Campaigners for dual citizenship in Lithuania may not be able to advertise on media, BNS reports. A spokeswoman for the Central Electoral Commission (VRK) noted that political advertising could only be paid for by participants of the referendum campaign. The referendum was initiated by a group of members of the Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas. Marija…
Lithuanian Defence Minister Arvydas Anusauskas will resign, the government announced, LRT reports. Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte explained that the government wanted to do “more and faster” for Lithuania’s security. Anusauskas revealed that Simonyte had offered him another post but he had refused. The minister said that the offer to swap posts was “unexpected.” Simonyte named…
The Lithuanian government has banned military staff, border guards, and police officers from travelling off-duty to Russia, Belarus, and China, BNS reports. The Defence Ministry noted that Russia, Belarus, and China posed threats to Lithuania’s national security, including through espionage. Intelligence authorities in the three countries collect information on Lithuanian citizens with access to classified…
Lithuania’s Prosecutor General, Nida Grunskiene, has asked the parliament, the Seimas, to remove legal immunity from MP Remigijus Zemaitaitis, BNS reports. The move will allow Zemaitaitis to be prosecuted for inciting hatred against a group of people. The opposition MP posted antisemitic texts on social media, claiming that Jews deported and killed Lithuanians during WW2….
Lithuania’s ruling coalition has failed to secure enough votes to pass the law on civil union, Ausrine Armonaite, chairwoman of the Freedom Party, conceded, BNS reports. She said that legalising same-sex unions did not receive sufficient support from Freedom Party’s coalition partners, Homeland Union (TS-LKD) and the Lithuanian Liberal Movement (LLS). Armonaite estimated that 66…
A delegation of 11 members of the Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas, will visit Taiwan on 20-27 January 2024, BNS reports. Freedom Party MP Vytautas Mitalas said that the Lithuanian delegation would be the first to meet with Taiwan’s newly elected president, William Lai. Mitalas noted that the visit would help bring Lithuania and Taiwan closer. Meanwhile,…
European Parliament President Roberta Metsola has collected the 2023 Freedom Prize awarded by the Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas, to the European Parliament, LRT reports. The European Parliament declined to accept a cash prize of EUR 11,000. Radvile Morkunaite-Mikuleniene, deputy speaker of the Seimas, suggested allocating the money to investigators of Russian war crimes and crimes…
There are not enough votes at the moment in the Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas, to tighten restrictions on Belarusian citizens, Laurynas Kasciunas, chairman of the parliament’s national security and defence committee, stated, BNS reports. Under existing legislation, Belarusians face fewer limitations than Russian citizens. President Gitanas Nauseda has demanded equal restrictions on Belarusians and Russians,…
Lithuania plans to call up reserve troops up to the age of 60 for training in response to the deteriorating regional security situation, BNS reports. The Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas, has given initial approval for the initiative. The plan includes calling up around 80,000 reserve troops who served more than ten years ago. These individuals…