Politics
Lithuanian interior minister: Refugee resettlement is test for administration and society
Refugee resettlement is an exam for state institutions and the civil society, says Lithuania’s Interior Minister Saulius Skvernelis. […]
Saulius Skvernelis EN
European Union
Lithuania backs EU refugee sharing plan
Despite objections from some Central and Eastern European countries, the European Union‘s interior ministers on Tuesday voted in support of the plan to share 120,000 refugees. […]
European Union
EU ministers gather for meeting on refugees
Lithuanian Interior Minister Saulius Skvernelis is on Tuesday going to Brussels to attend a meeting of EU ministers where they will try to reach an agreement on the relocation of 160,000 refugees who have come to Europe. […]
Politics
Lithuanian parliament opens debates on refugee resettlement
Lithuanian parliamentarians opened discussion on Thursday on a set of laws prepared by the Interior Ministry to legalize the resettlement of asylum-seekers from abroad. The laws also specify their duties and rights along with integration timeframes. […]
Politics
Lithuanian government says it is up to the task of handling refugees
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. […]
Politics
Lithuanian interior minister: State borders need guarding, but not with barbed wires
The protection of state borders must be stepped up in the wake of the ongoing influx of illegal immigrants, Lithuanian Interior Minister Saulius Skvernelis says. […]
Politics
Lithuania’s Interior Ministry considers setting up migration division
Lithuania’s Ministry of the Interior is considering establishing a special division to coordinate inter-institutional activity in the area of migration, Interior Minister Saulius Skvernelis said on Tuesday. […]
Society
Prime minister says no discussions on closing Lithuanian borders
Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevičius says that Lithuania currently is not considering the option to close its borders due to the refugee crisis. […]
Society
Interior minister: Lithuania ready to resume border controls if need be
In case of a refugee influx, Lithuania would be ready to resume temporary border controls, says Interior Minister Saulius Skvernelis. […]
European Union
Interior minister: Lithuania ‘sceptical’ about EU migrant quotas
Lithuania is of a “sceptical opinion” about a Brussels-proposed mandatory migrant quota system, the country’s Interior Minister Saulius Skvernelis said on Monday, calling for focusing on border control and sending back migrants without the right to asylum. […]
European Union
Lithuania to join opposition to mandatory migrant quotas at EU talks
Lithuania and other Central and Eastern European countries plan to resist the introduction of a permanent mandatory migrant quota system as EU interior ministers are meeting in Brussels on Monday. […]
European Union
Lithuania won’t support permanent crisis resettlement scheme, interior minister says
Lithuania intends to speak against the permanent mechanism that would empower the European Commission to decide on refugee resettlement in case of future crises, says the country’s Interior Minister Saulius Skvernelis. […]
European Union
Lithuanian president: We must respond to Germany’s call to help solve refugee crisis
Lithuania will join in solidarity with other European countries in dealing with the migrant crisis, says President Dalia Grybauskaitė. […]
Politics
Lithuanian president calls to review use of service weapon regulations after suspect killing
In the wake of a border guard operation that led to death of an 18-year-old suspect, Lithuania’s President Dalia Grybauskaitė has suggested revising the legal acts regulating the use of service weapons in order to avoid future tragedies. […]
Society
Refugee integration more important than burqa bans, Lithuanian PM says
Integration of refugees is a more important issue than the question of whether to ban wearing burqas in public or not, says Lithuania’s Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevičius. […]
Society
First refugees could reach Lithuania in January, interior minister says
Lithuania’s Interior Minister Saulius Skvernelis says that first refugees could come to Lithuania in January 2016. […]
Uncategorized
Russian journalist’s asylum to be decided by Lithuania’s Migration Department
Lithuania’s Interior Minister Saulius Skvernelis says that Russian journalist Andrey Nekrasov, who has been detained in Cyprus under a Moscow-issued arrest warrant and should soon be handed over to Lithuania, is eligible for asylum in this country, adding that the decision will be made by the Migration Department. […]
Politics
Lithuanian interior minister inspects refugee accommodation facilities
Lithuania’s Interior Minister Saulius Skvernelis and Vice-Minister Elvinas Jankevičius visited the city of Jonava on Thursday to discuss accommodation and integration of refugees to be hosted by Lithuania. […]
Politics
President slams interior minister’s ‘police state methods’
Lithuania President Dalia Grybauskaitė has criticised Interior Minister Saulius Skvernelis‘ initiative under which heads of institutions subordinate to the ministry were banned from meeting politicians without informing the minister first. […]
European Union
Lithuania to accept 325 refugees over 2 years
Lithuania will accept 325 refugees over the next two years, the country’s President Dalia Grybauskaitė said on Monday. […]