Last week, Lithuania’s opposition Farmers and Greens rejoined cross-party defence agreement; Election authority registered first three presidential candidates
Lithuania to purchase 3 000 drones for Ukraine, kicks off soldiers’ rehabilitation initiative
Lithuania announced it is set to purchase around 3 000 drones for Ukraine and is launching a special rehabilitation program for its injured soldiers, Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė announced on Friday, the 5th of April, at a joint news conference with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal in Vilnius. Šimonytė also said that Lithuania is launching a special program for the rehabilitation of injured Ukrainian soldiers. Lithuania plans to allocate up to 15 million euros to the program and to invite other international donors to contribute to it. Lithuania has so far provided over one billion euros for Ukraine’s needs and recently contributed 35 million euros to the Czech Republic’s ammunition initiative, according to the prime minister.
Defence ministry tables defence and security bill
The Lithuanian Defence Ministry on Friday, the 5th of April, submitted to the government a draft Law on Defence and Security Industry, aimed at setting out directions for the development of the country’s defence industry, reducing reliance on foreign suppliers, and ramping up investments in the sector. The bill proposes that the government approve a list of military equipment and weaponry necessary for the development of the Lithuanian Armed Forces’ priority capabilities. The list will outline clear directions for the development of Lithuania’s defence and security industry, which will help industry players to decide which military technologies and equipment are worth investing in, the ministry said. The new law also paves the way for industrial cooperation, allowing Lithuanian manufacturers to participate in priority military equipment and weaponry procurements, it said. Under the industrial cooperation framework, a part of foreign military equipment suppliers or manufacturers’ contractual obligations will have to be fulfilled by companies operating in the Lithuanian defence and security industry. The bill also provides for additional financing measures, which will increase investments in advanced defence technology research, development and production.
Ukrainian PM in Vilnius discusses Kyiv’s needs with Lithuanian leaders
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal on Friday, the 5th of April, paid an official visit to Vilnius to discuss the war-torn country’s key needs with Lithuanian leaders. Shmyhal’s separate meetings with President Gitanas Nausėda and Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė focused on Ukraine’s military and financial support needs, sanctions against Russia and Belarus, Ukraine’s Euro-Atlantic integration, and other issues. Nausėda presented Shmyhal with the Cross of the Commander of the Order of Grand Duke Gediminas of Lithuania.
STT launched probe into payouts to Klaipeda District councillors
Lithuania’s Special Investigation Service (STT) announced on Thursday, the 4th of April, it has opened a pre-trial investigation into payouts to Klaipeda District councillors for their activities. The probe is looking into potential misuse of allowances to Klaipeda District councillors during the past term of office. Currently, the STT is conducting 27 pre-trial investigations into the use of allowances for councillors in 26 municipalities. The investigations were launched after Andrius Tapinas, a public figure, started to disclosing possible misuse cases. According to the STT, eight people are currently suspected of misuse, including seven former or current councillors.
Farmers and Greens rejoin cross-party defence agreement
The Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union (LFGU) announced on Thursday, the 4th of April, its decision to rejoin parliamentary parties’ defence agreement after law-enforcement bodies decided not to probe allegations of corruption in the national defence system. The Prosecutor General’s Office said earlier this week that it had upheld the Special Investigation Service’s refusal to open a pre-trial investigation into alleged corruption in the national defence system. According to the prosecutors, the Defence Ministry properly reacted to and managed lobbying activities and corruption risks, and therefore there was no reason to report them to pre-trial investigation authorities.
Election authority registers first threes presidential candidates
Lithuania’s Central Electoral Commission on Thursday, the 4th of April, registered the first three presidential candidates – Gitanas Nausėda, who is seeking re-election for a second term, Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė and Dainius Žalimas, dean of the Faculty of Law of Vytautas Magnus University. Their registration means that they meet the requirements for a candidate, have submitted the necessary documents, have paid the election deposit and have collected at least 20 000 signatures of voters supporting them. Nausėda and Šimonytė will run for president for the second time. Initially, there were a total of 15 contenders to run for president but some of them later change their minds and withdrew from the race after they failed to collect the necessary number of votes. The CEC has yet to decide on the registration as candidates of ex-Defence Vice Minister Giedrimas Jeglinskas, Labor Party leader Andrius Mazuronis, Eduardas Vaitkus, a medical doctor, Ignas Vegele, a lawyer, and MP Remigijus Žemaitaitis, leader of the Nemuno Aušra (The Dawn of the Neman) party. The presidential election will take place on the 12th of May 12.
At least two MPs targeted by US-indicted Chinese hackers
At least two Lithuanian parliamentarians have been targeted by Chinese state-linked hackers accused by the United States and the United Kingdom of a massive cyber-espionage campaign. In an indictment unsealed last week by the US Department of Justice Lithuania’s Social Democratic MP Dovilė Šakalienė and Conservative MP Žygimantas Pavilionis, a diplomat and chairman of the parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs, are mentioned as the Lithuanian targets. Attacks on IPAC members were carried out in early 2021 through malicious emails. Once opened, the emails installed tracking software that gave the hackers access to the victims’ data, such as their IP addresses, browser types, and operating systems. Both Šakalienė and Pavilionis said on Tuesday, the 2nd of April, that they believed Chinese hackers failed to hack into their accounts. However, examples from their colleagues show that such risks remain.
Lithuania mulls easing construction rules in preparation for Rheinmetall project
The Economy and Innovation Ministry proposed on Tuesday, the 2nd of April, to amend several laws to enable major Western arms and ammunition producers, including Germany’s defence industry giant Rheinmetall, to swiftly relocate production to Lithuania. The ministry has drafted a package of legislative amendments aimed, among other things, at allowing construction of large-scale projects, officially recognized by the government as meeting the state’s urgent security and defence needs, to begin without the usual building permit. Economy and Innovation Minister Aušrinė Armonaitė says the amendments target, among others, Rheinmetall, which has plans to build a 155 mm artillery ammunition factory in Lithuania.
Lithuania mum on use of Havana Syndrome weapon in Vilnius
Lithuania’s authorities on Tuesday, the 2nd of April, did not comment on the use of a weapon causing so-called Havana Syndrome symptoms against a senior US official during last year’s NATO summit in Vilnius. The incident was reported on Monday by, the 1st of April, a joint investigation by The Insider, Der Spiegel and CBS’s “60 Minutes” news program. The Pentagon confirmed later on Monday that a senior official who attended the Vilnius summit had symptoms similar to those reported by people who experienced Havana Syndrome. Havana Syndrome was first publicly reported in 2016 when US diplomats in Cuba’s capital reported falling ill and hearing piercing sounds at night. This sparked speculation of an attack by a foreign entity using an unspecified sonar weapon.
Japan’s Saisei plans to build food supplements factory
The Lithuanian immunotherapy unit of Japan’s Saisei announced it is in talks on building a food supplements production facility in the southern Lithuanian town of Alytus, following the opening of a medical clinic in Vilnius in March, the Verslo Žinios business news website reported on Tuesday, the 2nd of April. Saisei LT CEO Joana Bikulčienė says the company plans to produce immunity-boosting products from bovine colostrum for the European market. It currently imports the products from Japan. Saisei LT was established in Lithuania in 2018 with initial plans for only a factory in Alytus. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the company delayed the construction of the facility and opted to expand by opening a medical clinic in Vilnius.
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Week in Lithuania | Defence ministry tables defence and security bill; Ukrainian PM pays visit to Lithuania
