Russian businessman Vladimir Antonov, former owner of Lithuania’s collapsed Snoras bank, has been detained in France under a European Arrest Warrant issued by the Lithuanian Prosecutor General’s Office, BNS reports. Antonov was detained in Baden on 9 December 2025. Prosecutor General Nida Grunskiene said that work was underway to have him extradited to Lithuania. She…
The Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas, has approved the state budget for 2026 with 80 votes for, 39 against, and 7 abstentions, BNS reports. Under the budget, annual revenues, including EU funds, will amount to EUR 21.07bn and expenditures to EUR 27.51bn. The government’s net borrowing limit has been increased to EUR 7.79bn, ELTA reports. The…
Lithuania will seek support from the European Union and the United States to pressure the Belarusian regime into stopping smuggler balloons from flying into Lithuanian airspace, Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene announced, LRT reports. She said that the Lithuanian government was prepared to impose national sanctions or reclose the border with Belarus if diplomatic efforts with…
Most large and medium-sized companies in the Baltic States plan to invest in business development in 2026, according to a Kantar survey for OP Corporate Bank, LSM reports. The survey showed that 87% of enterprises in Lithuania, 85% in Latvia, and 74% in Estonia plan to invest in development. Specifically, Lithuanian companies plan to increase…
The United States will not reduce its troops presence in Lithuania, currently numbering over 1,000, Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene stated, BNS reports. Speaking in an interview with LRT, Ruginiene assured that there was no risk of the US cutting the number of troops in the country following the government’s decision to raise defence spending…
Lithuania’s ruling Social Democratic Party of Lithuania (LSDP) plans to draft a new bill to make it easier to dismiss the director general of the country’s public broadcaster, Lithuanian National Radio and Television (LRT), BNS reports. Under the proposed amendments, LRT’s council would be able to dismiss the company’s director with simple majority by secret…
Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya plans to relocate from Lithuania to neighbouring Poland, well-informed sources told Radio Free Europe, LRT reports. According to the information, Tsikhanouskaya and at least part of her team will move from Vilnius to Warsaw. Earlier, the Lithuanian government downgraded Tsikhanouskaya’s security detail, citing a reassessment of threats. Dzianis Kuchynski, diplomatic…
Latvia’s SmartLynx Airlines has filed for insolvency, LETA reports. CEO Edvinas Demenius explained that SmartLynx had intended to implement a restructuring plan by 15 December 2025. However, “false and misleading information from various stakeholders” had led to the loss of aircraft and customer contracts, he said. SmartLynx has liabilities totalling around EUR 238mn, of which EUR…
Lithuania’s Foreign Ministry has lodged a formal protest with Belarus over continued “hybrid attacks” and seizure of property of EU citizens and companies, BNS reports. The ministry demanded that Belarus exercise effective control of its airspace and return “unlawfully detained” property, referring to incursions of smuggler balloons into Lithuania and the detention of Lithuanian trucks in…