Last week, Lithuania applied to open trade representative office in Taiwan, Russia expelled four Lithuanian diplomats and Lithuania will offer grants to cultural workers from Ukraine.
Lithuania’s Klaipėda included in new MSC route
Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), a global container shipping company, has included the Lithuanian port of Klaipeda in a new route connecting Europe with the United States, the Klaipeda Seaport Authority reported on Monday, March 28. It will take 15 days for containerised cargo to be shipped from Klaipeda to New York on the new route – Klaipėda-Gdynia-Gothenburg-Bremerhaven-New York-Philadelphia-Norfolk-Klaipėda, and the first ship arrived in Klaipėda on March 26, the port authority said. MSC has already included the port of Klaipėda in three of its shipping lines: in mid-March, it was included in a route connecting Lithuania with Latin America, and last July, Klaipėda was included into the route to India and Pakistan.
Lithuania applies to open trade representative office in Taiwan
Lithuania last week submitted an application to open a trade representative office in Taiwan’s capital Taipei, Martynas Čerkauskas, an adviser to the Lithuanian economy and innovation minister, said on Monday, March 28. The Taipei Times reported that Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs received Lithuania’s request last Saturday. Last September, the Seimas of Lithuania adopted amendments allowing to open representative offices in countries, such as Taiwan, with which Lithuania has no official diplomatic relations. A Taiwanese mission was opened in Vilnius last autumn.
Lithuania’s economic growth to lose steam this year
The Lithuanian central bank, which has worked out three possible economic development scenarios due to continuing uncertainties, said on Tuesday, March 29, that its key message is that the country’s GDP growth is set to decelerate. Gediminas Šimkus, the central bank governor, said it will be between 2.7 percent and 0.5 percent, and average annual inflation, regardless of whether the conventional scenario or the shock scenario materializes, will stand between 10 percent and 11 percent. Last December, the central bank projected 3.6 percent GDP growth for 2022.
Read also: BNN Analyses | War in Ukraine ups Lithuanian Cabinet‘s ratings, but economic fallout can be dire
Lithuania to offer grants to cultural workers from Ukraine
The Lithuanian Ministry of Culture announced on Tuesday, March 29, it will offer monthly grants to cultural and professional art workers who have fled the war in Ukraine and now live in Lithuania. Ukrainian artists will be able to apply for a monthly grant of 600 euros for a period of three months, the ministry said on Tuesday, March 29. Other cultural workers such as translators, restorers and guides are also eligible.
PM calls for people’s critical approach on info on Ukrainians
Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė called on Tuesday, March 29, on people to consider information about Ukrainians allegedly complaining about their living conditions in Lithuania critically, as it may be part of Russian propaganda. However, she stressed the fact that there might be all kinds of people, and, therefore, different real situations can occur. In Lithuania, some 36,300 war refugees have been registered so far.
Russia expels four Lithuanian diplomats
Russia announced its decision on Tuesday, March 29, to send four Lithuanian diplomats out of the country in a tit for tat move for Vilnius’ decision earlier this month.
Lithuania hopes to have at least 150 flight destinations by 2030
Lithuania should have 150 direct flights to and from Lithuania by 2030 and should rise by at least 10 notches to 85th place in the global accessibility ranking, compared to 2019, according to Lithuania’s aviation guidelines. There were direct flights to 94 destinations Lithuania last year. The guidelines also include the goal of ensuring that the sector generates 5 percent of the country’s GDP by 2030. Currently, the Lithuanian aviation generates around 3 percent GDP. Last year, the Vilnius, Kaunas and Palanga airports recorded almost 2.5 million passengers, up 37 percent from 2020. At the end of last year, the Lithuanian airports recorded around 80 percent of the pre-pandemic number of flights.
Police launches probe into «Z» on pro-Ukraine billboard near highway
Lithuania’s police are investigating who painted the letter «Z», which is used to mark Russian army equipment in Ukraine, on a Ukrainian support stand beside a motorway near Vievis. Julija Samorokovskaja, spokeswoman for Vilnius County Police, said that the report was received on Tuesday, March 29. Police officers found that the letter had been painted using black paint and the owner of the billboard is currently being looked for. Administrative proceedings into a breach of public order have been launched. A fine of 300 to 500 euros is proposed for the use of these signs. Currently, the Lithuanian Law on Meetings prohibits the display of flags, coats of arms, uniforms, symbols of Nazi or communist organizations, the performance of the national anthems of Nazi Germany, the USSR or the Lithuanian SSR.
Lithuania turns away 32 irregular migrants
Lithuanian border guards turned away 32 migrants over Tuesday, March 29, attempting to cross into the country from Belarus illegally, the State Border Guard Service (SBGS) said on Wednesday, March 30. On Monday, March 28, Lithuanian border guards pushed 39 irregular migrants back, compared to 20 last Sunday, nine last Saturday, 13 last Friday, 58 last Thursday and 20 last Wednesday. A total of 973 people have been prevented from crossing from Belarus into Lithuania at non-designated places so far this year, compared to 2,585 attempts reported by Latvia and 3,009 by Poland.
President calls on faster grid synchronisation
Lithuania must decouple its electricity grid from Russia as soon as possible, without waiting for the synchronization project with the Continental European system to be completed in 2025, President Gitanas Nausėda said on Thursday, March 31. In his words, Lithuania cannot wait until 2025, because electricity may become another tool of slander and blackmail in the hands of the aggressor. He told that after meeting with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen in Vilnius.
Klaipėda LNG terminal not enough for all Baltic countries
The Klaipėda LNG terminal’s capacity is insufficient to meet the gas demand of all three Baltic countries, Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė said on Thursday, March 31, adding that this issue has to be dealt with.
Lithuania reports 3,355 new COVID-19 cases, 4 deaths
Lithuania recorded 3,355 new coronavirus infections and four deaths from COVID-19 over Thursday, official statistics showed on Friday, April 1. Some 2,850 of the new cases were primary, 503 were secondary and three were tertiary. Some 69.7 percent of the Lithuanian population have received at least one coronavirus vaccine jab so far.
Week in Lithuania: Grants to Ukrainian culture workers, Russia expels Lithuanian diplomats
