  

 

According to the president, it is important to answer the question of whether, in the light of China's current actions, cooperation with the country should be intensified.

 

"I think the answer is no," he said. 

 

The representative office, which was opened in Vilnius in 2021, was named "Taiwanese" in the Lithuanian and English languages, but the Chinese version uses the name "Taiwan".

 

Beijing sees this as an attempt by Taiwan to act as an independent state. In other countries, such representative offices use the name "Taipei".

 

Following Nauseda's remarks on the name of the Taiwanese office in Vilnius, the latter urged Lithuania to "look forward, and continue to work together to further advance our bilateral relations".  

 

The opening of the Taiwanese office soured bilateral ties between Lithuania and China, with Beijing downgrading diplomatic relations with Vilnius and blocking its exports.

 

 

 

By Greta Zulonaitė

 

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Court upholds decision to revoke Belorus director Epifanov's Lithuanian residence permit

 

VILNIUS, May 27, BNS – A court has upheld the Migration Department's decision to strip Ilya Epifanov, a Belarusian citizen and head of the Minsk-owned Belorus sanatorium in Lithuania's southern resort town of Druskininkai, of his Lithuanian residence permit.

 

"The Regional Administrative Court has rejected the applicant's appeal," Sigita Gamuleniene, spokeswoman for the court, told BNS.

 

The residence permits was revoked in December for national security reasons, and Epifanov was not allowed to enter the country before Christmas and subsequently appealed.

 

Epifanov is now working remotely, his deputy Dzema Kisiel told BNS. Following the court ruling, the founder of the sanatorium, the Republican Center for Health Improvement and Sanatorium Treatment of the Population of Belarus, will decide on whether Epifanov will be able to continue managing the facility.

 

"The founder will decide on the manager. Next week (this week - BNS), maybe they will say everything," she said, adding that she has not spoken to Epifanov about his plans.

 

Up until mid-June 2021, Belorus was owned by the Main Economic Office (GHU), directly subordinate to the Belarusian president's administration and led by Viktor Sheiman, who was put on the EU sanctions list more than a decade ago. But after his retirement in June 2021, the sanatorium was transferred to the Republican Center for Health Improvement and Sanatorium Treatment of the Population of Belarus under Alexander Lukashenko's order.

 

Figures from Lithuania's social insurance fund SoDra who that 185 people work at the Belorus sanatorium.

 

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FSRU Independence returns to Lithuanian seaport after dry docking in Denmark 

 

VILNIUS, May 27, BNS – Lithuania's Independence floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) returned to the seaport of Klaipeda on Sunday after around a month of inspection and repairs in a dry dock in Denmark, according to the vessel tracking websites Marinetraffic, Vesselfinder and Myshiptracking.

 

KN Energies (formerly Klaipedos Nafta), the Klaipeda LNG terminal's operator, said in early May that the FSRU had not yet undergone a dry-dock inspection.

 

The operator said the vessel had been sent to Denmark because it requires a large dock, which is not available in Klaipeda. 

 

The inspection of the Independence was planned to involve renewing the anti-corrosion coating of the hull and carrying out other periodic maintenance work.

 

On Monday, KN Energies plans to unveil a special symbol on the vessel, dedicated to the country's energy independence.

 

While the Independence was undergoing maintenance in Denmark, Lithuania was supplied with natural gas through the Lithuania-Poland Gas Interconnection (GIPL) and from Latvia's Incukalns underground gas storage facility.

 

 

 

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Iceland's Play Airlines launches Vilnius-Reykjavik flights 

 

VILNIUS, May 27, BNS – Iceland's low-cost Play Airlines launched direct flights between Vilnius and Reykjavik on May 25, Lietuvos Oro Uostai (Lithuanian Airports, LTOU) said. 

 

"We offer very competitive fares in the countries where our airline operates," it quoted Einar Orn Olafsson, the carrier's CEO, as saying in a press release. 

 

"We expect to further help strengthen the connection between Lithuania and Iceland this summer," he said. 

 

According to the airline, passengers will be able to use the service for flights between Iceland and the United States and Canada. It operates modern Airbus A320 or Airbus A321neo aircraft.

 

Flights between Vilnius and Reykjavik will initially operate once a week, on Saturdays. 

 

Play Airlines has an office in Vilnius, which performs part of the company's administrative functions.

 

 

 

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Fear of stopping Russia is invitation to Russia to act in our countries – Landsbergis

 

VILNIUS, May 27, BNS - The fear of stopping Russia is an invitation for Russia to act in our countries, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis says as he's attending a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels on Monday.

 

"I think that currently the biggest problem of almost all the questions that we are solving is our fear. That we afraid of what Russia might think, of how Russia might react, of how Russia might act, and at this point our fear looks like it's an invitation, not only an invitation to act more fiercely in Ukraine with the heinous attacks against civilian objects, destroyed supermarkets, killed children and women and innocent people, but also an invitation to act in our countries and we're talking about hybrid activity in the Baltic region, in Poland and other countries," he told reporters in Brussels.

 

Russia is ready to mastermind organized acts of sabotage or even "terrorist acts" in NATO countries, Lithuania's top diplomat says.

 

A Russian strike on a DIY store in Ukraine's northeastern city of Kharkiv on Saturday killed 16 people and injured another 43.

 

Landsbergis say Russia's actions may be the result of its calculation that "we are not going to react strongly". And the appropriate response would be to allow Ukraine to use its weapons as it sees fit. 

 

On Monday, EU ministers will also discuss EU military aid, security commitments to Ukraine, new sanctions against Russia and Belarus, and the use of frozen Russian assets. However, Hungary's position makes it difficult to reach a consensus as the country earlier delayed the adoption of a 50 billion euro aid package for Ukraine, and its right-wing Prime Minister Viktor Orban is Russia's closest EU ally.

 

The EU should start viewing Hungary's actions in blocking EU initiatives as a "systemic approach", Landsbergis says.

 

"It's not case by case and we have to start talking about this. I know that it's it might look as a non diplomatic thing to do in some cases... But I think it has gone very, very far," he said.

 

The Council will also be briefed on latest developments in Georgia where lawmakers adopted a controversial "foreign influence" law in early May, which critics say will silence opposition groups and steer the country away from a pro-Western course towards Russia. Thousands of people protested in Georgia against the law.

 

It was subsequently vetoed by President Salome Zourabichvili, but the ruling Georgian Dream party has a solid majority in the parliament and is expected to override the president's veto.

 

"I think that the best decision that could come out of the meeting today is that there would be an update, a public update on EU's Georgia's relations and on Georgia's EU path. I think current events have to be reflected and I hope that there would be a very clear signal from the EU that if the law is adopted in its final version, Georgia can no longer continue on its EU path," the Lithuanian foreign minister said.

 

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Lithuanian PM's election defeat down to lack of campaigning – Freedom Party leader

 

VILNIUS, May 27, BNS - Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte's presidential election defeat was due to her ties with the ruling conservative Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats, as well as a lack of campaigning, Ausrine Armonaite, leader of the Freedom Party, part of the ruling bloc, says.

 

"The prime minister's result was partly predicted by various political analysts. Apparently, the HU-LCD weight and the lack of campaigning influenced the election result," she told BNS on Monday, commenting on the presidential election results.

 

According to initial data from the Central Electoral Commission, Simonyte received 24 percent of the vote in Sunday's presidential election run-off, and incumbent President Gitanas Nausėda got 74 percent.

 

Armonaite also congratulated Nauseda on his re-election and wished him to be more open on human rights issues.

 

She's skeptical about Nauseda's desire to reshuffle the government when it returns its powers to the new president, despite the fact that only a few months will be left until the general election.

 

"The president has received a new mandate, and the government can freshen up a bit. I can only say from practical point of view, from practical experience, that there is very little time left until the general election. In order to complete important work, the search for new ministers will simply lose important time for Lithuania," Armonaite told BNS on Monday.

 

"Nobody is holding on to any chairs or positions, apparently the most important thing is to work for the people of Lithuania, to make changes, to make Lithuania safer, to make the economy stable, to make wages grow. Maybe when the president will elaborate, it will be possible to comment more," she said.

 

Armonaite stressed that the real changes should take place not in the summer, but in the fall after the Seimas election. On the other hand, the Freedom Party leader admitted that the vote of confidence in the prime minister in the Seimas could be a test for the ruling coalition.

 

The ruling coalition, which includes the conservative HU-LCD, the Liberal Movement and the Freedom Party, now has 72 out of 141 seats in the Seimas.

 

By Jūratė Skėrytė

 

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NATO jets scrambled once to patrol Baltic airspace, twice to intercept Russian planes

 

VILNIUS, May 27, BNS – NATO's fighter jets were scrambled once last week to patrol the airspace along the Baltic borders with Russia and Belarus, and took off twice to intercept Russian aircraft flying in international airspace over the Baltic Sea in violation of flight rules, the Lithuanian Defense Ministry said on Monday.

 

NATO's jets intercepted an IL-20 reconnaissance aircraft on its way from mainland Russia to Kaliningrad on May 20, and an AN-26 transport plane flying in the opposite direction on May 23.

 

Neither of the Russian aircraft had a pre-filed flight plan. Both of them maintained radio communication with the Regional Traffic Control Center, and one had its onboard transponder on.

 

On May 23, NATO's air policing aircraft flew patrols in the Baltic Sea

 

The NATO Baltic air policing mission is carried out from Lithuania and temporarily from Latvia as Estonia's Amari air base is undergoing reconstruction and infrastructure upgrades. 

 

 

 

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Lithuania's fertilizer producer Lifosa plans to resume operations 

 

VILNIUS, May 27, BNS – Lithuania's sanction-hit phosphate fertilizer manufacturer Lifosa said on Monday that it is preparing to restart production after a one-year hiatus, adding that the continuity of operations will depend on various economic, operational, and legal circumstances. 

 

"The possibilities for a smooth return of Lifosa's advanced products to the market have been ensured now," it said in a statement. 

 

The plant in Kedainiai, in central Lithuania, has not resumed operations since it was shut down for annual scheduled maintenance in May 2023.

 

The last time Lifosa planned to restart production was in March. 

 

Vitalijus Varnas, chairman of Lifosa's independent trade union, then told BNS that he had heard from the management that final decisions on the company's future operations were "a matter of days rather than weeks or months", but that this would depend mainly on whether the banks would not suspend the company's payments.

 

S&P Global reported last year that Lifosa's shareholders, who had planned to temporarily mothball the Lithuanian plant from October 2023, were looking to restart production and resume nitrogen phosphates deliveries to global customers. 

 

The plant currently employs 882 people, based on data from the state social insurance fund Sodra.  

 

Lifosa's accounts were frozen after the EU imposed sanctions on Andrey Melnichenko, a Russian oligarch close to the Kremlin, on March 9, 2022.

 

Lifosa is 100 percent owned by Swiss-registered EuroChem Group, which is 90 percent owned by AIM Capital, a Cyprus-based company that was owned by Melnichenko before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine and whose current beneficiary is his wife Alexandra. Both are on the EU's list of sanctioned persons. 

 

 

 

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Lithuania: Jonava District mayor found guilty of abuse, misappropriation

 

KAUNAS, Lithuania, May 27, BNS - The regional court in Lithuania's second-largest city of Kaunas on Monday found Jonava District mayor Mindaugas Sinkevicius guilty of abuse of his official position, the falsification of a document and misappropriation, fined him and banned him from holding any state position for three years.

 

The former president of the Lithuanian association of local authorities had been found guilty of all three offenses, Judge Laima Seputiene said on Monday. He was fined 12,500 euros and banned from being elected or appointed to state and municipal positions for three years.

 

The sentence can be appealed to the Lithuanian Court of Appeal within 20 days.

 

According to the court, Sinkevicius' guilt has been proven in full and his actions have caused Jonava District Municipality material and non-material damage of 1,487 euros as "the trust in this institution was undermined, its authority within the society was undermined, and the trust in him as a state politician was undermined".

 

Sinkevicius vows to appeal and has no plans to resign.

 

"This ruling is not the end of the matter, it is probably an interim ruling, and once we get acquainted with the material of this case and the reasons for this ruling, we will consider appealing it," Sinkevicius told reporters after the verdict was read out.

 

The court ruled that Sinkevicius' arguments that he had mistakenly included his personal bills into his councilor bills, as well as that his wife used one of the four telephone numbers paid for with funds allocated for a councilor's official activities was an attempt to avoid criminal liability.

 

Before the case was opened, Sinkevicius paid back 4,015 euros into the municipal budget, claiming that his personal Telia Lietuva bills were accidentally paid with his official funds.

 

In November 2023, the politician suspended his membership of the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party and his powers as president of the association of local authorities.

 

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Lithuanian parlt speaker, six counterparts urge Tbilisi to repeal 'foreign agent' law

 

VILNIUS, May 27, BNS – Speaker of the Lithuanian Seimas Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen and her counterparts from six countries have urged Tbilisi to repeal the so-called "foreign agent" law.

 

In their joint letter, the speaker of the Baltic states, Poland, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands and France wrote to Shalva Papuashvili, speaker of the Georgian parliament, that the "spirit and content of the draft law on Transparency of Foreign Influence, adopted by Georgia’s parliament, are incompatible with European norms and values".

 

"The law as it stands seeks to silence media and civil society organizations that play a vital role in a democratic society and are instrumental in helping Georgia on its path to the EU," the joint letter reads.

 

Despite mass protests, the Georgian parliament adopted the so-called "foreign agent" law In mid-May. The law requires NGOs and media outlets that receive more than 20 percent of their funding from abroad to register as "foreign agents".

 

The country's President Salome Zourabishvili has already vetoed the law, but an initiative to override her veto is making its way through the parliament.

 

Critics have condemned the law, saying it is similar to the one in place in Russia, which is being used to silence Moscow's critics. Brussels says the adopted law is incompatible with Georgia's long-standing ambition to become an EU member.

 

"Georgia's efforts to join the EU were recognized when it was given the opportunity to start the accession negotiations. However, laws like this one and violence against demonstrators are completely incompatible with European intentions. So we called for the decision to be reversed", Cmilyte-Nielsen said.

 

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Lithuanian ForMin extends condolences over deadly landslide in Papua New Guinea

 

VILNIUS, May 27, BNS – Lithuania's Foreign Ministry on Monday extended its condolences over a devastating landslide in Papua New Guinea that buried more than 2,000 people alive.

 

"Our deepest condolences to the people of Papua New Guinea following the devastating landslide. We wish strength to the rescue services in their search efforts and swift and successful recovery for all those affected," the ministry posted on X.

 

AFP reports that more than 2,000 people are feared buried in the landslide that destroyed a remote highland village, the government said Monday, as Papua New Guinea pleaded for international help in the rescue effort.

 

Papua New Guinea has one of the wettest climates in the world, and research has found shifting rainfall patterns linked to climate change could exacerbate the risk of landslides.

 

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Upcoming events in Lithuania for Tuesday, May 278, 2024

 

VILNIUS, May 28, BNS – The following events are scheduled in Lithuania for Tuesday, May 28, 2024.

 

SPEAKER OF THE SEIMAS Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen to meet with Moldovan Vice Premier and Foreign Minister Mihai Popsoi at 12.05 p.m.

 

DEFENSE MINISTER Laurynas Kasciunas to attend a EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting on defense issues.

 

JUSTICE MINISTER Ewelina Dobrowolska to attend a meeting of Nordic-Baltic justice ministers.

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LITHUANIA DAILY NEWS BULLETIN

 

IN THIS ISSUE:

 

1. IMF mission starts work in Lithuania
2. Upcoming events in Lithuania for Friday, May 24, 2024
3. Home voting starts in Lithuania's presidential run-off
4. Parliament to host 1st event of Lithuania's Council of Europe presidency 
5. Lithuania records no illegal border crossings from Belarus
6. Presidential election run-off in Lithuania: Vegele backs Nauseda
7. Defmin expects Lithuanian drone makers to scrap Chinese parts over summer
8. Lithuanian formin sets out CoE presidency priorities, stresses Russia's accountability
9. Lithuania's UDS raises EUR 3.2 mln for drone production development 
10. Regional countries agree in 'drone wall' to protect borders – Lithuania intermin
11. Upcoming events in Lithuania for Monday, May 27, 2024

 

 

IMF mission starts work in Lithuania

 

VILNIUS, May 24, BNS - An International Monetary Fund mission starts work in Lithuania on Friday.

 

Led by Borja Gracia, the mission will work in Vilnius until June 7, the Bank of Lithuania said.

 

During the two weeks, the IMF experts will meet with the management of the Bank of Lithuania managers, representatives of the Finance Ministry and other state institutions, as well as the private sector.

 

"The IMF experts will get acquainted with the overall macroeconomic situation in Lithuania and labor market trends. The meetings with the representatives of institutions will also include discussions on fiscal policy, the structural reform agenda, and financial sector regulation," the central bank said in its statement.

 

Lithuania has been a member of the IMF since 1992.

 

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Upcoming events in Lithuania for Friday, May 24, 2024

 

VILNIUS, May 24, BNS – The following events are scheduled in Lithuania for Friday, May 24, 2024.

 

SPEAKER OF THE SEIMAS Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen to partake in an international conference on Lithuania's EU membership at Vilnius University at 9 a.m.; to attend a meeting of the Standing Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe at 9.30 a.m.

 

PRIME MINISTER Ingrida Simonyte to have breakfast with the WOMEN@PACE group of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe at 8.30 a.m.; to to partake in an international conference on Lithuania's EU membership at Vilnius University at 9 a.m.; to attend the Drone Day 2024 event organized by the Ministry of National Defense and the Defense Materiel Agency at 9.45 a.m.

 

JUSTICE MINISTRY Ewelina Dobrowolska to attend in an international conference on Lithuania's EU membership at Vilnius University at 9 a.m.

 

FOREIGN MINISTER Gabrielius Landsbergis to present the priorities of the Lithuanian Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

 

INTERIOR MINISTER Agne Bilotaite to attend a meeting of the Baltic, Polish, Finnish, Norwegian and Ukrainian interior ministers in Latvia.

 

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Home voting starts in Lithuania's presidential run-off

 

VILNIUS, May 24, BNS – Home voting for Sunday's presidential run-off between President Gitanas Nauseda and Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte got underway in Lithuania on Friday.

 

Those eligible to vote at home on Friday and Saturday include people with disabilities and their caregivers, voters aged over 70 years, and those unable to vote in polling stations due to health issues.  

 

On Wednesday through Friday, voting is also organized in hospitals, social care establishments, military units and prisons.

 

Over 180,000 people, or almost 8 percent of all registered voters, cast their ballots during the three days of early voting, according to preliminary figures from the Central Electoral Commission.   

 

Nauseda, the incumbent who is running for re-election as an independent candidate, came first in the first round on May 12 with almost 44 percent of the vote.

 

Simonyte, the candidate of the ruling conservative Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats, finished second with 20 percent.  

 

 

 

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Parliament to host 1st event of Lithuania's Council of Europe presidency 

 

VILNIUS, May 24, BNS – The Seimas is hosting on Friday a meeting of the Standing Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), marking the first event under Lithuania's presidency of the organization's Committee of Ministers. 

 

Lithuania earlier this month took over the presidency of the CoE Committee of Ministers from Liechtenstein for the next six months.

 

"It has been 22 years since Lithuania last held the rotating presidency of Europe's most important human rights organization," the International Relations Unit of the Office of the Seimas has said in a press release. 

 

"Drawing on the conclusions of the 2023 Council of Europe Summit in Reykjavík, Lithuania chose protection of our values against aggression and authoritarianism, democracy, human rights and the rule of law at home and worldwide, and digital dimension of freedom among the priorities for its Presidency," it said.

 

The Standing Committee will prepare for further PACE work and ensure continuity based on these priorities, according to the press release.   

 

Opening speeches will be delivered on Friday by PACE President Theodoros Rousopoulos, Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen, speaker of the Seimas, and Vytautas Landsbergis, Lithuania's first post-independence leader and former PACE delegation member.

 

"The Standing Committee will discuss a variety of topics, including child labor, quality education for children with special educational needs, cultural heritage, climate change, and ending the detention of 'socially maladjusted' persons," according to the press release.

 

Over 30 events will be organized in Vilnius and Strasbourg, where PACE is headquartered, during the Lithuanian presidency, which will run until November 13.

 

The Council of Europe is an international organization which aims to uphold human rights, democracy and the rule of law in Europe. It was founded in 1949 and currently has 47 member states.

 

The organization's main institutions are the Committee of Ministers, the Parliamentary Assembly, the European Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, and the European Court of Human Rights.

 

 

 

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Lithuania records no illegal border crossings from Belarus

 

VILNIUS, May 24, BNS – Thursday marked yet another day of no recorded attempts to cross into Lithuania from Belarus illegally, the State Border Guard Service (SBGS) said on Friday morning.

 

Latvia reported 17 attempts at illegal border crossings on Thursday, and 244 irregular migrants were not allowed into Poland on Wednesday, according to the latest available information.

 

A total of 206 irregular migrants have been barred from entering Lithuania from Belarus at non-designated places so far this year.

 

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

 

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

 

Lithuanian border guards have prevented a total of almost 22,000 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.

 

 

 

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Presidential election run-off in Lithuania: Vegele backs Nauseda

 

VILNIUS, May 24, BNS - Lawyer Ignas Vegele, who came third in the first round of the presidential election in Lithuania, has expressed his support to Gitanas Nauseda as he's seeking re-election.

 

"I am encouraging you to cast your vote for Gitanas Nauseda and give him a second chance," he posted on his Facebook account on Friday. "Clearly, a second chance for Gitanas Nauseda is better than an open door for Simonyte's bullying, arrogance, inability to listen, and the humiliation of people. We must now show the conservatives how the public feels about their four-year governance, so they do not feel the urge to puff themselves up with good results either before the European Parliament or the Seimas elections."

 

The former presidential candidate says that although he criticized Nauseda during the election campaign, many of his ideas were heard and some have already been implemented.

 

"I also saw Gitanas Nauseda change his approach after hearing the public opinion. I hope that, having received a great deal of trust and welcoming the new Seimas in the fall, with whom he will be able to negotiate and seek the best solutions for Lithuania, Gitanas Nauseda will remove doubts that the greater principled and determined approach and the clearer listening to the opinion of the Lithuanian population during the election campaign were not just a campaign gimmick," Vegele wrote.

 

Vegele received 12 percent of the vote during the first round of voting in the presidential election. While Nauseda got almost 44 percent, and 20 percent voted for Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte.

 

The presidential run-off will take place on Sunday.

 

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Defmin expects Lithuanian drone makers to scrap Chinese parts over summer

 

VILNIUS, May 24, BNS – As Lithuania wants to integrate domestically produced drones into its army, Defense Minister Laurynas Kasciunas hopes Lithuanian drone makers will give up Chinese-made parts over the summer.

 

"When will (Lithuanian - BNS) manufacturers' drones become more integrated into the Lithuanian army? There's one point that we are already dealing with, but we still need some time, and we have heard that there's a breakthrough, it has to do with a kind of dependence on Chinese-made parts," Kasciunas told journalists at the Kyviskes airfield on Friday.

 

"We have asked manufacturers how much time they need to to get completely free from Chinese parts. Some are talking about the end of June, some are talking about the summer. We are moving forward. Once this is done, there is an immediate opportunity to re-plan and rebuild our entire industry in a completely different way and based on the needs of the Lithuanian Armed Forces," the minister said.

 

Now in Lithuania, the army is not allowed by law to use Chinese-made parts in their armaments.

 

The only one-year exception is in place for equipment provided as support to Ukraine for testing and research purposes.

 

In order to develop drone capability, the Defense Ministry will allocate 10 million euros to Lithuanian UAV manufacturers for the development of combat FPV, reconnaissance and other types of drones. Of this, 3 million euros will be allocated to support Ukraine with combat FPV drones. A further 7 million euros will be earmarked for the production and development of various types of drones.

 

"This is linked to support for Ukraine. Drones will be purchased, they will provided as support to Ukraine, tested there, the latest technologies will be tested and moved back to Lithuania," Kasciunas said.

 

For her part, Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte says Lithuanian drones are necessary not only for the army, but also for other national institutions.

 

"Our border guards are using them. We have more institutions than the army that need them, and they also need anti-drone equipment. We would like to meet those needs, as far as possible, with products made by our own manufacturers because in this way we are not only supporting our own industry but we are also leaving money at home," she said, adding that the existing priority is to develop UAV capacity with Lithuanian products, not with drones purchased abroad.

 

"Obviously, you have to look at the specifics of each capability that needs to be developed, what our industry can or will produce. It is not a fact that what we see today is what our industry will be able to do. Our industry will be able to do more," Simonyte said.

 

Earlier this week, the Defense Ministry unveiled an UAV capability development plan that calls for launching drone operator courses at the Military Academy in September, setting up a registry of drone operators, promoting local manufacturers, and bolstering drone development through the paramilitary Riflemen's Union and NGOs.

 

In late March, the State Defense Council decided that the army must have a fully operational drone capability by 2027.

 

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Lithuanian formin sets out CoE presidency priorities, stresses Russia's accountability

 

VILNIUS, May 24, BNS - The fate of Europe is now being decided in Ukraine, and Russia and Belarus must answer for their crimes, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said on Friday, presenting the priorities of Lithuania's chairmanship of the Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers.

 

"The fate of Europe is currently being decided in Ukraine. It is our fundamental obligation to support Ukraine in this fight until its victory, whatever victory takes," he told the Standing Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in Vilnius.

 

"Our presidency priorities stem from a clear understanding that ongoing Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine is also an attack on our shared values. Therefore, full support to Ukraine defending itself, as well as ensuring accountability of Russia and its accomplices for international crimes is the primary focus for the Lithuanian Presidency," the foreign minister added.

 

The issue of Russia's accountability will not be closed until the political and military leadership of this country and its accomplices in Belarus are brought to justice for their aggression against Ukraine, he underlined.

 

This is Lithuania's second presidency of the Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers.

 

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Lithuania's UDS raises EUR 3.2 mln for drone production development 

 

VILNIUS, May 24, BNS – Lithuania's defense and dual-purpose technology company Unmanned Defense Systems (UDS) has raised 3.2 million euros in investment from a group of private investors led by the venture capital fund Coinvest Capital.

 

The company said in a press release on Friday that the investment will go toward accelerating the development of proprietary swarm technologies, improving drone autonomy and inter-drone coordination, and expanding product exports to new markets. 

 

Defense Minister Laurynas Kasciunas says the investment shows that Lithuanian companies are capable of developing advanced products and have something to offer not only to the Lithuanian Armed Forces, but also to allies.

 

Coinvest Capital, together with a group of 7 accredited business angels and an angel syndicate of 41 private investors, is investing a total of 1.6 million euros, with the fund's share at 0.9 million euros.    

 

A further 0.5 million of the share issue is reserved for potential international investors. 

 

Experienced Lithuanian aerospace entrepreneurs are investing another 1.1 million euros. 

 

Vytenis Buzas, UDS' nominated chairman of the board, says the company has "the ambition to prove to the world that Lithuania is as great in developing high-tech military UAVs, as we are in aerospace or lasers".

 

UDS develops AI-based swarm integrations with contemporary battlefield management systems.

 

The company has already won multiple defense procurement tenders and supplies its solutions to the Lithuanian and Ukrainian armed forces, other EU members, and NATO allies.  

 

 

 

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Regional countries agree in 'drone wall' to protect borders – Lithuania intermin

 

VILNIUS, May 24, BNS – Regional countries have agreed to create a "drone wall" to protect their external borders using unmanned aerial vehicles, Lithuanian Interior Minister Agne Bilotaite says.

 

She made the remarks after a meeting on Friday in Latvia with her counterparts from the other two Baltic states, Poland, Finland and Norway.

 

"This is a completely new thing, a drone wall stretching from Norway to Poland, and the goal is to use drones and other technologies to protect our borders. Not only with physical infrastructure, surveillance systems, but also with drones and other technologies, which would allow us to protect against provocations from unfriendly countries and to prevent smuggling," Bilotaite told BNS.

 

To create such a "drone wall", countries would use UAVs to monitor their border area, as well as anti-drone systems to stop drones from hostile countries being used for smuggling and provocations.

 

According to Bilotaite, Lithuania had already made plans to step u the protection of its border with the help of drones and the State Border Guard Service has recently established an UAV unit and is in the process of acquiring additional drones and anti-drone systems.

 

Now, the countries will assess what "homework" they need to do and then, with the help of experts, national authorities will draw up a plan to implement the "drone wall".

 

Bilotaite could not say when the idea would be implemented, saying that the "drone wall" could be created using EU funds.

 

The meeting also agreed to organize joint evacuation drills in the countries involved, she said.

 

"We agreed to hold regional drills to ensure the evacuation of the population, to see how our institutions are prepared to work, to interact with each other, what our capacity is to accommodate people, what the capacity of other countries is, whether they are ready to receive a certain number of our people," the interior minister said.

 

"We still have a lot of questions, we need to look at all those algorithms, and drills would be very valuable as we would look at things and we would evaluate them and we would strengthen our preparedness," she added.

 

Lithuania's preparedness is currently being assessed by an EU evacuation mission and it is expected to make its recommendations in June.

 

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Upcoming events in Lithuania for Monday, May 27, 2024

 

VILNIUS, May 27, BNS – The following events are scheduled in Lithuania for Monday, May 27, 2024.

 

FOREIGN MINISTER Gabrielius Landsbergis to meet with participants of the European Academy of Diplomacy, to attend a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels.

 

BNSPOST-ELECTON PRESS CONFERENCES

 

BNS and LRT to hold press conferences on the results of the presidential election runoff:

 

Gitanas Nauseda at 9 a.m.

 

Ingrida Simonytr at 9.30 a.m.

 

CENTRAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION chair Lina Petroniene and CEC members to hold a press conference at noon.

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