Last week a Lithuanian court rejected a Russian broadcaster’s claim; a new energy saving plan was unveiled by the Lithuanian Energy Ministry.
A cardboard producer halts production due to high power prices
Grigeo Klaipėda, a Klaipėda–based cardboard producer that is part of the Grigeo Group, has halted production since Monday, 5 September, due to soaring energy prices, the 15min.lt online news site reported on Friday, 9 September.
Gintautas Pangonis, the group’s president, says production at Grigeo Klaipėda has been suspended for a week, possibly two. He attributed the decision to suspend production for around two weeks to high electricity costs.
Border guards deter 122 irregular migrants away
Lithuanian border guards turned away 122 migrants on Thursday, 8 September, attempting to cross into the country from Belarus illegally, the State Border Guard Service (SBGS) said on Friday, 9 September.
The SBGS says that illegal migration to Lithuania and the EU is being facilitated by Belarusian officials who transport migrants to the state border and lead them to the neighbouring country’s territory.
Lithuanian border guards have sent more than 14 200 people back to Belarus since 3 August 2021, when they were given the right to deny entry to irregular migrants. The number includes repeated attempts by the same people to cross the border.
Lithuania reports 935 new COVID-19 cases, no deaths
Lithuania recorded 935 new coronavirus infections and no deaths from COVID-19 over Thursday, 8 September, official statistics showed on Friday, 9 September. Of the new cases, 712 were primary, and 206 were secondary. The number of hospital patients now stands at 97, including nine ICU cases.
The seven–day percentage of positive tests at 41.8%
The daily number of new coronavirus cases remains well below the peak of over 14 000 reached in early February. More than 1.2 million people in Lithuania have tested positive for COVID-19 at least once.
Arestovych says Ukraine expects more artillery, aircraft, missiles
Ukraine expects the West to supply it with more artillery, aircraft, and air–launched missiles as it needs at least twice as many heavy weapons as it receives now, Oleksiy Arestovych, an adviser to the Ukrainian president’s office, said in Vilnius on Thursday, 8 September.
The adviser noted that Russia’s artillery capacity is at least three times that of Ukraine’s, adding that Kyiv expects quick decisions from Western countries at Thursday’s meeting of officials from countries providing military support to Ukraine.
According to Arestovych, some 300 000 Ukrainian troops are fighting the Russian invasion.
Tikhanovskaya says Belarusians fighting for Ukraine will determine the fate of Europe
Belarusians fighting for Ukraine know that this fight, their modern-day Battle of Orsha, will determine the fate of Europe, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, a Belarusian opposition leader, said in Vilnius on Thursday, 8 September.
Tikhanovskaya said she would like to see the event held in Orsha, in present-day Belarus.
The Battle of Orsha was fought between the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Grand Duchy of Moscow near Orsha (in what is now Belarus) on 8 September 1514.
The forces of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania under the command of Grand Hetman Konstanty Ostrogski defeated the army of the Grand Duchy of Moscow under Ivan Chelyadnin.
Lithuania delivers howitzers from its reserve to Ukraine
Lithuania has sent 105-mm howitzers from its reserve to Ukraine, Defence Minister Arvydas Anušauskas announced in his Facebook post on Wednesday, 7 September.
The minister added that Lithuania’s total military assistance to Ukraine, including the current and other planned shipments, would reach approximately 180 million euros.
Lithuania has already sent around 20 M113 armoured personnel carriers (APC) to Ukraine.
The minister said late in August that the country would send 10 more APCs, as well as simulation rounds, smoke charges, and smoke grenades. Lithuania’s military assistance to Ukraine has also included Stinger air defence systems, anti-armour weapons, tactical vests and helmets, 120 mm mortars, small arms, ammunition, thermal imaging, drones, anti-drone equipment, and surveillance radars, as well as trucks, all-terrain vehicles and the crowdfunded Bayraktar TB2 drone.
Court rejects Russian broadcaster’s claim
Vilnius Regional Administrative Court said on Wednesday, 7 September, that it dismissed an appeal by a Russian broadcaster seeking damages for the suspension of the rebroadcasting of its programs in Lithuania.
The All–Russia State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company (VGTRK) lodged the appeal against the Lithuanian state, represented by the Lithuanian Radio and Television Commission.
It sought some 20 100 euros in damages over the watchdog’s decision IN April 2014 to temporality suspend the rebroadcasting of some Russian programs.
The Russian broadcaster argued that the decision restricted its right to distribute the television programs and deprived it of revenue from the rebroadcaster.
Ignitis Renewables buys wind and solar project developer in Latvia
Ignitis Renewables, an arm of clean energy of Lithuania’s state-controlled energy group Ignitis Grupė, announced on Tuesday, 6 September, that it has purchased 100 percent of shares in an unnamed Latvian company that is developing a 200–megawatt wind and solar project in the neighbouring country.
Ignitis Grupė said in a stock exchange release on Tuesday, 6 September, that the deal had been greenlighted by its management board. The total investment in the project is estimated at up to 270 million euros, which includes the acquisition price and other investment costs.
The Interior Ministry proposed to extend the state of emergency until mid–December
Lithuania’s Interior Ministry proposed on Tuesday, 6 September, to extend the existing state of emergency, declared in the country in response to Russia’s military aggression in Ukraine, until mid–December.
Under the ministry’s proposal, the existing bans on the rebroadcasting of Russian and Belarusian TV programs in Lithuania, gatherings in support of Russia’s war in Ukraine, and other restrictions will also remain in force.
Energy saving plan calls for lowering heating, speed limits
The Lithuanian Energy Ministry announced on Monday, 5 September, that it has worked out an energy saving plan that calls for lowering heating and cutting back on air conditioning in buildings, and shortening to five months the period during which the maximum speed of 120 or 130 km/h is allowed on motorways. The ministry’s plan also covers funding for energy saving measures and recommendations for private businesses and households.
The proposed measures include lowering indoor temperatures to 19 degrees Celsius during the heating season and increasing air conditioning to 27 degrees in summer and turning off hot water in public sector buildings.
The ministry also recommends allowing workers of the budget institutions, public authorities, and companies that already use remote work models to work from home on Fridays and Mondays, which would make it possible to lower heating in buildings to 17 degrees for four days in a row.
It also proposes to limit the speed on motorways to 110 km/h for an additional two months – from October through May, instead of November through March currently. The plan has been submitted to the Cabinet for approval.