Defence
NATO jets scrambled twice last week over Russian warplanes
NATO air-policing jets were last week scrambled from Lithuania twice to identify and intercept Russian warplanes flying above the Baltic Sea. […]
Articles by BNS EN
Foreign affairs
President Grybauskaitė: US should stay leader in security architecture
The United States have always been the guarantee of democracy, peace and freedom, therefore, it is important that it stays the leader of the global security efforts, says Lithuania’s President Dalia Grybauskaitė. […]
Economy
Employers suggest written pledge to raise wages for Labour Code
Lithuanian employers are considering a possibility of a public pledge to raise wages in exchange of consideration of their proposals of regulation of labor relations, delfi.lt news portal said, adding that trade unions are cautious about the proposal. […]
Defence
No general conscription for Lithuania before 2020
Should Lithuanian politicians decide to introduce general conscription, preparations would take at least four years and require more funding, experts say. […]
Society
Peasant considers two name versions in passport
Lithuania’s ruling Peasant and Green Union is considering a new idea on spelling non-Lithuanian names in passports. The party suggests entering both versions – in Lithuanian characters and in Latin characters – on the main page of the passport, with only the Lithuanian version entered in registers. […]
Politics
Alleged CIA prison in Lithuania on international prosecutors’ radar screen
Lithuania may face additional international pressure over suspicions that Americans operated a secret prison for terror suspects near Vilnius a decade ago as prosecutors of the International Criminal Court (ICC) are considering launching a full-scale investigation into allegations that prisoners were tortured at the Central Intelligence Agency’s secret detention facilities. […]
Society
Defence
ForMin warns over Russia’s behavior before Trump takes office
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevičius has expressed his concern about what moves Russian may make in the weeks before Donald Trump becomes US president. […]
Society
Peasants & Greens plan conservative family policy changes
The Lithuanian Peasant and Green Union (LPGU) is planning conservative changes in the field of family policy, despite opposition from its coalition partner, the Social Democratic Party (LSDP), the daily Lietuvos Žinios reported on Friday. […]
European Union
1st post-independence leader Landsbergis honored with France’s highest award
Lithuania’s first post-independence leader Prof Vytautas Landsbergis on Friday will be presented with the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor, France‘s highest award. […]
Politics
Half-empty rural schools won’t be closed – Lithuanian PM candidate
Lithuania’s new administration will search for ways of keeping the half-empty schools in rural areas open, the ruling Peasant and Green Union’s candidate for prime minister Saulius Skvernelis said on 17 November. […]
Society
PM candidate has proposal on original name-spelling in passports
Saulius Skvernelis, candidate for Lithuania’s prime minister longing for better relations with the neighboring Poland, says he has another idea about original spelling of personal names in documents. […]
Defence
Seimas confirms commitments to NATO, strategic partnership with US
Lithuania’s parliament restated its plans to meet the commitment to NATO in terms of raising defence funding and reasserted the importance of strategic partnership with the United States. […]
Politics
What challenges await Saulius Skvernelis?
With the President having presented Saulius Skvernelis’ candidacy for Prime Minister, BNS asked his predecessors, what the greatest challenges the new PM can expect are. Social Democrat Algirdas Butkevičius (2012-2016) – it is crucial to […]
Foreign affairs
Seimas calls on EU to continue sanctions against Russia
The Lithuanian parliament on Thursday passed a resolution calling on the European Union to continue its sanctions on Russia over the country’s aggression in Ukraine. […]
Politics
PM candidate emphasizes family policies, universal military conscription
Saulius Skvernelis, the candidate to become Lithuania’s next prime minister, on Thursday named creating a family-friendly environment, speeding up adoption procedures, combating violence, achieving high living standards in regions and introducing universal military conscription as his priorities. […]
Foreign affairs
PM candidate to seek ‘to reload’ relations with Poland
Saulius Skvernelis, the candidate to become Lithuania’s next prime minister, sees Poland as a strategic partner and vows to make every effort “to reload” relations with the neighboring nation, which are currently not in their best shape. […]
Politics
Supreme Court concludes hearing in Labour Party case
The Lithuanian Supreme Court on Thursday concluded hearings in the Labour Party’s fraudulent bookkeeping case and is expected to issue its ruling on Decemer 30.The court’s ruling will be final and not subject to appeal. […]
Politics
President nominates Skvernelis for prime minister
President Dalia Grybauskaitė Thursday nominate Saulius Skvernelis, the candidate of the Lithuanian Peasant and Green Union (LPGU), the party that triumphed in last month’s general elections, to be the country’s next prime minister and asked the parliament to approve him. […]
European Union
Lithuania grateful to France for its help in embracing Western standards
As the Baltic countries and France are marking 25 years since the restoration of diplomatic relations, Foreign Minister Linas Linkevičius says that Lithuania is grateful to France for its significant help in reforming the country. […]