Economy
1 in 10 Lithuanians feel positive financial changes, survey shows
One in ten respondents in Lithuania reported that the economic situation of their household and the country as a whole has improved over the last two months. […]
Month: April 2015
Global LT
US Congressman John Shimkus: “I obviously have a special place in my heart for Lithuania”
John Shimkus, the only US Republican congressman of close Lithuanian descent, says he is proud of Lithuania being such a staunch ally of the United States, with the ties deeply rooted in the two countries’ long-standing political, economic and cultural collaboration. […]
Society
Lithuanian security report focuses on media groups voicing pro-Moscow ideas
Lithuania’s State Security Department stated on Monday that the media of the Respublikos Leidiniai (Respublika Publications) and balsas.lt group, as well as the organisation founded by Rolandas Paulauskas disseminated anti-Western opinions, which “often echoed the ideas propagated by Moscow”. […]
Society
Foreign affairs
Lithuanian PM meets with ambassador of India
On Monday, incoming Ambassador of the Republic of India to the Republic of Lithuania Ajay Bisaria has met Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevičius at the Office of the Government. The prime minister has congratulated the ambassador on his new term of office in Lithuania, discussed bilateral relations, and stressed Lithuania’s interest in the signing of the Free Trade Agreement between the European Union and India, the prime minister’s press service said. […]
Uncategorized
Russian journalists and NGOs are used to monitor opposition, Lithuanian agency says
According to Lithuanian State Security Department‘s (VSD) activity report for 2014, Russia‘s intelligence services are using Russian journalists and representatives of non-governmental organisations to spy on and discredit the Russian opposition. Journalists and representatives of NGOs are also monitoring visits of the Kremlin’s critics to Lithuania. […]
Economy
Growth in services prices in Lithuania due to rising incomes, finance minister says
Lithuanian Finance Minister Rimantas Šadžius believes that services prices have been rising due to people’s growing incomes rather than to euro adoption. […]
Society
Security Department tracked over 1,000 Lithuanian citizens last year
The Lithuanian State Security Department says it secretly spied on over 1,000 Lithuanian citizens and over 800 foreigners last year. […]
Politics
Lithuania’s outgoing security chief says saddened by criticism of inactivity
Outgoing director of the Lithuanian State Security Department, Gediminas Grina, says it was always sad for him to hear criticism about inactivity, regardless of the important investigations conducted by the institution under his leadership. […]
Society
Lithuanians increasingly embrace prenups
The number of nuptial agreements signed in Lithuania last year is the highest since the Register of Nuptial Agreements was launched in the country. Furthermore, agreements were concluded by persons in their 70s and 80s, the Justice Ministry said. […]
Uncategorized
Pentagon warns Russia about consequences of incident over Baltic Sea
The United States Department of Defense says that actions of Russia‘s air forces when their pilot intercepted an American reconnaissance plane RC-135U over the Baltic Sea on 7 April were unsafe and unprofessional. […]
Economy
Smooth euro adoption allows Lithuanian government borrow cheaper
A smooth adoption of the euro in Lithuania enabled the country not only to improve its international credit ratings but also to reduce borrowing costs, government-run euro.lt website reports. […]
Politics
New chief of Lithuania’s State Security Department appointed
Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaitė on Monday appointed Darius Jauniškis as the head of the State Security Department (VSD) for a five-year term. […]
Politics
Lithuania’s conservatives to elect new party leader this week
The opposition Homeland Union–Lithuanian Christian Democrats (conservatives) will elect a new chairperson this week. […]
Foreign affairs
Clinton would be more Lithuanian-friendly US president, political scientist says
If Hillary Clinton, who officially opened her presidential election campaign on Sunday, is elected as the next president of the United States, she would be more strict towards Russia, says Kęstutis Girnius, associate professor at Vilnius University’s International Relations and Political Science Institute. […]
Society
Ban on Russian TV channel takes effect in Lithuania
A ban on broadcasts of the Russian-language TV channel RTR Planeta took effect in Lithuania on Monday, while the ban on rebroadcasts of some of the content of Ren TV Baltic has expired. […]
Society
Why Lithuania banned Russian TV channel
Lithuania made international headlines last week when its Radio and Television Commission decided to institute a blanket ban on all programmes of a Russian TV channel. The channel in question, RTR Planeta, is registered in Sweden, but its content is entirely Russian-produced. The Commission had previously suspended broadcasts of individual programmes, saying they violated Lithuanian laws, but RTR Planeta would not stop. […]
Moscow says it is concerned over Finland and Sweden moving closer to NATO
Responding to a joint declaration of the Nordic countries of intentions to step up military cooperation in the face of Russian aggression, Russia‘s Foreign Ministry issued a statement on Sunday, saying that moves by Finland and Sweden towards closer ties with NATO were of “special concern”, Reuters reports. […]
Defence
Exercise involving 450 troops from NATO countries starting in Lithuania
An international exercise Fire Thunder 2015 is starting in Lithuania on Monday, involving about 450 troops from Lithuania, the United States, Poland and Portugal. […]
Defence
Over 200 Lithuanians volunteer for military service
Lithuania’s Ministry of National Defence said on Friday that over the last two weeks a total of 206 citizens had volunteered to sign up for a 9-month military service, including 9 women. […]