Last week, the top news in Lithuania were a surge in new Covid-19 cases, the establishing of a Latvian subsidiary of the Lithuanian energy company Ignitis Renewables and recommendations on taxes by the International Monetary Fund.
Lithuania makes isolation mandatory only for in-family COVID contacts
As of Monday, January 24, self-isolation in Lithuania is only mandatory for people who have come into contact with COVID- infected family members. Meanwhile, people who have had the highest risk contact at work will no longer be required to self-isolate. In the first case the isolation period will last for seven days, irrespective of the immunisation status as both vaccinated people and those who had the infection will need to self-isolate. The only exception will apply for people who have recovered from COVID within the past 90 days after their case was confirmed by a lab-done positive PCR or antigen test, the Health Ministry said. The isolation time for people who had contact with an infected family member will start from the day the infected person’s test was done. Meanwhile, people who have had COVID-contact at work will be advised to undergo antigen testing three times: immediately after learning about the contact, after 48-72 hours and then after another 48 hours.
Lithuania blacklists Russian singers Korolyova, Sharipov
Lithuania put on Monday, January 24, two more Russian singers on its persona non grata list because of their concerts held in the occupied Crimea. Lithuania’s Migration Department put Natasha Korolyova and Khabib Sharipov on the list of persons who are barred from coming to Lithuania. They will not be able to do so until January 21, 2027. Laurynas Kasčiūnas, chairman of Lithuania’s parliamentary Committee on National Security and Defence, and another committee member turned to the Foreign Ministry last week over these performers. Sharipov’s concert in Vilnius, which had to take place last Sunday night, was cancelled. Earlier, for the same reasons, Lithuania also blacklisted Russian singers Oleg Gazmanov, Grigory Lepsveridze and Philip Kirkorov. The latter appealed the decision with Lithuanian courts and eventually lost the case.
Court upholds Italian innovation giant’s removal from railway tender
The Court of Appeal of Lithuania announced on Monday, January 24, it has once again upheld the decision of the state railway group Lietuvos Geležinkeliai (Lithuanian Railways, LTG) to remove Italy’s information and communication technology giant Almaviva from the bidding for a contract of an undisclosed value for implementing a digital infrastructure analysis system. On January 20, the court dismissed an appeal filed by Almaviva, one of the bidders in the public procurement process, and upheld Vilnius Regional Court’s ruling issued in November. The dispute arose after the Italian company failed to properly submit technical documents.
Kaunas kicks off European Capital of Culture year
Lithuania’s second-largest city, Kaunas, has kicked off its Kaunas – the European Capital of Culture year with the opening event Uprising, seeking to show Lithuania and the world the city’s cultural potential. All in all, Kaunas as the European Capital of Culture will offer over one thousand events, including more than 40 festivals, over 60 exhibitions, over 250 stage performances, including 50 premiers, as well as more than 250 concerts. Over 4,000 performers will take part in the program.
IMF issues recommendations to Lithuania on taxes
Lithuania’s economy will continue to grow strongly in the medium term, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said after its team concluded its virtual mission in the country on Tuesday, January 25. It is important for the government to raise more tax revenue and broaden the tax base, particularly through real estate and environmental taxes, the fund said. Although inflation in Lithuania is expected to ease in the second half of the year, prices may rise in the short term, so the government will need to maintain financial and economic stability and ensure resilience to future shocks by gradually rebuilding fiscal buffers, according to the IMF.
Ignitis Renewables sets up Latvian subsidiary
Ignitis Renewables, a renewable energy project developer that is part of Lithuania’s state-owned Ignitis Grupe energy group, announced on Tuesday, January 25, it is establishing a subsidiary in Latvia to facilitate its operation in this country. In late August, the group announced the acquisition of three wind farm projects in Latvia, and preliminary plans to invest up to 200 million euros into them. The group says all three find farms of around 160MW are in the early development stage, with commercial operation scheduled for around 2025-2027.
Read also: Vilnius Mayor calls for lifting all restrictions, as «the virus is all around»
Cabinet backs consolidation of national development agencies
The Lithuanian government on Wednesday, January 26, approved in principle a proposal to merge four state-owned business financing agencies into a single body. A task group will be set up to work out a consolidation plan by April, with the merger expected to be completed by the end of this year. According to Finance Minister Gintarė Skaistė, the four institutions are the credit guarantee agency INVEGA, the State Investment Management Agency (VIVA), the Public Investment Development Agency (VIPA) and the Agricultural Loan Guarantee Fund. They would be consolidated on the basis of INVEGA.
Foreign ministry welcomes EC’s decision to turn to WTO
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis, said on Wednesday, January 26, he has welcomed the European Commission’s decision to turn to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) over what he calls China’s unlawful economic pressure on Lithuania and the EU. His comment came after the EC announced earlier it had launched a WTO case against the People’s Republic of China by officially requesting consultations.
Lithuania’s annual inflation hits 12.2 percent in January
Lithuania’s EU-harmonised monthly consumer price index (HICP) rose to 1.8 percent in January, according to a provisional estimate released by the country’s statistics office on Friday, January 28. The EU-harmonised annual inflation rate for December reached 12.2 percent, Statistics Lithuania said. The year-on-year growth was mostly driven by increased prices for housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels, food products and non-alcoholic beverages, and transport goods and services.
Lithuania reports record 11,365 new COVID-19 cases, 12 deaths
Lithuania’s daily count of new coronavirus infections reached 11,365 on Thursday, January 27, hitting a new record high for the third successive day, official statistics showed on Friday, January 28. Twelve people have died of COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, of whom 11 were either not vaccinated or only partially vaccinated. The number of COVID-19 patients in hospitals has risen by 40 to 1,212, including 97 ICU cases. Overall, around 651,000 people in Lithuania have tested positive for COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic and the death toll has topped 7,800.
Week in Lithuania: Covid-19 cases in record levels, Lithuania blacklists Russian singers, IMF advises on taxes
