Uncategorized
Year: 2014
European Union
EU leaders agree on new climate and energy policy goals
After several hours of discussions, leaders of the European Union (EU) finally reached agreement on the climate and energy policy framework for 2030, informs LETA. […]
Energy
Russia’s hold on the Baltics loosens
Lithuania is set to open a floating liquid natural gas (LNG) import terminal in Klaipėda on 27 October. The LNG terminal, once fully operational, will play a significant role in reducing Lithuania and other Baltic states’ energy dependence on Russia. This will weaken Russia’s use of energy as a political tool in the Baltics, and in turn offer some limited protection for the Baltic countries in the standoff between Moscow and the West. […]
Economy
ECB sets minimum reserves for Lithuanian banks
The European Central Bank (ECB) has set minimum reserve requirements for banks in Lithuania, the Bank said on Friday. […]
Politics
Deputy interior minister steps down after merely days in office
On Friday, the new Deputy Minister of Interior Paulius Beinaris (30), delegated by the Order and Justice party, submitted his letter of resignation which the minister accepted shortly. Beinaris says that he was forced to step down because of “hostile atmosphere”. […]
Uncategorized
Defence
Foreign affairs
Lithuania to open honorary consulate in Saudi Arabia
Lithuania will open an honorary consulate in the city of Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. […]
European Union
EU pledges support to synchronization of Baltic and European power systems
The European Union (EU) intends to provide financial support to the instruments that would ensure synchronization of Baltic electricity grids with Western European power networks after the current financial perspective expires in 2020, EU leaders said in conclusions approved at the summit in Brussels. […]
Economy
Lithuania to charge fees for access to seaside
Access to nearly all Lithuania’s seaside beaches will become subject to a fee next spring. Visitors will have to pay fares between 0.5 and 1 euro to get to the seaside, the Lietuvos Žinios daily reports on Friday. […]
Society
Despite hike in weapon sales, Lithuania remains among least armed nations
Thousands of civilians in Lithuania currently own weapons that could be used for national defence and the number is rising. However, Lithuania is among the least armed nations worldwide, the weekly magazine Veidas reports. […]
Uncategorized
Lithuanian president: Ukrainian elections must be free of external interference
Lithuania’s President Dalia Grybauskaitė stressed at the European Council summit that the Ukrainian parliamentary elections should take place on Sunday without any pressure from the outside. […]
Foreign affairs
Lithuanian president gets provocative question from Russian reporter in Brussels
Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaitė arrived in Brussels on Thursday for an EU summit, where she was instantly approached by a Russian-speaking reporter with a provocative question. […]
Defence
The Financial Times: NATO flexes muscles in Baltics amid Russian incursions
With tensions rising between Russia and Western countries over the military crisis in Ukraine, NATO is reporting a marked increase in Russian provocations in the skies over member states in Eastern Europe and the Baltics this year, The Financial Times reports. “You have to go a long way back to see anything like it,” according to one NATO official. […]
Economy
Invalda LT-led consortium to negotiate acquisition of Finasta Banking Group
The Creditor’s Committee set the minimum selling price and the sale method of the Finasta Banking Group, and authorized the Snoras Bank bankruptcy administrator to complete negotiations with the investor which had submitted the best offer, namely the consortium led by investment company Invalda LT. Nevertheless, the acquisition is still to be approved by the Competition Council. […]
Opinion
Opinion: How Russia wages hybrid energy war against Lithuania
The hybrid war, tested in Ukraine, was a big surprise for some time even for defence experts. Now, it seems that this lesson has been learned – Lithuania is one of the first countries in NATO which started to form a rapid reaction force aimed at responding to the new military threats. […]
Energy
Europe is heavily dependent on energy imports, says Lithuanian energy minister
Minister of Energy Rokas Masiulis participated at the European Gas Summit organised by the British newspaper Financial Times and stressed that Europe was heavily dependent on energy imports. […]
Economy
US company Intermedix officially opens service centre in Kaunas
Lithuanian Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevičius attended the opening ceremony of the international Intermedix service centre in Kaunas and congratulated the US company for choosing Lithuania for its expansion in Europe. […]
Uncategorized
Lithuanian foreign minister: Russia wants to legitimize annexation of Georgian breakaway regions
Lithuania’s Foreign Minister Linas Linkevičius said during a visit in Georgia that Russia‘s proposal for Abkhazia to sign a special agreement is an attempt to de facto annex the region. […]
Economy
Russian court substantially reduces bail for Lithuanian ship
Russia‘s Murmansk court on Thursday reduced the bail for the release of the arrested Lithuanian fishing vessel Jūros Vilkas (Sea Wolf) three times, from 113 million roubles to 36.6 million rubles (EUR 2.1m to 0.7m), lawyer for the shipowner Vladimir Odiagailo confirmed to BNS. […]