Poland’s state-owned energy group, Orlen, may shut down its oil refinery in Lithuania, BNS reports. Speaking in an interview with PAP, Orlen CEO Ireneusz Fafara said that the group may end up abandoning a major project to modernise the refinery in Mazeikiai. The project would require additional investments of USD 600-700mn (EUR 536-625mn). Fafara said…
Lithuania marked the 100th birthday of the country’s former president, Valdas Adamkus, on 3 November 2026, BNS reported. The celebrations in Vilnius and Kaunas included an international conference, a gala concert, and a musical tribute. Just ahead of his centenary, Adamkus was discharged from hospital, ELTA reported. President Gitanas Nauseda praised Adamkus for his service…
US officials have pressured Lithuania to allow exports of EU-sanctioned Belarusian potash fertilisers via the port of Klaipeda, Politico reports. European officials said that the US special envoy to Belarus, John Coale, has been lobbying Lithuanian authorities on all levels about the issue for more than a year. US officials have also raised the possibility…
Lithuania’s GDP totalled EUR 24.4bn at current prices in the third quarter of 2026, according to the State Data Agency’s (VDA) first estimate, BNS reports. Compared to the same period of 2025, the seasonally and working-day adjusted GDP rose by 2.3%. However, compared to the second quarter of 2026, the GDP contracted by 1.0%. Construction,…
US defence officials urged the Baltic States to tone down their rhetoric on the threat posed by Russia, arguing that some statements had undermined European security, Reuters reported. One of the US officials was Elbridge Colby, Under Secretary of Defence for Policy at the US Defence Department, who insisted on not “poking” Russia. He pointed…
The Baltic joint venture, RB Rail, has submitted a new application to the European Commission for an additional EUR 357.5mn in funding from the EU’s Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) for the Rail Baltica railway project, BNS reports. The European Commission and the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency are expected to announce their decisions on…
Lithuania’s State Defence Council has decided to introduce universal military conscription in 2032, President Gitanas Nauseda announced, BNS reports. Universal conscription will apply to men ages 18 to 22 years, replacing the current selective draft. Women will still be able to volunteer for military service. Nauseda said that about 7,500 young men would be drafted…
Estonia plans to build about 150 bunkers in the northeastern Ida-Virumaa county along the border with Russia, Defence Minister Martin Herem announced, BNS reported. Speaking in the Estonian parliament, the Riigikogu, Herem said that the bunkers would be part of the Baltic Defence Line. Around 100 of the bunkers would be on state land and…
Lithuania should resume discussion on the possibility of building a metro system in Vilnius, Vaidas Augustinavicius, chief economic and social policy adviser to President Gitanas Nauseda, said, BNS reports. Speaking in an interview with Ziniu Radijas, Augustinavicius argued that the project should be reassessed given the new geopolitical context. He suggested that the underground metro…
