Society
Lithuania to scrap zero tolerance law for drunk driving
The Ministry of Interior has decided to refuse the proposal to implement zero tolerance laws for blood alcohol content while driving. […]
European Commission
Energy
MEPs attack Commission for failing ‘to grasp seriousness of situation’ on Belarus nuclear plant
Members of the European Parliament say the European Commission lacks resolve in dealing with Astravyets Nuclear Power Plant, a facility being built by Belarus close to the Lithuanian border, LRT reports. […]
Energy
Is Poland illegally throttling energy imports from Lithuania?
Lithuanian and Polish energy market regulators have begun to investigate whether the Polish electricity grid operator PSE is violating European Union rules through its limit on Lithuanian energy imports. […]
CORPORATE
Lithuanian dairy farmers ‘can expect support from EU’ – Attaché
Lithuania’s agriculture attaché in Brussels says that the country’s dairy farmers can expect support from the European Commission, although there are no guarantees yet, LRT reports. Karolis Anužis says that the decision should be clear […]
European Union
Poland rejects EU criticism as ‘unwarranted’
The Polish government dismissed a critical assessment of its first months in office by the European Union, arguing that complaints by the EU were unauthorized and non-binding, AP reports. […]
Foreign affairs
Lithuanian PM to discuss Belarus nuclear plant, dairy crisis with Juncker
Lithuanian Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevičius is to meet European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker to discuss the critical situation in the country’s dairy sector and raise the issue of the safety of Belarus’ Astravyets nuclear power plant on Friday. […]
CORPORATE
Improve tax compliance, increase education investment – European Commission tells Lithuania
The European Commission issued a range of recommendations on how to improve Lithuania‘s economy including improving tax compliance particularly VAT, adjusting the education system to the needs of the labour market and increasing productivity. The […]
Economy
EU fines on Lithuania not unexpected – minister
The European Commission has warned Lithuania about sanctions over two issues: the market domination of its state-owned railway company and restrictions on selling land to foreigners. Minister of Transport Rimantas Sinkevičius says the sanctions are not unexpected. […]
Sports
Investigation of FIBA’s attack on Eurocup requested by Lithuanian MEP
European Parliament member and former president of Lithuania’s A and B basketball leagues Bronis Ropė has appealed to the European Commission regarding potentially unfair commercial practices by the international basketball federation (FIBA). […]
CORPORATE
European Union
European leaders attack Juncker for decision to meet with Putin in Russia
Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission, is facing growing criticism from the US, European countries and Lithuania for agreeing to attend Vladimir Putin‘s St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in Russia. […]
CORPORATE
Lithuanian truck drivers protest new law in France
Lithuanian truck drivers are organizing a rally on Monday to protest new measures introduced in France which they say will undermine competition. The French government has passed legislation, which comes into force this July, demanding […]
Economy
EU tells Lithuania to ease rules on land sales to foreigners, threatens lawsuit
The European Commission has formally requested that Lithuania ease its national rules on the sale of land to foreigners, which now violate the European Union‘s free movement of capital and freedom of establishment. […]
CORPORATE
Lithuanian Railways to be restructured
Minister of Transport and Communications Rimantas Sinkevičius said that the state-managed Lithuanian Railways company will be restructured according to the European Commission‘s requirements. In this way, the company will avoid paying several tens of millions […]
Politics
Prospect of €40m EU fine on Lithuanian Railways to be discussed by President, ministers
Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaitė and Minister of Transport and Communications Rimantas Sinkevičius will discuss the European Commission‘s accusation that Lithuanian Railways abused its dominating position and the several tens of millions of Euros in fees for the demolished track to Renge in Latvia. […]
Economy
Lithuania ‘among safest travel destinations in Europe’
Alminas Mačiulis, the government’s chancellor, congratulated Lithuania on the start of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation’s (UNWTO) European Commission meeting. At last year’s meeting in Columbia, Lithuania, Switzerland and Montenegro were chosen for a four-year term as the leaders of this group uniting nations throughout Europe. […]
Uncategorized
The tip of the Ukraine iceberg: After the Dutch EU referendum
Despite Kiev’s official rhetoric, the national consensus on integration with the EU is increasingly fragile. Pro-Russian forces are reasserting themselves in the southeast, while ultra-right activists are campaigning against the European Union in the west. On top of that, the current pro-European government has no real achievements to boast of. […]
Energy
‘No double standards for Astravyets nuclear plant’ – EU Commissioner Andriukaitis
Double standards must not apply to a new nuclear power plant that Belarus is building in Astravyets, close to its border with Lithuania, EU Health and Food Safety Commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis said on Friday. […]
CORPORATE
Lithuanian Railways, Orlen Lithuania fail to reach deal
State-owned Lithuanian Railways has failed to reach an agreement with the Lithuanian unit of Poland’s biggest oil group Orlen to end their protracted dispute over freight tariffs. “The deadline for the negotiations and Lithuanian railway’s […]
CORPORATE
Why is the European Commission repeating its recommendations for Lithuania?
The recommendations submitted to Lithuania by the European Commission are largely the same as they’ve been over the last few years, pointed out Swedbank economist Nerijus Mačiulis. According to him, this shows that Lithuania’s reforms […]