Lithuania’s Special Investigation Service (STT) has searched the offices and homes of two prominent opposition MPs, Saulius Skvernelis and Kazys Starkevicius, as part of a corruption probe, BNS reports. STT suspects transport companies of paying bribes totalling around EUR 1.5mn to officials at the State Plant Service (VATZUM) in exchange for phytosanitary certificates. The agency’s…
Lithuania’s Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Arunas Jagminas, has resigned amid an investigation into possible corruption, BNS reports. Lithuania’s Special Investigation Service (STT) suspects Jagminas of abusing his office to embezzle high-value property in his role as director of a construction company in Silute, BNS reports. In addition, the corruption probe has implicated the director of…
Lithuania should not support the ratification of the EU-Mercosur Association Agreement, Lithuania’s Agriculture Minister, Ignas Hofmanas, stated, Baltic News Network reports. Speaking in an interview with LRT, Hofmanas insisted that Lithuania should wait for the European Commission’s “detailed explanation” of the free trade agreement. Earlier, the rural affairs committee of the Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas,…
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda has approved the country’s new cabinet of ministers, BNS reports. He described the incoming centre-left government as more capable than the outgoing centre-right government of Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte. The Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (LSDP) will hold the post of prime minister and will have nine ministers in the new government,…
Estonia’s Minister of Regional Affairs and Agriculture, Piret Hartman, is visiting India to promote bilateral trade, BNS reports. She is accompanied by a business delegation of several leading Estonian food and beverage companies. Hartman noted that Estonia was already exporting cheese to India, but suggested that there was also potential for exporting other dairy products,…
The Latvian government should keep the VAT rate on locally grown fresh fruit, berries, and vegetables reduced at 12% in the coming years as well, Agriculture Minister Armands Krauze stated, BNS reports. The minister said that he would insist on maintaining the reduced VAT rate. Moreover, he argued that the lower rate should be applied…
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda has hinted at the possible replacement of a few government ministers, expressing particular dissatisfaction with the performance of the ministers of health and agriculture, BNS reports. Nauseda has had preliminary discussions with Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte about the possible changes, emphasising the necessity of action despite the approaching parliamentary elections. The…
Negotiations about possible changes to Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina’s government may resume at the end of summer 2024, with discussions about potentially expanding the coalition, LETA reports. Maris Kucinskis of the opposition United List confirmed the group’s interest in joining the government but only as a unified party. Agriculture Minister Armands Krauze acknowledged informal…
Polish farmers are holding a week-long protest at the Lithuanian border, collaborating with authorities to check incoming trucks for Ukrainian grain, BNS reports. While some trucks have been diverted for inspection, most vehicles are being allowed to flow freely and no traffic jams have occurred. The farmers allege that Ukrainian grain is being falsely labelled…