Lithuania should resume discussion on the possibility of building a metro system in Vilnius, Vaidas Augustinavicius, chief economic and social policy adviser to President Gitanas Nauseda, said, BNS reports. Speaking in an interview with Ziniu Radijas, Augustinavicius argued that the project should be reassessed given the new geopolitical context. He suggested that the underground metro…
Latvia’s national airline, airBaltic, plans to make around 100 pilots and 200 cabin crew members redundant, LSM reports. The company said that the staff cuts were based on the airline’s planned flight volume and route network for 2027. The airline will downsize its fleet to 36 aircraft by the end of 2026, but plans to…
Restoring Lithuania’s full diplomatic relations with communist China should not depend on the name of the Taiwanese Representative Office in Vilnius, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda stated, BNS reports. Speaking in an interview with Ziniu Radijas, Nauseda suggested restoring diplomatic representation on a lower level first, such as deputy heads of mission rather than ambassadors. He…
The incumbent mayor of the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, Valdas Benkunskas, will seek a second term in office in the municipal elections due to be held in March 2027, BNS reports. If re-elected, he said that his priorities would include renovating residential courtyards and expanding transport infrastructure. Benkunskas, who is a member of the conservative Homeland…
The European Muslim League (EML) has expressed concern over anti-Muslim incidents in Lithuania, BNS reports. EML pointed to the possible public burning of a Quran in Vilnius and the disruption of Muslim prayer near a mosque in Kaunas. Mufti Aleksandras Beganskas, head of the Council of Muslim Religious Communities of Lithuania (LRMBT), cited threats to…
Lithuania expects progress on restoring full diplomatic ties with communist China by the end of 2026, Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevicius announced, BNS reported. He explained that the government had prepared an action plan with specific steps and deadlines for restoring diplomatic representation with China. He said that the government was pursuing improved relations without public…
Latvia’s national air carrier, airBaltic, may cut 500-700 jobs at its bases in the three Baltic capitals, BNS reports. The company announced that it was in talks with trade unions on potential layoffs, which could affect about 20% of its total workforce. Currently, the airline employs around 3,000 people in the Baltic States. Meanwhile, Dace…
The Lithuanian government has declared a nationwide emergency and four municipalities have declared local emergencies after a severe storm on 22-23 August 2026, BNS reported. Wind speeds reached up to 33 mps on the seaside and a month’s rain fell in 12 hours in some areas, according to the Lithuanian Hydrometeorological Service (LHMT), BNS reported….
Lithuania’s Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevicius and parliamentary speaker Juozas Olekas resisted calls for an independent inquiry into child sexual abuse within the Catholic Church, BNS reported. Earlier, two local priests were charged with sexual offences against children. Sinkevicius insisted that any investigation was up to Church authorities. Olekas asserted that courts should do their work…
