On the Orange Bike in Vilnius on a summer evening
Culture

Orange bikes’ season begins in Vilnius

Vilnius city bike self-service system CycloCity Vilnius will start this season on 1 April. There are 37 self-service terminals installed in Vilnius. The stations are distributed in close proximity to each other in Vilnius city, Vilnius Tourist Information Centre reports. […]

During IKEA shop opening in Vilnius
Economy

Household consumption is becoming increasing factor of economic growth

With declining export and weakening economic growth, household consumption is becoming an ever increasing factor of economic growth. Having reached its peak ever since late 2007, consumer confidence provides hope that the negative influence of declining export to the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) may be at least partially counterbalanced by growing consumption. On the other hand, it seems that Lithuanians will tend to save more this year, says Chief Economist of Swedbank, Vaiva Šečkutė. […]

Fitch Ratings
Economy

Fitch gives Lithuania A-, outlook stable

Fitch Ratings has affirmed Lithuania’s Long-term foreign and local currency Issuer Default Ratings (IDRs) at ‘A-‘. The outlooks are stable. The issue ratings on Lithuania’s senior unsecured foreign and local currency bonds have also been affirmed at ‘A-‘. The Country Ceiling has been affirmed at ‘AAA’ and the Short-term foreign currency IDR at ‘F1’, Reuters quotes the rating agency’s statement. […]

V. Putin and the Russian navy soldiers
Uncategorized

Weapons flood into Putin’s European arms depot

While the world watched Russia’s North Fleet with trepidation as it launched surprise exercises near the Arctic Circle last week, Vladimir Putin has quietly been arming another area inside Europe’s borders: Kaliningrad, the Russian seaport city in a region sandwiched between Poland and Lithuania, with convenient access to the Baltic Sea. Vessels from Russia’s Baltic Fleet have delivered fighter jets and Iskander missile launchers to the former German city, from where missiles could reach not just to Warsaw and Vilnius but Germany as well, Elisabeth Braw writes in the Newsweek magazine. […]

V. Putin on Russian television
Uncategorized

Responding to Kremlin Propaganda in the Baltics

How to counter Vladimir Putin’s propaganda? The EU is trying to decide on a strategy. Meanwhile—you read it here first—the Nordic and Baltics states are steaming ahead with a very concrete plan that will soon offer Russian-language television in the Baltic states, where Russian minorities today almost exclusively watch Kremlin-directed TV. Call it Nordic noir versus the Kremlin, Elizabeth Braw writes in the World Affairs magazine. […]

Dainoras Bradauskas
Politics

Bradauskas becomes Head of Lithuania’s State Tax Inspectorate

Dainoras Bradauskas has won the Monday’s tender to head the State Tax Inspectorate under the Ministry of Finance (VMI). A total of 5 candidates participated in the competition, even though 11 had registered to take part. […]

Euros
Economy

In 2014, hourly labour cost in Lithuania stands at EUR 6.5

In 2014, average hourly labour costs in the whole economy (excluding agriculture and public administration) were estimated to be EUR 24.6 in the European Union and EUR 29.2 in the euro area. However, this average masks significant gaps between EU Member States, with the lowest hourly labour costs recorded in Bulgaria (EUR 3.8), Romania (EUR 4.6), Lithuania (EUR 6.5 or LTL 22.3) and Latvia (EUR 6.6) and the highest in Denmark (EUR 40.3), Belgium (EUR 39.1), Sweden (EUR 37.4) and Luxembourg (EUR 35.9), Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union reports. […]

Lithuanians are greeting 'Independence' LNG floating facility entering Klaipėda port
Defence

Russia trying to tune public opinion against energy independence in Lithuania – Report

Russia is using Lithuania’s public space to form an opinion against energy independence of Lithuania and the entire European Union (EU), the State Security Department (VSD) said in its 2014 report about threats to national security. […]