Lithuania: New law to mandate Lithuanian in customer service

The Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas, has approved in first reading a bill that would oblige foreign workers to serve customers in Lithuanian, BNS reports. Altogether 100 MPs voted in favour, 5 against, and 14 abstained. Under the amendments, the language requirement would only apply to employees who have direct contact with clients. Also, manufacturers, sellers,…

Read More

Baltic: Leaders visit Ukraine for Crimea Platform summit

Baltic leaders visited Ukraine for the fourth summit of the Crimea Platform and bilateral meetings with their Ukrainian counterparts, The Kyiv Independent reported. Estonian President Alar Karis, Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina, and Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis reiterated their calls to lift all restrictions on arming Ukraine, support for a just and lasting peace,…

Read More

Lithuania: President criticised over treaties with Russia, Belarus

Lithuania’s Foreign Minister, Gabrielius Landsbergis, criticised President Gitanas Nauseda for delaying a decision to end investment protection treaties with Russia and Belarus, BNS reports. Landsbergis noted that the government had proposed revoking the treaties back in May 2024. He insisted that Nauseda would have had enough time to refer the issue to the parliament, the…

Read More

Lithuania: Russian opposition activists attacking each other

The attack on exiled Russian opposition activist Leonid Volkov in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, in March 2024 was allegedly ordered by another Russian opposition leader, businessman Leonid Nevzlin, according to the Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK), LRT reports. FBK claimed that the plan was to kidnap Volkov, transport him via Latvia to Russia, and then hand him…

Read More

Baltic: Consultations with US on European, Indo-Pacific security

Baltic and US officials held high-level security consultations in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, on 12 September 2024, BNS reports. The meeting was attended by Jonatan Vseviov, secretary general of the Estonian Foreign Ministry, Andzejs Vilumsons, state secretary at the Latvian Foreign Ministry, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis, and US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell….

Read More

Lithuania: Ship with Russian chemicals barred from Klaipeda: PM

Lithuania will not allow a Maltese-flagged ship carrying ammonium nitrate from Russia to dock at the port of Klaipeda for repairs, Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte announced, BNS reports. The vessel requested permission to enter the port to unload its cargo of 20,000 tonnes of ammonium nitrate and carry out repairs by a company in Klaipeda….

Read More

Lithuania: Agreement on rights of German troops signed

Lithuanian and German officials have signed an agreement on the rights of German troops, civilian personnel, and their families in Lithuania, BNS reports. The agreement was signed by the Lithuanian and German defence ministers, Laurynas Kasciunas and Boris Pistorius, as well as deputy foreign ministers Jonas Survila and Tobias Lindner, in Berlin. The agreement provides…

Read More

Lithuania: Deputy Economy Minister visits Taiwan to seek investments

Lithuania’s Deputy Minister of Economy and Innovation, Karolis Zemaitis, visited Taiwan on 3-6 September 2024, ELTA reported. During his visit, the minister met with officials at Taiwan’s Ministry of Digital Affairs and Ministry of Economic Affairs as well as with potential investors. He had meetings with representatives of several local banks and major companies in…

Read More

Lithuania: Homeland Union urges LSDP to reject new far-right party

The chairman of Lithuania’s ruling Homeland Union (TS-LKD), Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis, has called for talks with the opposition Social Democratic Party of Lithuania (LSDP) over fears about the surge in support for the new far-right party, Dawn of Nemunas, ELTA reports. Speaking in an interview with Ziniu Radijas, Landsbergis warned that the Dawn of…

Read More