Last week, Lithuania said it may accept several dozens of refugees from Italy, Nord Security raised USD 100 million
Baltic fishermen picket over EU fishing quota cuts
Baltic fishermen staged a picket in Lithuania’s Baltic Sea resort of Palanga on Friday, the 29th of September, as the European Commission is considering reducing sprat and herring quotas for 2024. From 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., fishermen from Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Poland were picketing at a Palanga hotel where European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries Virginijus Sinkevičius is hosting the international Our Baltic Conference on the future of the Baltic Sea. The picket is aimed at drawing attention to a reduction of sprat and herring quotas that is currently being discussed by the Commission. Businesses say the proposed cuts run counter to scientists’ recommendations and EU member states’ positions. Algirdas Ausra, director of Baltijos Žvejas (Baltic Fisherman), an association of fishermen and fish processors, says such reductions would devastate the Baltic Sea fishing industry and would only benefit Russian fishermen who are not subject to these restrictions.
Lithuanian Post to to lay off 400 letter carriers
Lietuvos Paštas (Lithuanian Post) said on Friday, the 29th of September, it is set to lay off about 400 employees as part of a streamlining of its network of letter carriers in response to the falling demand for traditional postal services and changing customer mailing habits. The state-owned postal company says the overhaul will allow it to introduce a five-day week for all letter carriers. Lietuvos Paštas says that it has earmarked a total of around 800 000 euros for the severance payments to the laid-off workers and that its HR specialists will provide professional advice on job search.
Lithuania may voluntarily accept dozens of refugees from Italy
Lithuania could voluntarily take in a dozen or several dozen refugees from Italy as the southern country is facing a large influx of refugees, Interior Vice Minister Arnoldas Abramavičius said on Thursday, the 28h of September, adding that a government commission will decide on the matter. His comment came in response to reports that a large number of illegal migrants have recently arrived on the Italian island of Lampedusa. Some 8 500 people have reportedly landed on the island in just three days, and the total number has already exceeded 133 000 this year, which is almost double from the same period last year.
Language watchdog chief asked to quit after derogatory remark
Audrius Valotka, head of Lithuania’s State Language Inspectorate, has been asked to resign after another derogatory remark about people of other nationalities, Culture Minister Simonas Kairys said on Thursday, the 28th of September. According to Kairys, since Valotka is a civil servant rather than a political appointee, he cannot be dismissed by expressing no confidence in him. Monika Gimbutaitė, a cultural figure, posted on Facebook earlier in September that Valotka said during the REDA conference that “children’s rights are being violated by all sorts of ride-hailing drivers speaking some čiurku languages.” Valotka later told the LRT website that he misspoke and that it was a misunderstanding. “I meant ‘tiurku’, but pronounced ‘čiurku’,” he said. In August, the State Language Inspectorate’s head received a reprimand after, on LRT radio, he drew parallels between the desire of ethnic Poles living in Vilnius District to have signs in their mother tongue and the situation in the Russian-occupied Donbas region of Ukraine.
MPs decide to turn to Constitutional Court over Istanbul Convention
The Lithuanian parliament decided on Wednesday, the 27th of September, to ask for the Constitutional Court’s opinion on whether the Istanbul Convention is in line with the country’s Constitution. The Constitutional Court will be asked whether the norms of the Istanbul Convention on gender from a social perspective, gender-based violence against women, and the inclusion of material on non-stereotypical gender roles in the official education curriculum, among other things, are compatible with the Constitution. Adopted in 2011, the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention) was signed by Lithuania on June 7, 2013, but has not been ratified yet. The Istanbul Convention was submitted to the Lithuanian parliament for ratification by former President Dalia Grybauskaitė, but the process has stalled due to political disagreements on some of the document’s provisions.
Nord Security raises USD 100 million
Lithuanian-founded cybersecurity solutions company Nord Security has secured a new 100-million-US-dollar investment from US private equity firm Warburg Pincus, boosting its valuation to three billion dollars. Nord Security says the funds will be used to expand its product range and that of Surfshark, another Lithuanian-founded cybersecurity company, in various markets around the world and for potential strategic acquisitions. This marks the second time Nord Security has attracted external financing. In April 2022, the company raised 100 million dollars from Britain’s alternative investment firm Novator, reaching a valuation of 1.6 billion US dollars and becoming Lithuania’s second unicorn, a start-up valued at 1 billion dollars or more. Tom Okman, co-founder of Nord Security, says the investment will help the company to further strengthen its position. Nord Security was founded in Lithuania in 2012 by Okman and Eimantas Sabaliauskas, both Lithuanians, who wanted to create an easily accessible internet security and privacy tool for everyone.
President signs law banning fur farms
On Wednesday, the 27th of September, President Gitanas Nausėda signed into law a bill banning fur farms. The Law on Animal Welfare and Protection, passed by the parliament last week, calls for phasing out fur farms in Lithuania by 2027. Fur farmers’ representatives said last week that they would ask Nausėda to veto the law banning their business, but the president said on Monday, the 25September, that he would sign it “because it is in line with my principles”. Fur farms’ owners will receive compensation, but they complain that the payouts will be too small to cover their losses. Lithuania becomes the 20th country in Europe to ban fur farming.
Lithuanian footballers won’t play against Russians after UEFA lifts ban
The Lithuanian Football Federation said on Tuesday, the 26th of September, that Lithuanian footballers will not play against the Russians after the UEFA Executive Committee on Tuesday decided to reinstate Russia’s U17 teams to international competitions. According to the LFF, although all national teams and clubs were immediately suspended when Russia started its war against Ukraine, the UEFA Executive Committee reversed the decision on Tuesday and allowed Russian youth teams to return to international competition from the start of this season.
Navickienė mulls vying for HU-LCD presidential election nomination
Lithuanian Social Security and Labor Minister Monika Navickienė said on Monday, the 25th of September, she is considering taking part in the ruling conservative Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats’ primary election to pick the party’s candidate for the upcoming presidential election. She says she’s her as a candidate 62 times. The party’s data shows that Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė has been proposed as a candidate 66 times, followed by the party’s leader Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis (64 times), MP Laurynas Kasčiūnas (54 times), Defence Minister Arvydas Anušauskas (42 times) and MP Paulius Saudargas (41 times). The other candidates have not yet made their position clear on their participation in the party’s primary elections in mid-November. Lithuanian will elect a new president in the spring. Opinion polls show incumbent President Gitanas Nausėda is the clear leader, and the TOP-are also includes lawyer Ignas Vegele and Šimonytė.
President meets with Ukrainian MPs, vows continuous support
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda met with a group of Ukrainian lawmakers visiting Lithuania on Monday, the 25th of September, and vowed to continue pooling political support for Ukraine. He also urged Ukraine to continue efforts to fight corruption and money laundering in pursuit of EU membership. The Lithuanian leader stressed that politicians’ job is to mobilize political support for Ukraine, and assured that Lithuania consistently urges its allies to increase and accelerate military support for Ukraine
Week in Lithuania | MPs decide to turn to Constitutional Court over Istanbul Convention, President signs law banning fur farms
