German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier visited Lithuania on the country’s Statehood Day on 6 July 2025, BNS reported. He reaffirmed Germany’s commitment to Lithuania’s defence. Speaking at a joint press conference with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda in Vilnius, Steinmeier stated: “Your security is our security, your freedom is our freedom.” Germany is deploying a permanent brigade…
Three politicians in Lithuania are running to lead the opposition Lithuanian Liberal Movement (LLS), BNS reports. The candidates are the party’s current chairperson, MP Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen, who has led the party since 2019, MP and former culture minister Simonas Kairys, and Plunge mayor Audrius Klisonis. LLS will elect its chair for a two-year term through…
The EU should take on joint debt to finance defence spending, Gediminas Simkus, board chairman of the Bank of Lithuania, stated, BNS reports. Speaking in an interview with Politico, Simkus called for “more unity in defence” in the EU, noting that the European defence industry market was still very fragmented. He said that the “time…
The Lithuanian Migration Department (LMD) has revoked the temporary residence permit of a Russian citizen for repeatedly travelling to Russia and Belarus, BNS reports. The person is the first to lose their residence status under a new law, which bars Russian citizens from travelling to either country more than once within any three-month period. LMD…
Lithuanian real estate developer Hanner and Baltic investment company BaltCap have completed a deal under which Hanner will take over the national stadium project in Vilnius, BNS reports. Hanner acquired 98% of shares in Venetus Capital, which owns the project’s concessionaire, Vilniaus Daugiafunkcis Kompleksas (VDK), for one euro. Hanner will pay EUR 2.8mn to BaltCap…
US financial services company Robinhood has opened its first European cryptocurrency trading hub in Lithuania, investment promotion agency Invest Lithuania announced, BNS reports. The new Lithuanian-registered entity, Robinhood Europe, will offer crypto asset custody, administration, transfer, receipt, and transmission services in the European Economic Area. The Bank of Lithuania issued Robinhood an investment firm license…
Lithuanian prosecutors accuse three foreign nationals of desecrating a monument to anti-Soviet resistance leader Adolfas Ramanauskas in January 2024 under orders from Russian military intelligence (GRU), BNS reports. The three suspects, now under custody, are two dual Estonian-Russian citizens and a Russian citizen residing in Tallinn. The group smeared the monument in the southern Lithuanian…
Lithuania’s State Tax Inspectorate (VMI) found no tax violations at a startup company co-owned by Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas, BNS reports. VMI initiated checks at battery system developer Garnis, of which Paluckas owns 49%, in June 2025, following a request from the chairman of the opposition Homeland Union, MP Laurynas Kasciunas. Earlier, the state-owned national…
Stricter rules on gambling advertising came into force in Lithuania on 1 July 2025, BNS reports. Gambling operators can now only advertise their brands at their gambling venues, while other external advertising is prohibited. Only betting commercials are allowed on TV, radio, and the internet. Gambling operators can still sponsor sports, cultural, and art events….