Society

Iraqi family not to appeal ruling denying them refugee status in Lithuania

An Iraqi family relocated to Lithuania under the EU’s refugee relocation program have decided not to appeal a court ruling refusing to grant them refugee status. […]

Freedom House 2016
Society

Lithuania’s democracy held back by corruption, says Freedom House

Though the level of democracy in Lithuania is higher than in Hungary, Slovakia, Romania and Bulgaria, it still lags behind its Baltic state neighbours of Estonia and Latvia, according to U.S.-based nongovernmental organisation Freedom House. […]

No Picture

Tenuous immigration agreement between EU and Turkey

After two days of negotiations, Turkey and the European Union reached a compromise agreement on a plan to reduce the flow of migrants from the Middle East to Europe. At a summit concluding March 18, the heads of government of the 28 EU members and their Turkish counterparts approved the plan, which should take effect March 20. While the deal could help reduce the number of migrants arriving in Europe, questions remain about the signatories’ ability and commitment to fully enforce it. […]

Opinion

Will the Baltic States become the next migrant gateway?

After the European Union cut off migrant routes via Libya to Italy and agreed with Turkey to stem migrant flows across the Aegean to Greece, the Baltic States fear that migrants from the Middle East might discover new routes via Russia, making them their gateway to the European Union. […]