Politics

Algirdas Butkevičius
Politics

Lithuania’s social democrats retain popularity despite corruption scandals

November 20, 2015 ELTA EN 0

Recent scandals of alleged corruption surrounding the Social Democratic Party of Lithuania (LSDP) should not damage the party’s popularity, says Romas Mačiūnas, a sociologist at public opinion and market research company Baltijos Tyrimai. In early October, before the party came into the media attention following corruption accusations, the social democrats were supported by a quarter of all voters, a similar number as in September. […]

Artūras Paulauskas, chairman of the National Security and Defence Committee
Politics

Lithuanian institutions demand extra funding to address terrorism threats

November 19, 2015 Lithuania Tribune 0

Reacting to the terrorist attacks in France, Lithuania’s Parliamentary National Security and Defence Committee has requested additional funding for the State Security Department, the Lithuanian Police Anti-Terrorist Operations Unit, Aras, and the State Border Guard Service. The committee requests to designate 14.4 million euro to these institutions in next year’s budget. […]

Lithuanian parliament
Politics

Lithuania’s liberals propose EUR 15m extra funding for counter-terrorism programmes

November 17, 2015 ELTA EN 0

The Liberal Movement political group in the Lithuanian parliament has proposed to boost funding for counter-terrorism effort by additional EUR 15 million starting in 2016. […]

Politics

Lithuanian parliament to consider citizens’ legislative proposal on name spelling

November 16, 2015 ELTA EN 0

A group in Lithuania collected 69,000 signatures under a petition which obligates parliament to consider a proposed bill on name spelling in personal identification documents. The initiative, calling itself “Talka – for Lithuania’s State Language”, seeks to pass a law saying that only Lithuanian characters can be used in passports and other official documents. Lithuania’s Polish-speaking community has been voicing demands to allow the use original non-Lithuanian name spelling in passports. […]

Algirdas Butkevičius
Politics

Lithuanian PM: No change in refugee resettlement plans after Paris attacks

November 16, 2015 ELTA EN 0

Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevičius says that terrorism threat remains low in Lithuania, despite recent attacks in Paris. The head of Government added that a counter-terrorism unit will be reopened at the State Security Department (VSD). […]

No Picture
Politics

Lithuanian parliament refuses to vote on controversial ‘denigration of family’ bill

November 12, 2015 Lithuania Tribune 0

The Lithuanian parliament voted to remove the controversial bill on ‘denigration’ of family values from its agenda. The law, which rights groups say would restrict freedom of expression, such as LGBT pride marches, was to be put for the final vote on Thursday. […]

Dalia Grybauskaitė (left), Loreta Graužinienė
Politics

Lithuanian parliament speaker: President accused MPs of falling under criminal influence

November 9, 2015 www.lrt.lt 0

President Dalia Grybauskaitė has accused the parliament of being influenced by interest groups when it voted down two candidates proposed for the post of prosecutor general. Parliament Speaker Loreta Graužinienė says there will not be another vote until all suspicions are cleared. […]