Sanctions have left Belarusians unable to claim imported cars at Lithuania’s Klaipeda State Seaport, LRT reports, citing local daily Vakaru Ekspresas. Belarusian media claimed that almost 4,000 cars bought by Belarusians from the US were stuck at the port. Vaidotas Sileika, chairman of the Association of Lithuanian Stevedoring Companies (LJKKA), confirmed that the information could…
The Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas, has approved the nomination of former prime minister, MEP Andrius Kubilius for Lithuania’s EU commissioner, BNS reports. Altogether 70 MPs voted in favour and 24 against, while 15 abstained. Kubilius said that Lithuania should seek portfolios related to defence, security, and EU enlargement in the new European Commission. He noted…
Israeli President Isaac Herzog has postponed his planned visit to Lithuania amid further tensions in the Middle East, Asta Skaisgiryte, chief foreign policy adviser to Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, announced, BNS reports. Speaking in an interview with Ziniu Radijas, Skaisgiryte said that Lithuania wanted the situation in the Middle East to “calm down a bit,”…
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis criticised Mongolia for the visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to the country, BNS reports. Landsbergis said that Mongolia’s refusal to arrest Putin despite the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) arrest warrant was “another crack in the system based on international law.” The ICC issued the arrest warrant on Putin over…
Lithuanian courier company DHL Lietuva has confirmed that packages that caused a fire at warehouses in Germany were sent from Lithuania, LRT reports. Mindaugas Pivoriunas, managing director of DHL Lietuva, revealed that there had been two such incidents. He said that the company had updated its security protocols and procedures. The two parcels sent from…
Lithuania’s likely EU commissioner nominee, MEP Andrius Kubilius, named security, defence, or EU enlargement as his possible portfolios on the European Commission (EC), BNS reports. Asta Skaisgiryte, chief foreign policy adviser to President Gitanas Nauseda, also noted that EU enlargement and defence were focus policy areas for Lithuania. Speaking in an interview with Ziniu Radijas,…
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda called for limiting the number of immigrants entering the country, BNS reports. Speaking on LRT, Nauseda argued that “uncontrolled immigration was, first and foremost, a national security issue.” Given the “demographic hole” that Lithuania faces, failure to control immigration could lead to “outcomes none of us want,” Nauseda stated. He insisted…
Lithuania’s Vilnius Regional Court has postponed sentencing in the criminal case against the former owners of the now liquidated Snoras bank, Vladimir Antonov and Raimondas Baranauskas, until 5 November 2024, BNS reports. The Prosecutor General’s Office asked for both to be sentenced to 10.5 years in prison. The pretrial investigation lasted over 7 years, from…
The number of Lithuanians travelling to Belarus has dropped by five times over two years, according to the State Border Guard Service (VSAT), BNS reports. In August 2024, Lithuanian citizens made 10,000 trips to Belarus, which was down from 33,000 a year earlier and 50,000 two years ago. Belarus enabled visa-free travel for Lithuanian citizens…