The Lithuanian defense minister continues to insist that he has not disclosed secret information, while the Vilnius court has rejected the request to register same-sex marriage.
MP says shutting down some border crossings with Belarus “a matter of time”
The closure of some Lithuanian border checkpoints is only “a matter of time” because of Wagner mercenaries’ presence in Belarus, Laurynas Kasčiūnas, chairman of the parliamentary Committee on National Security and Defence (CNSD), said on Friday, the 4th of August. President Gitanas Nausėda said during his visit to Poland’s northeastern Suwalki Region on Thursday, the 3rd of August, that Vilnius, Warsaw, and Riga had to be ready to close their borders with Belarus together if the security situation deteriorated because of the Wagner mercenaries. Polish officials have said the authorities are considering a complete closure of the border with Belarus.
Jewish community calls for monument’s removal
The Jewish Community of Lithuania has once again called for the removal the monument to partisan Juozas Krikštaponis in Ukmergė after the director of the Genocide and Resistance Research Centre of Lithuania failed to make a decision on its removal. Vytas Luksys, the GRRCL’s acting director, said on Thursday, the 3rd of August, Krikštaponis still has the status of a volunteer soldier, so no decision has yet been made on his removal. In his words, the GRRCL turned to the Prosecutor General’s Office last week for it to analyse the archival certificate again and to decide on the legality of granting the status of a volunteer soldier. Meanwhile, the Jewish community believes this is “clear procrastination and an attempt to shift responsibility to another organisation.”
Lithuanian ex-pats hold congress in Palanga
Members of the Lithuanian World Community (LWC) on Thursday, the 3rd of August, unveiled the sculpture of the World Lithuanian Angel in the district of Trakai before heading to the Baltic Sea resort of Palanga for the expatriate organisation’s congress to be held on the 4th to the 6th of August. The LWC has said the events mark the 65th anniversary of the organisation. The congress in Palanga, entitled “For Lithuanians, Citizenship and Solidarity”, brought together members of the LWC Board, representatives of Lithuanian communities from 30 countries, and Lithuanian officials. LWC Chairwoman Dalia Henke said the meetings will focus on the vision of the future and current issues facing the community, rather than on its history.
Lithuanian president, Polish PM meet in Suwalki
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda met with Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki in northeastern Poland on Thursday, the rd of August, to discuss the security situation in the Suwalki Gap following the relocation of some of the mercenaries of the private Russian military group Wagner to Belarus. The two officials discussed the security situation at the border with Belarus, the threats posed by the presence of the Wagner paramilitary groups in Belarus, and the readiness to counter them.
Roma Genocide Remembrance Day commemorated
The Roma Genocide Remembrance Day was on Wednesday, the 2nd of August commemorated at the Paneriai Memorial in Vilnius, the Roma community said. A symbolic chariot wheel representing the Roma people was unveiled during the event, flowers were laid, and the Roma persecuted and killed during World War II were honoured. According to sources, some 8,000 people of various nationalities were buried here, and Roma people were among them. The event was also attended by US Ambassador to Lithuania Robert S. Gilchrist, Vida Montvydaitė, director of the Department of National Minorities, MP Vilija Targamadze, Faina Kukliansky, chair of the Jewish Community of Lithuania,, as well as diplomats and representatives of the presidential office, government and NGOs.
Defence minister insists he didn’t publish classified information
Lithuanian Defence Minister Arvydas Anušauskas continues to reject accusations that he published classified information after the recent meeting of the country’s State Defence Council. However, he says his published information could look like classified. Meanwhile, in an interview with the delfi.lt new website on Tuesday, the 1st of August, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda said the information disclosed by Anušauskas about plans to buy German Leopard tanks was of ‘restricted use’ and was not properly declassified. Anušauskas refrained to comment on the president’s remarks.
Lithuania’s Ignitis, Danish fund keen to develop wind farms
Lithuanian energy group AB Ignitis grupe said on Tuesday, the 2nd of August, that its subsidiary UAB Ignitis renewables and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners P/S, through its New Markets Fund I, entered into an agreement earlier on Tuesday to collaborate exclusively on offshore wind opportunities in Estonia and Latvia and intend to jointly bid in the upcoming offshore wind tenders in these countries.
Anti-graft body seeks 746,000 euro in extra funding
Lithuania’s Special Investigation Service (SIS) wants to recruit more staff to beef up its criminal prosecution function, but this requires an additional 746,000 euros, Linas Pernavas, the anti-corruption agency’s new director, said on Tuesday, the 1st of August. Pernavas told reporters after meeting with President Gitanas Nausėda that the amount would finance 22 posts, adding that the SIS has discussed the issue of increased funding with the Finance Ministry. The SIS currently has a total of 320 posts, of which 45 are vacant and 22 “are not funded at all”, according to the official.The remaining 23 unfilled posts are vacant because the funds available for them are used to pay the agency’s existing staff for overtime and for other needs, according to Pernavas. The SIS investigates corruption crimes, prevents corruption and provides analytical anti-corruption intelligence.
Lithuania’s LFGU will nominate Veryga for president
The Council of the opposition Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union on Tuesday, the 1st of August, decided to nominate MP and former Health Minister Aurelijus Veryga for president. Lithuania will elect a new president in May of 2024. Veryga served as an adviser to then Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius on the prevention of drug, alcohol and tobacco use from 2009-2012. And he was the country’s health minister from 2016 to 2020. Veryga joint the party in 2018.
BGS buys Estonia’s into-plane fuelling co Naftelf Eesti
Baltic Ground Services (BGS), a Vilnius-based ground handling, aircraft fuelling and logistics services provider, has bought Naftelf Eesti, an into-plane fuelling company at Tallinn Airport, for an undisclosed amount of money. BGS CEO Gytis Gumuliauskas said on Tuesday, the 1st of August, the acquisition is strengthening the company’s presence in the Estonian aircraft fuelling market. BGS, which is part of Gediminas Ziemelis’ aviation business group Avia Solutions Group, currently operates in ten airports in Europe, including Vilnius, Kaunas and Palanga.
Omniva LT starts construction of parcel sorting terminal in Kaunas
Omniva LT, the operator of the largest network of parcel lockers in Lithuania, on Tuesday, the 1st of August, launched the construction of a parcel sorting terminal in Kaunas Free Economic Zone (FEZ), with plans to invest over 40 million euros in the facility and sorting technology. Omniva LT expects the construction to be completed in the second quarter of 2024. The terminal will handle all of the company’s deliveries in Lithuania and some of its international parcels to and from all three Baltic countries and will become its central hub in Lithuania.
Lithuanian court turns down request to register gay marriage
A Vilnius court has rejected a request to oblige the Vilnius City Civil Registry Office to register a same-sex marriage and enter the marriage contract in the Register of Marriage Contracts. The case was heard closed doors, and the Vilnius District Court only published the ruling stating that the application on the registration of the civil status act was rejected. The decision can still be appealed with the Vilnius Regional Court. In April, the Vilnius City District Court already rejected the request to register the same-sex partnership in the register of civil status acts, stating that there’s no legal act that could be used to satisfy the applicants’ request, apart from the Law on Partnerships. The court then pointed out that although the Constitutional Court recognizes that the concept of family is gender neutral, it does not create new norms as it must be done by the parliament.
Week in Lithuania: Jewish community calls for monument’s removal; expats hold congress in Palanga
