Last week, Lithuania, CoE agreed to set up an info point for Belarusian people in Vilnius; MPs barred Chinese firms from solar, and wind farm control systems
CEC confirms parliamentary mandates for four politicians
Lithuania’s Central Electoral Commission (CEC) confirmed on Friday, the 15th of November, parliamentary mandates for four politicians set to replace their colleagues who were elected in last month’s election but declined to take their seats. Gabrielius Landsbergis, the former leader of the conservative Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats (HU-LCD), who decided not to stay in the Seimas any longer, will be replaced by Vytautas Juozapaitis, an opera singer who has been an MP since 2012. Rimas Jankūnas, who ran on the Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union ticket, will replace Aurelijus Veryga, Rūta Miliūtė, an MP since 2016, will replace Virginijus Sinkevičius of the Democratic Union “For Lithuania”, and Kaunas District Deputy Mayor Paulius Visockas will replace Vilija Blinkevičiūtė, leader of the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (LSDP).
Lithuania’s new members of parliament sworn in
The 14th Seimas of Lithuania held its inaugural session on Thursday, the 14th of November, during which Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė’s cabinet formally returned its mandate to the president. The 2024–2028 parliamentary term opened with a swearing-in ceremony for new members. Meanwhile, outside the parliament, activists protested against the inclusion of the Nemunas Dawn party, led by Remigijus Žemaitaitis, in the new ruling coalition, as Žemaitaitis is currently facing trial for alleged anti-Semitic remarks.
New Speaker to pay first visit to Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Ukraine
Lithuania’s newly elected Seimas Speaker Saulius Skvernelis said on Thursday, the 14th of November, that he is considering paying his first visit to Latvia, Estonia, Poland, or Ukraine. Reportedly, Skvernelis had a phone conversation with his Ukrainian counterpart Ruslan Stefanchuk soon after his election. The latter said during his visit to Vilnius in October he had no doubt that Lithuania’s new government would continue supporting Ukraine. Prior, Lithuania’s new, 2024-2028 Seimas, was sworn in.
Šimonytė’s Cabinet returns mandate to President
Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė returned her Cabinet’s mandate to President Gitanas Nausėda on Thursday, the 14th of November. After their meeting, Nausėda asked Šimonytė to continue in a caretaker role until a new government is formed, the president’s office said in a press release. Nausėda now has 15 days to nominate a new prime minister to the parliament for approval. Earlier on Thursday, Nausėda accepted the resignation of Radvilė Morkūnaitė-Mikulėnienė as education, science, and sport minister. She will run for deputy speaker of the new parliament.
President tells the new parliament to keep promises daily
Welcoming the members of Lithuania’s newly elected parliament on Thursday, the 14th of November, President Gitanas Nausėda warned of the responsibilities and challenges that come with holding power, stressing that keeping promises should be an everyday practice, not something done on occasion. The president emphasized that the current geopolitical situation will not allow any respite, and complex external challenges will not make domestic decisions any easier. He also mentioned Lithuania’s EU presidency in 2027 among the challenges and opportunities facing the country in the 2024-2028 legislative period. The president also underlined the parliament’s responsibility for how people feel and whether there is concord among them. He also urged MPs to pay less attention to social media and more to real decisions.
Outgoing Cabinet agrees to buy shells from Rheinmetall without a tender
The government on Wednesday, the 13th of November, gave the green light for purchasing 155mm artillery shells for the Lithuanian Armed Forces’ German-made PzH 2000 and French-made Caesar self-propelled howitzers from Germany’s defence giant Rheinmetall without public procurement procedures. The Cabinet adopted the draft resolution as Rheinmetall prepares to manufacture ammunition of this calibre in Lithuania and as the country seeks to ensure the factory also produces shells needed for its Armed Forces’ artillery systems. The resolution allows bypassing the tender process to purchase the ammunition from local manufacturers, and, in their absence, from Rheinmetall or its subsidiaries in other countries.
Lithuania raises airport operator’s capital
As Lithuania prepares to launch new direct air routes to the United States, Germany, Spain, Israel, and other major business and political hubs, the government decided on Wednesday, the 13th of November, to increase the capital of Lietuvos Oro Uostai (Lithuanian Airports, LTOU) by an additional five million euros. This marks the second capital increase for the state-owned airport operator this year. According to the Transport Ministry, a tender procedure is already underway to select a carrier to operate regular flights between Vilnius and Madrid, with further tenders planned in the coming years for flights between the Lithuanian capital and Tel Aviv, Geneva, Stuttgart, and Gothenburg, as well as between Kaunas and Warsaw, and between Palanga and Hamburg.
Lithuania, CoE agree to set up info point for Belarusian people in Vilnius
Lithuania and the Council of Europe (CoE) on Wednesday, the 13th of November, agreed to cooperate in setting up the Council of Europe Information Point for Belarusian people in Vilnius. The agreement was signed by Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis and CoE Deputy Secretary General Bjorn Berge, the human rights organization said in a press release. Belarus’ exiled opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya welcomed the move, thanking the Lithuanian government and the CoE.
Lithuania’s Customs set to employ AI to detect undeclared goods
An X-ray image analysis system based on artificial intelligence is being developed at the request of the Lithuanian Customs and it will be used to detect undeclared suspicious items, the service said on Tuesday, the 12th of November. The 2.231-million-euro project is being implemented by the programming companies that are part of the IT group Novian in cooperation with Rubedo Sistemos. The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2025. Darius Žvironas, director general of the Customs Department, says the new system will improve the analysis and ensure more transparent and efficient monitoring of domestic and international trade.
Prosecutor seeks to lift of Žemaitaitis’ immunity in the new parliament
Prosecutor Justas Laucius asked the Vilnius Regional Court on Tuesday, the 12th of November, to initiate the process of lifting the legal immunity of Remigijus Žemaitaitis in the new parliament. Prosecutor General Nida Grunskienė will have to formally ask the Seimas to strip the MP of his immunity. The move comes as the court examines a case in which the leader of the Dawn of the Nemunas party is charged with inciting hatred against the Jewish people. Žemaitaitis has promised to waive his immunity.
Lithuania to get 463 million euros in RRF funding from EC
On Tuesday, 12th November, the European Commission gave a positive preliminary assessment to Lithuania’s third payment request of 463 million euros under the Recovery and Resilience Facility. It will include 175 million euros in grants and 288 million euros in loans, the European Commission Representation in Lithuania said. Following its assessment of the payment request submitted on September 16, the Commission has preliminarily concluded that Lithuania has satisfactorily completed the 25 milestones and three targets. Lithuania’s payment request has to do with 28 indicators in the areas of electricity storage facilities, medical services, education programs, renewable energy as well as the tax collection system.
Parliament approves gambling advertising restrictions
The Lithuanian parliament on Monday, the 11th of November, approved restrictions on gambling advertising, set to take effect from next July. Among other things, MPs backed a proposal from the parliamentary Committee on Budget and Finance to allow up to three betting ad spots of up to 15 seconds each per hour on television, radio, and online between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. and up to two per hour between 6 p.m. and midnight. For online media, betting ads without a direct link to the gaming operator’s website will be limited to 20% of advertising space from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., and 10% from 6 p.m. to midnight.
MPs bar Chinese firms from solar, and wind farm control systems
Lithuanian lawmakers on Monday, the 11th of November, blocked companies from China and other countries posing a threat to national security from getting access to the control systems of solar and wind farms and batteries larger than 100 kW and being able to remotely control them. In all, 79 MPs voted in favour of the amendments to the Law on Electricity, drafted by the Energy Ministry, there was one vote against and six abstentions. The changes will enter into force on the 1st of May, 2025. China is among the countries that, according to Lithuania’s National Security Strategy, pose a threat to Lithuania’s national security and national security interests.