Last week, PM said she wants to postpone foreign policy pact until after municipal elections, 32 new Covid-19 cases, one death over Wednesday
Lithuania’s Ignitis starts importing biomethane from Norway
Ignitis, a Lithuanian electricity and gas supplier that is part of the state-owned energy group Ignitis Group, announced on Friday, November 4, it is starting to import importing environmentally neutral fuel, biomethane, for business customers in November. The company says it will be the first in Lithuania to import this gas and it expects to offer locally produced green gas next year. Biomethane will be imported from the Netherlands via pipelines through Germany and Poland, Haroldas Nausėda, a board member at Ignitis and director for B2B clients and expansion, said.
Primary school built with Lithuanian funds opened in Iraq
The Mahmudiyah Primary School built with the funds allocated by Lithuania and intended for the children of the local Yazidi community was opened in the Sinjar District of Iraq’s Nineveh Governorate on Tuesday, November 1. The six-classroom school equipped with necessary educational tools and high-quality equipment would be attended by 161 schoolchildren. Lithuania earlier allocated 150 000 euros for the construction of this primary school in the light of the needs of the Yazidi community, which suffered genocide at the hands of the Islamic State in 2014, and in view of Lithuania’s directions of development cooperation in the Middle East countries. The project was implemented by Nadia’s Initiative, an international intergovernmental organisation that seeks to rebuild the Yazidi community of Sinjar and to support the provision of educational, healthcare and social services.
Lithuania reports 32 new Covid-19 cases, one death
Lithuania recorded 32 new coronavirus infections and one death from Covid-19 over Wednesday, 2 November, the country’s public health authority, LVSC, announced on Thursday, 3 November. Of the new cases, 25 were primary, six were secondary, and one was tertiary. The number of patients hospitalized with Covid-19 now stands at 109, including nine ICU cases. 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 with Covid-19 at least once. Some 70 percent of the Lithuanian population have received at least one coronavirus vaccine jab so far
Ex-President Adamkus receives warm wishes for his 96th birthday
Lithuanian leaders on Thursday, 3 November, congratulated former President Valdas Adamkus on his 96th birthday wishing him good health and thanking him for his role in reconciling politicians. President Gitanas Nausėda and First Lady Diana Nausėdiene presented former president a bouquet of flowers at the presidential office. Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė wished good health to the former state leader. Vytautas Landsbergis, Lithuania’s first post-independence leader, wished Adamkus a long time together with his spouse Alma Adamkienė. Adamkus served two terms as president of Lithuania, in 1998–2003 and 2004–2009. Lithuania concluded its EU membership negotiations and was invited to join NATO during his first five-year term.
Linas Agro Group sells its Russian businesses to Aventus Finance
Linas Agro Group, Baltics’ largest agricultural and food production group in the Baltic states, has sold its two Russian feed additives production companies Vitomek to Aventus Finance, a Russian real estate company, Russia’s business daily Vedomosti reported on Thursday, 3 November. Vitomek has production facilities in Russia’s Tver, Kursk and Nizhny Novgorod regions. The transaction was completed in September, according to the daily. Mažvydas Šileika, CFO at Linas Agro Group, confirmed that the companies in Russia were acquired by Aventus Finance, adding that the companies were bought as an investment. Linas Agro Group announced its plan to sell its businesses in Russia and Belarus, Vitomek and Belfidagro, in August. The total value of these transactions, expected to be completed by the end of this year, stands at 7.5 million euros.
PM in favour of postponing foreign policy pact until after municipal elections
Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė said on Thursday, 3 November, she is in favour of Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis’ idea to postpone the signing of a foreign policy agreement between parties until after the municipal elections. Landsbergis sees an opportunity for signing a foreign policy agreement between parties after the municipal elections due early next year, but representatives of the opposition sound doubtful about this idea. Representatives of parliamentary opposition accuse the ruling coalition of making no attempts to seek a compromise and of wanting all parties to approve the center-right’s vision of foreign policy instead. Opposition MPs single out the definition of relations with China and Taiwan as the most controversial issue of the draft document as they disapprove of treating China the same as Russia in the agreement.
Lithuania may need small nuclear reactors to decarbonize its industrial sector
Lithuania may need small nuclear reactors beyond 2030 to decarbonise its industrial and transport sectors and satisfy growing electricity demand, Energy Minister Dainius Kreivys said on Wednesday, 2 November. Renewable energy will be enough to cover the 18-terawatt hours (TWh) of consumption estimated for 2030, but power demands will increase later on, he said. Decarbonisation is the process of reducing the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted into the atmosphere as a result of human activity.
Border guards prevent 21 migrants from crossing in from Belarus
Lithuanian border guards turned away 21 migrants on Wednesday, 2 November, attempting to cross into the country from Belarus illegally, the State Border Guard Service (SBGS) said on Thursday, 3 November. The daily number of migrants refused entry to Lithuania reached this year’s high of 135 on September 20, nine fewer than the highest ever number recorded on 12 November, 2021. A total of 9,897 irregular migrants have been stopped from entering Lithuania since January. Lithuanian border guards have sent about 18 000 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.
Litgrid purchases 38 percent stake in Nord Pool’s operator
Litgrid, Lithuania’s state-owned electricity transmission system operator, announced on Tuesday, November 1, it is buying 37.6 percent shares in TSO Holding, a shareholder of the owner of the Nord Pool power exchange. On 28 October, Litgrid signed share acquisition contracts with the Danish and Finnish energy transmission system operators, Energinet and Fingrid, for two 18.8 percent stakes in TSO Holding (37.6 percent in total) for around 135 million Norwegian krone (approximately 13 million euros). Currently, Litgrid owns a 2 percent stake in TSO Holding and will bring it to 39.6 percent once the transactions are completed. Later on, Litgrid will transfer its all shares in TSO Holding to its shareholder, the Epso-G state-owned energy group.
Week in Lithuania: ex-President Adamkus celebrates 96th birthday, Linas Agro Group sells its Russian businesses
