Opinion
Month: November 2014
Economy
Lithuania to raise excise duty on tobacco and alcohol next March
The parliament of Lithuania has adopted amendments to the Law on Excise Duty. The bill introduces higher excise duty rates on beer, wine and other fermented beverages, intermediate products, ethyl alcohol, cigarettes, cigars and cigarillos starting in March 2015. […]
Politics
Labour Party nominates Jonas Pinskus to run for Vilnius mayor
The Vilnius unit of the Labour Party has approved a list of candidates to run for the Vilnius City Council. Jonas Pinskus was nominated as the party’s candidate for the mayor of Vilnius. […]
Uncategorized
Lithuanian parliament speaker: Europe should speak in one voice on Russian issue
Lithuania’s Parliamentary Speaker Loreta Graužinienė has refrained from comments on President Dalia Grybauskaitė‘s strong-worded statements on Russia, noting that the European Union (EU) should speak in one voice on the matter. […]
Economy
Society
Politics
Lithuanian parliament sends budget bill back to government for improvement
The Lithuanian parliament sent next year’s draft budget bill back to the government for improvement after the first reading on Tuesday. […]
Politics
Lithuanian parliament rejects equal opportunities ombudsperson candidate who supports same-ex partnership
The Lithuanian parliament on Tuesday again rejected a candidate for equal opportunities ombudsperson. […]
Economy
Economists warn Russia’s new restrictions might affect Lithuania’s entire economy
If stepped-up checks of Lithuanian trucks at the Russian border remain in place for an extended period of time, Lithuania’s transport sector would suffer substantial losses, which may hit hard the entire national economy, the economists have warned, adding that new Russia’s restrictions will undermine Lithuania’s competitive edge in the region, as far as re-exports of goods from the West to Russia are concerned. […]
Defence
Portugal sends reconnaissance plane to Lithuania after sub hunt off Swedish coasts
After the mysterious hunt for a submarine off the coasts of Sweden, a Portuguese Air Force reconnaissance airplane Lockheed P-3C CUP was sent to Lithuania in late October to observe the Baltic Sea. […]
Foreign affairs
Lithuania presents diplomatic note to Russia over border crossing problems
Lithuania on Monday presented a diplomatic note to Russian Ambassador to Lithuania Alexander Udaltsov, who was summoned to the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, over the discriminatory border crossing procedures imposed on Lithuanian vehicles by Russia, said Lithuanian Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrius Krivas. […]
Uncategorized
Society
Lithuanian psychologists say censoring information on LGBT issues does harm to minors
The Union of Lithuanian Psychologists has issued a statement, criticizing a ban on airing a social video ad about LGBT rights on television. Broadcasters have refused to air the video, saying it would violate a controversial minors protection law, but psychologists claim censorship of this kind is what does harm to children rather than messages on LGBT people. […]
Uncategorized
President Grybauskaitė: Russia made accusations against entire Europe
Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaitė said that the statement of head of Federal Customs Service of Russia Andrey Belyaninov, who said that Lithuanian vehicle inspection was made stricter because the country is used to import illegal embargo goods from the entire European Union, is an accusation on the EU as a whole. She also said that solutions will have to be found at the European level. […]
Economy
Society
Lithuanian parliament endorses new media self-regulation procedure
The Seimas of Lithuania on Tuesday adopted amendments to the Law on Pubic Information, changing the way the commission for media ethics is formed. […]
Foreign affairs
Foreign Minister Linkevičius says Lithuanian president was right to call Russia a terrorist state
Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaitė has called Russia “a terrorist state”. Moscow retorted by saying that Grybauskaitė should grow out of “communist youth” maximalism. Some extremists at the Russian Duma have even proposed to sever diplomatic relations with Vilnius. […]
Uncategorized
Lithuania to provide assistance to Ukraine based on its needs, defence minister says
Lithuania will provide assistance to Ukraine based on the country’s needs, Lithuanian Minister of National Defense Juozas Olekas told BNS on Tuesday. […]
Opinion
Opinion: The importance of manners in the East
A small episode recently has shown that Russian President Vladimir Putin feels like he is a know-it-all who can ignore his advisory team. It happened in Beijing during the fireworks show for the APEC summit participants. […]
Uncategorized
Lithuanian president’s office vague about reported armaments supply to Ukraine
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said at a news conference with visiting Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaitė that it was agreed on “supplies of concrete elements of concrete armaments” to Ukraine, but Lithuanian president’s office does not specify what exactly was promised. […]