Linas Jegelevičius
Lithuania still feels pressure from the side of the Belarusian border, and Turkish citizens who illegally brought immigrants across the border will have to stand trial, while the Lithuanian pharmacy network will still have to pay an impressive fine for violating the principles of competition.
PM calls for swift, reality-based decisions to contain Russia
Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė said on Friday, the 24th of March, that swift decisions based on reality are needed to contain Russia, the aggressor that unleashed war in Ukraine, adding that she expects such decisions to be made at NATO’s summit in Vilnius in the summer. The prime minister said that she expects NATO’s Vilnius summit to take decisions that will help curb Russian aggression and bring a sense of security back to NATO countries and that Ukraine’s membership of the Alliance will be given concrete shape. The prime minister noted that there is no alternative to Ukraine’s victory, but in order to achieve it, it is essential to provide Ukraine with all the assistance it needs without delay.
Turks face court for smuggling migrants from Belarus
Four Turkish citizens will face court in Lithuania, following the accusations of smuggling migrants from Belarus, the country’s prosecution service said on Friday, the 24th of March. According to the pre-trial investigation, the four Turkish nationals acted in an organized group and smuggled illegal migrants from Belarus to Lithuania between July and October 2022. They acted out of selfish motives and were promised 250 to 700 euros for each smuggled person. The investigation found that during the period in question, the Turkish nationals smuggled a total of 107 people claiming to be Iranian, Afghan, Syrian, Turkish, and Egyptian nationals. The investigation identified eight episodes when groups of irregular migrants were led by the defendants on foot from Belarus to Lithuania.
Monopoly fines for some top pharmacies remain in force
The Lithuanian Competition Court’s decision to fine the pharmacy chain Gintarinė Vaistinė and its owner Limedika 16.7 million euros and 7.4 million euros. respectively, for allegedly agreeing on markups remains in effect. The Supreme Administrative Court of Lithuania on Wednesday, the 22nd of March, dismissed the separate appeals of both companies, which sought to overturn a lower court’s refusal to suspend the competition watchdog’s decision pending the court’s ruling on its legitimacy. Last December, the Competition Council imposed fines totaling around 72.6 million euros on the Lithuanian Association of Pharmacies and eight pharmaceutical wholesale, retail, and consultancy companies for their alleged illegal agreement on markups for reimbursable medicines.
Lithuania reports 272 new COVID-19 cases, one death
Lithuania recorded 272 new coronavirus infections and one death from COVID-19 over Thursday, the 23rd of March, official statistics showed on Friday, the 24th of March. Of the new cases, 199 were primary, 62 were secondary and 11 were tertiary. The number of COVID-19 patients in hospitals now stands at 116, including three ICU cases. The 14-day primary infection rate has edged down to 153.5 cases per 100,000 people, with the seven-day percentage of positive tests at 17.6 percent. The daily number of new coronavirus cases remains well below the peak of over 14,000 reached in early February 2022.
President urges EU to slam Russia with new sanctions
President Gitanas Nausėda on Thursday, the 23rd of March, urged the European Union to further tighten its policy of sanctions against Russia, saying that talk of a possible easing of restrictions is unacceptable. The president also underlined the need to work with third countries to prevent the circumvention of sanctions and called on the EU to start as soon as possible the preparation of an 11th package of EU sanctions against Russia. Lithuania wants the new package to include sanctions against Russia’s nuclear energy giant Rosatom and opposes initiatives to ease restrictions on fertilizer exports from Moscow’s ally Belarus. According to Nausėda, negotiations on Ukraine’s accession to the EU should start this year.
Seimas urges Georgia to stay on the Euro-Atlantic integration path
The Lithuanian parliament Seimas on Thursday, the 23rd of March, urged Georgia to stay on its Euro-Atlantic integration path and called on the country’s government to refrain from any controversial initiatives that could undermine this aspiration. The Seimas unanimously adopted a resolution in support of Georgia’s Euro-integration with 114 votes in favor. It also calls on Georgia’s authorities to refrain from any legislative and other initiatives that are controversial, restrict human rights, freedom of expression, and civil society activities, and are detrimental to Georgia’s EU and NATO accession. The document also calls on Georgia’s authorities to release the country’s jailed ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili for medical treatment abroad.
Rotation of Portuguese troops arrives in Lithuania
A rotation of Portuguese troops arrived in Lithuania on Wednesday, the 22nd of March, the Lithuanian army said. Around 150 members from the Portuguese Marine Corps will train together with units of the Žemaitija infantry brigade of the Grand Hetman of Lithuania Jonas Karolis Chodkevičius, Special Operations Forces, and the Lithuanian Navy until June. The Portuguese and Lithuanian troops will train to carry out tasks, including infiltration and exfiltration by combat boats, assault, and reconnaissance, and will also take part in live-fire exercises. The rotational force will be based at the Brigadier General Povilas Plechavičius Training Area in Kairiai.
Lithuanians believe war seriously affects the economy
More than 90 percent of Lithuanians believe Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine is having serious economic consequences for the country, compared to the European average of 86 percent, according to a new Eurobarometer survey carried out in January-February. The latest report was presented on Tuesday, the 21st of March, by the European Commission’s Representation in Vilnius.
Finance ministry slashes GDP growth forecast to 0.5 percent
Lithuania’s economy is expected to grow by 0.5 percent (47.13 billion euros at constant prices) this year and is projected to expand by 3 percent annually between 2024 and 2026, the Finance Ministry said on Monday, the 20th of March, updating its economic development scenario. In December, the ministry projected GDP growth of 0.7 percent for 2023 and 3 percent for 2024-2025. Average annual inflation is expected to reach 8.5 percent, which is a drop of 0.9 percentage points from the December estimate, and should approach 2 percent in the later years of the medium-term period. Finance Minister Gintarė Skaistė says Russia’s war against Ukraine and the resulting uncertainty continue to affect the Lithuanian economy, but despite that, the country’s economy remains resilient.
Social Democrats win most mayoral races
The Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (LSDP) won 17 mayoral seats in Lithuania’s local elections, more than any other political party, and various political committees came second, followed by the Liberal Movement in third place, the country’s Central Electoral Commission (CEC) said on Monday, the 20th of March. The ruling conservative Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats were in fourth place, and won half as many mayoral posts as they did four years ago. LSDP also emerged as the overall winner of the elections, securing a total of 375 councilor and mayoral seats nationwide. The Homeland Union came in second with 244 seats. The LSDP won seven races in last Sunday’s run-off elections after securing ten mayoral positions in the first round two weeks ago.
Week in Lithuania: Social Democrats win most mayoral races; President urges o slam Russia with new sanctions
