US congressmen Donald Bacon of Nebraska and Salud Carbajal of California have visited the Baltic States, LSM reports. In Latvia, the two members of the US House of Representatives met with Prime Minister Evika Silina, Foreign Minister Baiba Braze, and Defence Minister Andris Spruds to discuss political, economic, and defence cooperation, the NATO summit in…
Lithuania’s EU commissioner, Virginijus Sinkevicius, will step down, having been elected to the European Parliament, BNS reports. He served as European Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries since 2019. Sinkevicius has since been elected vice-president of the Greens/European Free Alliance group in the European Parliament. Saulius Skvernelis, chairman of the opposition Union of Democrats…
The Baltic States, along with Nordic EU countries and Poland, will not send any ministers to Hungary during the country’s EU presidency, LETA reports. The move is in response to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s visit to Russia. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda will coordinate with other EU leaders on whether to attend a European Council…
The Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas, has confirmed the ruling Homeland Union’s Ingrida Simonyte as prime minister in a vote of confidence, BNS reports. Altogether 69 MPs voted for Simonyte, while 30 voted against and 25 abstained. The prime minister will now have to agree with the president on ministerial appointments. In Lithuania, the government resigns…
The Baltic power transmission system operators (TSOs) have notified Russia and Belarus of their intention to decouple from the Russian-controlled IPS/UPS electricity system in February 2025, ERR reports. Estonia’s Elering, Latvia’s Augstsprieguma Tikls (AST), and Lithuania’s Litgrid informed the Russian and Belarusian TSOs that they would not extend the BRELL parallel energy system operation agreement….
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…
The Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas, has approved legislation tightening the supervision of virtual currency companies, BNS reports. Under the amendments, crypto asset companies will have to obtain licences from the Bank of Lithuania. The amendments implement the European Regulation on Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA). Market participants have until June 2025 to be licensed. The central…
Lithuania’s Klaipeda State Seaport plans to begin the construction of a new cruise ship terminal in 2024, BNS reports. The terminal will be located near the port city’s Winter Harbour area. The port has opened tendering to select the construction contractor. The new terminal complex will also include a new office building for the port…
The Lithuanian government has granted special status to German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall’s planned artillery ammunition plant in Radviliskis district, BNS reports. The designation allows the company to begin construction of the plant without the standard construction permits, which must be obtained before completion. The plant, which will be named the Lithuanian Centre of Excellence for…