Lithuania: Opposition party backs chair amid corruption probe

Lithuania’s opposition Union of Democrats for Lithuania (DSVL) retains its trust in the party chairman, Saulius Skvernelis, DSVL’s deputy chairman, MEP Virginijus Sinkevicius, stated, ELTA reports. Earlier, Lithuania’s Special Investigation Service (STT) searched the homes and offices of Skvernelis and another opposition MP, Kazys Starkevicius, as part of an investigation into large-scale corruption at the…

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Lithuania: President pushes EU to extend sanctions on Belarus

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda pledged to push for the EU to extend sanctions imposed against Belarus, BNS reports. He pointed to the Belarusian regime’s continued alignment with Russia, repression of political opponents, and repeated hybrid attacks against Lithuania. EU defence commissioner Andrius Kubilius agreed that there was no reason for the EU to remove the…

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Lithuania: Parliament pushes disputed legislation on public broadcaster

After a marathon debate, the Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas, approved in second reading amendments to legislation governing the appointment and dismissal of the head of the country’s public broadcaster, Lithuanian National Radio and Television (LRT), BNS reported. Unexpectedly, MPs approved a satirical provision that would involve an opposition MP’s cat in the process of removing…

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Lithuania: Concerns over contract to build military base

Lithuania’s Defence Minister, Robertas Kaunas, has dismissed concerns over contractors chosen to build a military base for German troops in Rudninkai, ELTA reports. He noted that none of the bidders raised security concerns and there was thus no legal basis to exclude them. One of the companies, Rudina, which won a contract for EUR 348.35mn,…

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Lithuania: Ekspress Grupp’s deadline to sell news site postponed again

Lithuania’s Competition Council has again postponed a deadline for the Estonian media group, Ekspress Grupp, to sell off the Lithuanian news website, lrytas.lt, to new owners, BNS reports. The council gave Ekspress Grupp until 7 January 2026 to sell the website. In February 2025, the competition authority ordered the group to sell one of its…

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Lithuania: Opposition urges LSDP to reject coalition with far right

The Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas, must impeach MP Remigijus Zemaitaitis, leader of the far-right Dawn of Nemunas (PPNA) party, if an appeals court upholds a lower court ruling finding him guilty of antisemitic hate speech, opposition leaders stated, Lietuvos Rytas reports. Saulius Skvernelis, chairman of the Union of Democrats for Lithuania (DSVL), and Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen,…

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Lithuania: Government may declare emergency over smuggler balloons

The Lithuanian government may declare an emergency due to the growing security threat posed by smuggler balloons launched from neighbouring Belarus, Interior Minister Vladislav Kondratovic announced, BNS reports. He said that the government was assessing the impact on public safety and border security and was considering several options. Earlier, MEP Aurelijus Veryga, chairman of the…

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Lithuania: Dawn of Nemunas leader wants to abolish Constitutional Court

The leader of Lithuania’s far-right populist Dawn of Nemunas party, MP Remigijus Zemaitaitis, has called for abolishing the country’s Constitutional Court, ELTA reports. He insisted that the court had become a “politicised institution” and suggested that its functions be taken over by the Supreme Court instead. In 2024, the Constitutional Court ruled that Zemaitaitis had violated…

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