CORPORATE
Turkey
Foreign affairs
Lithuania ranked in top 20 most influential countries in Europe – Politico
Politico has ranked Lithuania as one of the top 20 most influential countries in Europe. […]
CORPORATE
Lithuanians oppose unskilled migrants despite labour shortages
There is a growing recognition that immigration will be needed to solve skill shortages in the Lithuanian labour market, but while Lithuanians are happy to let in highly qualified specialists from Belarus and Ukraine, they […]
Uncategorized
Nina Khrushcheva: Putin is a brilliant tactician, but a losing strategist
Each Russian leader picks a subject he is an expert in and Vladimir Putin‘s subject is history. “That is why in order to understand Russia, we must understand Russian history,” says Professor Nina Khrushcheva of the New School University in New York. […]
Opinion
The European Union is not a security union
In the wake of any shocking event, national governments and officials of the European Union invariably call for more cooperation between member states to prevent anything similar happening in the future. The response to the March 22 terrorist attacks in Brussels has been no different. […]
Politics
Lithuanian foreign minister criticises coalition partner’s plan to block refugees
Lithuania’s Social Democrat Foreign Minister Linas Linkevičius has criticised coalition partner, the Labour Party‘s proposal to stop more refugees coming to Lithuania, saying such an initiative is excessive and would do more damage than good to Lithuania. […]
Opinion
The ulterior motive behind Russia’s partial Syria withdrawal
With great fanfare and “surprise” Russia once again seemingly out-maneuvered Western leadership in Syria. While much ink has been spilled debating whether President Vladimir Putin is executing a sound strategy—or is merely a tactical opportunist—it is clear that he has achieved his primary strategic goal: making Russia geopolitically relevant again and forcing the West to begrudgingly accept that it must take into account Russian interests. But there is an ulterior motive to Putin’s partial withdrawal. […]
Opinion
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. […]
Society
European Union
EU strikes migrant deal with Turkey
The European Union and Turkey agreed on a deal on Friday which will mean that migrants arriving in Greece from Sunday will be sent back across the Aegean Sea. […]
European Union
EU deal with Turkey may open up new migrant routes – Lithuanian president
The European Union‘s (EU) agreement with Turkey on returning migrants may open new migration routes to Europe, Lithuania’s President Dalia Grybauskaitė said after arriving at the European Summit on Thursday. […]
Foreign affairs
European Union
Europe must temporarily close borders to migrants, says Grybauskaitė
Europe must, at least temporarily, close its doors to economic migrants according to Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaitė, because it is clear to her that the European Union‘s states cannot “absorb” and integrate such a large number of arrivals. […]
CORPORATE
Foreign affairs
Lithuania pledges €5.2m to Turkey under EU refugee deal
As part of the European Union‘s attempt to help solve the migrant and refugee crisis, Lithuania plans to provide Turkey, which has pledged to accept illegal immigrants traveling to Greece, with €5.2 million. […]
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. […]
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. […]
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. […]
Opinion
Minister Linas Linkevičius: NATO should stop feeding the Russian troll
NATO-Russian relations are where they are, at historic lows, because of what Moscow does, not because of how Western nations react to it, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevičius argues in an op-ed piece for Politico. Russia needs to prove it deserves to be spoken to, while holding meetings for the sake of meetings will be counter-productive. […]
European Union
Migrants told “do not come to Europe” – EU Council president
European Council President Donald Tusk has said economic migrants will not be welcome in Europe, making an appeal not to come and warning they will they will be turned away. […]