Society
Emigration from Lithuania falling
Emigration from Lithuania has been on a decline, while more illegal immigrants have been crossing into Lithuania on their way to more prosperous destinations in Western Europe. […]
Saulius Skvernelis EN
European Union
EU Council to finalize refugee quota for Lithuania next week, interior minister says
The meeting of the European Union‘s (EU) Justice and Home Affairs Council next week should establish the number of refugees Lithuania will have to accept, Interior Minister Saulius Skvernelis says. […]
Defence
Lithuania can learn from Israel’s experience in cyber security, interior minister says
Lithuania’s Interior Minister Saulius Skvernelis, who is currently on a visit in Israel, says that Lithuania could learn from the country’s experience in ensuring cyber security, as well as protection of infrastructure, embassies and important persons. […]
Politics
Lithuanian financial crimes agency chief stays in post
After an official inquiry, Lithuania’s Interior Ministry has decided that Kęstutis Jucevičius, the head of the Financial Crime Investigation Service (FNTT), may stay in his post and have access to classified information. […]
Foreign affairs
Interior minister discusses training for Lithuanian officers with US ambassador
During a meeting of Lithuania’s Minister of the Interior Saulius Skvernelis with US Ambassador to Lithuania Deborah McCarthy last week, bilateral contacts and possibilities of strengthening law enforcement institutions abilities in the context of current geopolitical threats were discussed, the Interior Ministry said. […]
European Union
Lithuanian leadership sceptical about EC’s refugee relocation proposal
Accepting refugees is not the only way to contribute to the resolution of the existing refugee crisis, and the allocated quotas are still an issue “on paper”, Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Linas Linkevičius says. […]
Politics
Lithuania government decides to change regional division to keep EU aid
The Lithuanian government has decided to change the regional division of the country to ensure that it does not lose 2.7 billion euros in EU support during the next financial framework period. […]
Politics
Lithuanian interior minister says his reform efforts are hindered by his nonpartisanism
Minister of the Interior Saulius Skvernelis admits that when discussing the improvement of officers’ situation at the Cabinet of Ministers, his position is weakened by him not being a member of any party. […]
Politics
Government backs closure of Migration Department
The Lithuanian government on Wednesday backed the Ministry of the Interior’s proposal to close the Migration Department and its functions transfer to the Police Department and the State Border Guard Service. […]
Politics
Lithuania’s migration system to be reformed
On March 25, the Government will consider the reform of the migration system and the Migration Department. Based on the information available to ELTA news agency, it will be proposed to close down the Migration Department and transfer its functions to the Police Department. […]
Politics
Head of Financial Crime Investigation Service to undergo polygraph test
News website Alfa.lt has reported that Director of the Financial Crime Investigation Service (FNTT), General Kęstutis Jucevičius, will undergo a polygraph test. Minister of the Interior Saulius Skvernelis ordered the test to be carried out by the Second Investigation Department under the Ministry of National Defence. […]
Society
Lithuania’s Interior Ministry turns to prosecutors over suspicious public procurement contracts
Lithuania’s Interior Ministry has turned to the Prosecutor General‘s Office over the ministry’s two public procurement contracts related to IT services. […]
Politics
Deputy police chief Požela appointed head of Lithuania’s border guard service
Deputy Commissioner General of Lithuania’s police Renatas Požela is to be appointed head of the country’s State Border Guard Service, the government said on Thursday. […]
Defence
Lithuania may stop acquisition of Russian border surveillance equipment
The installation of surveillance equipment with Russian-produced seismic sensors has not been started yet. And its acquisition might be halted following the evaluation of risks, Lithuanian Minister of the Interior Saulius Skvernelis says. […]
Politics
President and prime minister remain most popular politicians in Lithuania
President Dalia Grybauskaitė and Social Democratic Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevičius continue to top the list of the most favoured politicians in Lithuania. Interior Minister Saulius Skvernelis has risen to number three, according to the latest opinion poll released by the daily Lietuvos Rytas on Saturday. […]
Society
No Lithuanian nationals joining terrorist groups, interior minister says
Lithuania’s Interior Minister Saulius Skvernelis says that the country has not yet faced the phenomenon of foreign fighters and has no reports of a single Lithuanian citizen fighting on the side of terrorists. Nevertheless, in his words, Lithuania takes the threat very seriously and understands that well-trained and radical fighters, including citizens of the European Union (EU), returning from zones of armed conflicts may end up in Lithuania. […]
Society
Russian criminal boss gets residence permit in Lithuania
Akhmed Yevloyev, a high-ranking Russian criminal known as a “vor v zakone,” or “thief in law”, has been issued with a residence permit by the Migration Board of the Vilnius County Police Headquarters, a spokesman for Lithuanian Interior Minister Saulius Skvernelis confirmed to BNS on Saturday. […]
Energy
LNG terminal is properly guarded, Lithuanian interior minister reassures
The liquefied natural gas terminal in Lithuania’s western port of Klaipėda is properly guarded, the country’s Interior Minister Saulius Skvernelis and the port’s chief said on Wednesday. […]
Economy
Counterfeit euros made outside Lithuania, interior minister says
After Lithuania joined the euro area on 1 January 2015, about 20 counterfeit euro notes have been discovered in the market, says Interior Minister Saulius Skvernelis, adding that the number of suspected forgeries is considerably higher, but they are made outside Lithuania. […]
Society
Interior minister denies reports that Russian criminals are granted residence in Lithuania
Russian citizens Akhmed Yevloyev and Oleg Shamanin have not been granted residence permits in Lithuania, the criminals are not on the Interpol’s wanted list either, says Minister of the Interior Saulius Skvernelis. […]