Authorities in Lithuania suspect a member of the conservative Homeland Union of spying for Russia, BNS reports. Sources confirmed that the suspect was Eduardas Manovas, a dual Lithuanian and Russian citizen from Siauliai. Remigijus Bridikis, deputy director of the State Security Department (VSD), said that the suspect was part of Russian military intelligence’s (GRU) illegals…
Lithuania should not censor everything related to Russian culture, the country’s incoming culture minister, Sarunas Birutis, stated, LRT reports. Speaking in an interview with ELTA, Birutis insisted that the “Russian nation was not the same as the Kremlin.” He pointed out that Russians had been neighbours to Lithuanians “for millennia” and would continue to be…
Lithuania’s state-owned company, KN Energies, has acquired the LNG carrier, Independence, from Norway’s Höegh Evi (former Höegh LNG) for EUR 138mn, BNS reports. The handover ceremony was attended by the presidents of all three Baltic States and Poland. The floating storage regasification unit (FSRU), which serves as Lithuania’s LNG terminal, arrived at the port of…
Lithuania’s incoming centre-left government has revealed its draft programme for the next four years, LRT reports. The new coalition plans to focus on welfare, with more child benefits and better accessibility to health care and education. Also, the government may make changes to tax policy, moving towards progressive taxation. The new government plans to reverse…
The draft programme of Lithuania’s incoming government calls China a “growing challenge” for foreign and security policy, BNS reports. The programme sees China’s strategic partnership with Russia and growing influence in Belarus as a threat. The new coalition pledges to work for a united approach towards China with Lithuania’s European and transatlantic partners. Also, the…
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda has approved the country’s new cabinet of ministers, BNS reports. He described the incoming centre-left government as more capable than the outgoing centre-right government of Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte. The Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (LSDP) will hold the post of prime minister and will have nine ministers in the new government,…
Lithuania’s incoming prime minister, Gintautas Paluckas, said that he was not informed about the government’s decision to expel three Chinese diplomats, BNS reports. He said that the consequences of the move remained to be seen, noting that diplomatic relations with China were already “practically non-existent.” China has warned that the expulsions could lead to retaliatory…
Georgia’s new parliament is not entirely legitimate, Asta Skaisgiryte, chief foreign policy adviser to Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, stated, LRT reports. If the parliament elects a new president, then the legitimacy of the president would be under question as well, she noted. Speaking in an interview with LNK, Skaisgiryte announced that Lithuania would offer refuge to…
The Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas, has voted to strip MP Remigijus Zemaitaitis, leader of the far-right Dawn of Nemunas party, of his parliamentary immunity, BNS reports. The motion passed with 101 votes in favour and none against or abstaining. Dawn of Nemunas MPs boycotted the vote. The move allows the court to continue hearing a…