Articles by www.lrt.lt

Alexander Lukashenko
Uncategorized

Lithuanian political scientist: politicians desperate to see change in Belarus but there just isn’t any

October 19, 2015 www.lrt.lt 0

The recent presidential election in Belarus secured presidency for Alexander Lukashenko for the fifth term. Prior to the vote, the Belarusian regime released political prisoners, which the European Union took as a gesture of good will and is talking about suspending sanctions against Lukashenko and his officials. However, such optimism about change in Belarus is misguided, says political scientist Vytis Jurkonis of the Institute of International Relations and Political Science at Vilnius University. […]

No Picture
Society

Commission to ‘promote’ Lithuania among refugees

October 13, 2015 www.lrt.lt 0

An interdepartmental commission, set up in Lithuania to oversee resettlement and integration of refugees, is putting together a plan how to promote the country among asylum seekers. Lithuania has pledged to resettle 1,105 refugees as part of an EU effort to ease the refugee crisis and will seek that the asylum seekers come to the country willingly. […]

Uncategorized

Lithuania to open gas supply to Latvia and Estonia

October 2, 2015 www.lrt.lt 0

A new gas pipeline between Klaipėda and Kuršėnai is launching on Friday. The new route will allow supplying gas from Lithuania’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal to Latvia and Estonia. […]

No Picture
Politics

Lithuanian government says it is up to the task of handling refugees

September 17, 2015 www.lrt.lt 0

Lithuania is about to handle more asylum seekers than ever before, but the government says the country is ready for the challenge. Foreign Minister Linas Linkevičius and Interior Minister Saulius Skvernelis tell LRT.lt that, contrary to criticism about the government’s inaction, Lithuania is actively preparing to do its share in dealing with what is said to be the biggest refugee crisis since 1945. […]

Island of Lesbos
Society

24-year-old volunteer wants to help Lithuanians better understand refugee crisis

September 2, 2015 www.lrt.lt 0

As Lithuania has committed to chip in on the EU’s efforts to deal with the refugee crisis and accept some three hundred war-fleeing people from Syria and Eritrea, many Lithuanians have expressed sentiments that are far from welcoming. Not 26-year-old Marija Fedotovaitė, however, who is set to go the Greek Island of Lesbos to volunteer in camps for refugees that have been coming in thousands to Southern Europe. […]

Global LT

World Lithuanian Community leader: Lithuania was a different country when I left

August 4, 2015 www.lrt.lt 0

Lithuania has recently commemorated 25 years of freedom. A member of multiple international organisations and by all accounts a success, the country still suffers from emigration. […]

Society

Why Green Bridge statues did not become Bronze Soldier of Vilnius

July 29, 2015 www.lrt.lt 0

Eight years ago, the Bronze Soldier of Tallinn, a memorial for WWII Soviet soldiers, was relocated from the city centre, which led to controversy and riots, also known as the Bronze night. Some were expecting similar reactions to removal of the so-called Green Bridge statues in Vilnius. But when they were taken down last week, there were no conflicts or provocations. How come? […]

Vilniaus oro uostas
Uncategorized

Why Lithuanian airlines fail while Latvian and Estonian prosper

June 17, 2015 www.lrt.lt 0

Despite years of lasting loss-making, Estonia‘s airline Estonian Air and Latvia‘s AirBaltic keep on flying passengers to different destinations all over the world. Smart management and support from the Latvian government allowed the latter to cross into the black. Meanwhile in Lithuania, a second airline in less than a decade was recently brought down by insolvency. Why did this happen, and does Lithuania need a national airline at all? […]

Economy

Will Lithuania survive without EU structural funds?

May 12, 2015 www.lrt.lt 0

This is the last financial period that Lithuania is entitled to billions of euros in support from the European Union‘s structural funds. After 2020, the cash flow from the EU coffers will decrease significantly and Lithuania will have to learn to do without the support that currently makes a sizable contribution to its economy. Some economists say that unless the country uses the current funding right, economic growth after 2020 might all but stop. Others are more optimistic, insisting that Lithuania’s economy is stable enough to sustain growth even without EU injections. […]