Defence
Lithuania to decide on whether to make military conscription permanent
The State Defence Council, summoned by President Dalia Grybauskaitė on Monday, is to decide whether Lithuania should keep military conscription indefinitely. […]
Dalia Grybauskaitė EN
CORPORATE
Rejecting coalition with Conservatives ‘reason for President’s attacks’ – PM
Lithuania’s Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevičius has claimed what he sees as the Lithuanian President’s negative attitude towards his government started when the Social Democrats refused to form a coalition government with Conservatives. […]
Politics
President says she will go to Constitutional Court if government cannot resolve doubts
On Thursday morning, President Dalia Grybauskaitė said that she would have to seek out the Constitutional Court if the government did not manage to resolve doubts about the legality of the Druskininkai manor scandal. […]
Politics
PM sees ‘ethical and moral’ breaches in environment minister’s actions
Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevičius says that a preliminary report from lawyers he received on Wednesday concludes that Environment Minister Kęstutis Trečiokas has not violated any laws. Still, the prime minister says he sees “ethical and moral” missteps on Trečiokas’ part, without commenting on whether he will ask for the minister’s resignation. […]
Politics
Replacing government now would be ‘irresponsible’, president says
Replacing the government months before general elections would be “irresponsible”, Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaitė said on Wednesday, after the Social Democratic Party had accused her of attempts to overthrow PM Algirdas Butkevičius‘ cabinet. […]
CORPORATE
Social Democrats ‘left with no option but to fight back against president’
After a stream of allegations of misconduct and corruption against the Government, Lithuania’s Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevičius and the Social Democrats have changed their approach by starting to fight back against what they see as a sustained campaign by Lithuania‘s President, according to two political scientists interviewed by Lietuvos Rytas. […]
CORPORATE
Whose ratings will take a hit after stand-off between president and prime minister?
After a recent stand-off between the Social Democratic Party and Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevičius on the one side and President Dalia Grybauskaitė on the other, analysts wonder who of the two massively popular politicians will suffer a greater hit on their ratings. […]
Politics
Minister of Environment says he won’t resign even if PM asks him to
Minister of Environment Kęstutis Trečiokas, a member of the Order and Justice party, denied lying in the case surrounding the Government’s approval of a raising of restrictions on construction in the resort town of Druskininkai. He said he would not resign from the post. […]
CORPORATE
PM claims President blackening name of Lithuanian government to EU leaders
Lithuania’s Prime Minister has claimed that Lithuania’s president has been blackening the government’s name ahead of official visits to other EU countries by the Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevičius. […]
European Union
Schengen zone hanging by a thread, Grybauskaitė warns
Failure to protect the EU’s external borders poses an existential threat to its Schengen free travel area, according to Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaitė. […]
Politics
Lithuania in “medium-sized” political crisis but coalition likely to remain
Lithuania is currently undergoing a “medium-sized” political crisis, according to Lithuanian political scientists and analysts, but one that should not threaten the current Government’s and ruling coalition’s composition. […]
European Union
‘Asylum seekers cannot dictate their terms to EU’ Grybauskaitė says before EU-Turkey summit
Lithuania’s President Dalia Grybauskaitė is leaving for Brussels on Monday for a special European Council meeting to discuss measures to stem migrant flows to Europe in cooperation with Turkey and preserve the functioning of the Schengen passport-free area. […]
Politics
‘Lithuanian president is pressuring government to resign’, claim Social Democrats
The Social Democrats claimed on Friday that Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaitė has been subjecting Lithuania’s coalition to “obvious and continued pressure” which the party said may be aimed at making the current government resign. […]
CORPORATE
Conservative leader Landsbergis: Prime Minister lied, Environment Minister must resign
Leader of the conservative Homeland Union, an opposition party, Gabrielius Landsbergis says that the minister of environment must resign after investigators published incriminating transcripts of his phone conversations. […]
Politics
Released transcripts ‘fuel doubts’ about environment minister’s suitability, president says
Lithuania’s President Dalia Grybauskaitė says that released transcripts of conversations between Environment Minister Kęstutis Trečiokas and Druskininkai mayor cast doubts on his suitability for the post. Trečiokas has responded that he will not step down, while the opposition wants an interpellation for the minister. […]
Foreign affairs
Lithuania and Slovenia say Nord Stream 2 would divide Europe
Lithuania and Slovenia agree that the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline Russia plans to build would shatter the European Union‘s unity and distort competition on the European gas market, the Lithuanian President’s Office says. […]
Politics
Four key priorities targeted by new nominee for health minister
With 8 months left until the Seimas elections, the new Health Minister’s tenure may be short-lived, but Juras Požela, the successor nominated by prime minister Algirdas Butkevičius, says he intends to accomplish quite a bit during that short period.
European Union
Refugees must be helped closer to home, not allowed into Europe – Grybauskaitė
The European Union should support refugee camps closer to migrants’ home countries, rather than “passively take in as many as come” to Europe, says Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaitė. […]
Politics
Critical situation in education system, President Grybauskaitė says
Teachers’ unions and the government should find an agreement by means of a dialogue and not by demonstrating a “force position”, Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaitė says. […]
Society