Linas Jegelevičus
Last week, the court rejected a request by Ryanair, and WizzAir to suspend Vilnius Airport’s new charges, President called for a Russia sanction agreement.
Lithuanian rescue team left for earthquake-hit Turkey
A 42-member Lithuanian search and rescue team left for Turkey on Thursday, the 9th of February, to help the earthquake-hit country, the Lithuanian government said on Thursday. The team includes 34 firefighters, five medics, and three cynologists from the State Border Guard Service. Lithuania’s Fire and Rescue Department said that Turkish rescue services will direct them to the rescue site. The team will work for two weeks. Lithuania is also set to send to Turkey 90 tents, 50 electric heaters, 1,000 bedding sets, 1,000 pillows, 7,700 blankets, and medical supplies from the state reserve.
EU commissioner, Lithuanian officials discuss the use of frozen Russian assets
EU Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders met with Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė and Justice Minister Ewelina Dobrowolska in Vilnius on Thursday, the 9th of February, and discussed possibilities for using Russian assets frozen under the bloc’s sanctions to compensate for the damage caused to Ukraine and to help rebuild the country. Šimonytė and Reynders also discussed support for Kyiv, and international response to Russia’s military aggression and war crimes in Ukraine, the government said. The minister noted that in this context, it is crucial to talk about concrete steps to ensure that the proceeds from the frozen assets of Russia and its entities are confiscated and used to compensate the Ukrainian people and rebuild their country.
Vilnius-Brussels direct flights to resume in March
Brussels Airlines will go back to the direct service between Vilnius and Brussels, temporarily suspended since last fall, in March and will offer more flights than before, Transport Minister Marius Skuodis said on Thursday, the 9th of February. The minister said he did not know why the Belgian airline had suspended the service. Lietuvos Oro Uostai (Lithuanian Airports, LTOU) said last September that Brussels Airlines was suspending direct flights to Vilnius from the 28th of October, but added that the carrier was planning to relaunch the service at the start of its next summer season in late March.
LTG Cargo sees a 39 percent slump in freight volumes in 2022
LTG Cargo, the freight arm of Lithuania’s state-owned railway company Lietuvos Geležinkeliai (Lithuanian Railways, LTG), said on Wednesday, the 8th of February, that it handled about 31 million tons of freight last year, 20 million tons (39 percent) fewer than in 2021, but 4,5 million tons more than planned. The company attributed last year’s decline in freight volumes to international sanctions against Russia and Belarus, some of its customers’ decisions to stop transporting goods from the two countries, and its own steps to reduce links with the states. LTG Cargo CEO Egle Sime says that the company had to look for new solutions and attract new cargoes after Russia launched its full-scale military invasion of Ukraine. It started transporting freight to Duisburg in Germany (66,000 tons), between Lithuania and Ukraine (84,000 tons of grain and 120,000 tons of oil), and re-planned flows within Lithuania.
LOU to look for contractors to expand Kaunas airport
Lietuvos Oro Uostai (Lithuanian Airports, LOU), the airport operator in Lithuania, plans to launch a contractor tender in the first quarter of this year for the development of Kaunas Airport’s passenger terminal for around 30 million euros, Aurimas Stikliunas, the interim CEO of LOU, said on Wednesday, the 8th of February. The work should start at the end of the year, earlier than planned.
TSO says neighbors will not participate in an important test
The Estonian and Latvian electricity transmission system operators (TSOs) informed Lihuania’s Litgrid, the local TSO, that they will not join Lithuania’s first-ever power system isolated operation test planned for April, Rokas Masiulis, CEO of Litgrid, said on Tuesday, the 7th of February. The three Baltic countries are still part of the post-Soviet IPS/UPS system, known as the BRELL ring, which also includes Russia and Belarus. Lithuania, which is seeking to decouple from the Russian and Belarusian electricity grids and synchronize with Western Europe as early as possible, is dependent on moves by Latvia and Estonia in the process. Masiulis said if there was a strong political position in the two countries, it would be possible to disconnect from the BRELL system together.
President calls for Russia sanction agreement
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda attended a virtual preparatory European Council session on Tuesday, the 7th of February, and called on EU member states to agree on a 10th sanction package for Russia as soon as possible and to tighten the existing sanctions for Belarus. During the session, Nausėda also expressed his expectation that the EU summit in Brussels would include a fruitful discussion on Ukraine’s European integration, Russia’s accountability for crimes of aggression, and the use of frozen Russian funds for Ukraine’s reconstruction. The preparatory session also discussed economic and migration issues. The Lithuanian president stressed the importance of stepping up the EU’s economic growth and competitiveness, strengthening the EU’s single market, and technological and productive potential, and providing adequate funding.
Ryanair, Wizz Air contest Vilnius Airport’s new charges
Ireland’s Ryanair and Hungary’s Wizz Air have appealed to the court against Vilnius Airport’s increased charges in place since the start of the year, but Lietuvos Oro Uostai (Lithuanian Airports, LTOU), the airport’s operator, said that both carriers often contest airport charges in other countries as well. On the 20th of January, the Vilnius Regional Administrative Court accepted for hearing of the carriers’ appeal against certain decisions by LTOU and the Lithuanian Transport Safety Administration (LTSA). Ryanair and Wizz Air maintain that the LTOU director’s 20th of July, 2022 order setting the new charges at Vilnius Airport and the LTSA director’s 15th of December, 2022 order rejecting their appeal against the new charges are unfounded, the court said on Monday, the 6th of February. The court has rejected the carriers’ request to suspend the new charges until the court’s decision becomes final. The airport operator believes that the air carriers’ appeal is unfounded and hopes that it will be examined and rejected as soon as possible.
Lithuanian police receive 12 cars bought for NATO summit
Lithuania’s Police Department has purchased 12 vehicles in preparation for the upcoming NATO summit to be held in Lithuania in July, the Interior Ministry said on Monday, the 6th of February. Lithuanian police will escort official motorcades and ensure smooth, unhindered, and safe movement on the roads. Lithuania’s police acquired twelve BMW 530d xDrive for 666,600 euros, including VAT. Police will continue using the vehicles after the summit. Currently, the Lithuanian police fleet consists of 1,700 vehicles.
Week in Lithuania: Deliberates use of frozen Russian assets, police receives new cars
