The Baltic foreign ministers are preparing to travel to Ukraine amid Western concerns that Russia may invade its neighbor, Lithuania’s top diplomat Gabrielius Landsbergis said on Monday evening. “We have tentatively agreed with our Baltic colleagues (…) on our possible visit (to Ukraine) in the near future,” he told theContinue Reading
China’s General Administration of Customs on Wednesday officially notified Lithuania on the country’s decision to suspend imports of beef, dairy products and beer, Lithuania’s State Food and Veterinary Service told BNS. Mantas Staskevicius, head of the SFVS, says Lithuania suspended exports of animal products to China last fall after businessesContinue Reading
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda on Thursday suggested raising the non-taxable personal income threshold to 510 euros, from the current 460 euros, as part of measures to help people cope with high inflation. “This is a measure aimed at people with the lowest incomes; it is a targeted and purposeful measure,”Continue Reading
Lithuanian-led Cyber Rapid Response Team (CRRT) might be involved in supporting Ukraine, Vice Minister of National Defense Margiris Abukevicius says. The Ministry of National Defense reported on Wednesday that an annual CRTT meeting, marking the start of the 2022 rotation, was held earlier this week. According to the vice minister,Continue Reading
The Lithuanian government will propose to temporarily apply a zero VAT rate to district heating for households as heating bills have soared to record highs this season, Finance Minister Gintare Skaiste said on Tuesday. The measure would cost the state budget around 23 million euros. “The current reduced 9 percentContinue Reading
Notions of “spheres of influence” have no place in the 21st century, Lithuania’s ambassador Rytis Paulauskas said at the UN Security Council meeting on Monday, amid mounting fears of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “Times of limited sovereignty in Europe are long gone. Notions of ‘spheres of influence’ have no placeContinue Reading
The prime ministers of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania will meet on Friday to discuss coordinating the easing of coronavirus restrictions in the Baltic states, Latvian Prime Minister Krišjanis Karinš has said. Latvia wants to develop a strategy to start lifting restrictions this month, public broadcaster LSM reported on Tuesday. KarinšContinue Reading
Even without the introduction of universal conscription, Lithuania will probably conscript all young men fit to serve in 6-8 years due to demographic changes, the country’s National Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas says. “One way or the other, we are moving towards a universal conscription model when practically all men, youngContinue Reading
The general public and politicians have to decide whether universal military conscription in Lithuania should include women, Darius Kuliesius, President Gitanas Nauseda’s chief national security advisor, said on Tuesday. “It is society as a whole and all politicians who have to make a decision on this matter,” the advisor toldContinue Reading
Universal military conscription for young people just out of high school could be introduced in Lithuania in 2027 or 2029 and would cost the state hundreds of millions of euros, according to a feasibility study carried out by the Defense Ministry. The document said that preparations for universal conscription wouldContinue Reading