Last week, the top news in Lithuania were the moving of Lithuanian diplomat families, non-essential workers out of Ukraine, LFGU leader offering to negotiate with China to normalise ties, as well as the arrival of more German troops to Lithuania-based NATO battle group.
HU-LCD, SDPL continue to lead popularity standings in Lithuania
The ruling conservative Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats, the opposition Social Democratic Party of Lithuania and the recently-founded party of Democrats «For Lithuania» continue to lead party popularity ratings in Lithuania, according to a new survey for Delfi by Spinter Tyrimai, published on Monday, February 14. 11.6 percent (10.8 percent in December) said they would vote for the HU-LCD and 10.2 percent voiced their support to the SDPL (10.9 percent). Both percentages changed within the error. Founded on January 29, the Democrats «For Lithuania» saw their public support rating go up from 7.2 to 8.2 percent. The survey was carried out on January 17-29. The opposition Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union come next with 7.7 percent (6.7 percent), followed by the Liberal Movement with 6.6 percent (7.2 percent).
Backup troops from Germany arrived in Lithuania
A backup contingent from Germany arrived in Lithuania on Monday, February 14, to join the NATO enhanced Forward Present Battle Group stationed in the country, the Ministry of National Defence said. The Rukla-based and German-led NATO enhanced FP Battle Grouo now has some 1,200 troops, including 500 Germans. Germany said earlier it would send in another around 350 troops. Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Belgium, France, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Luxembourg and Iceland have already sent their troops to serve within the NATO enhanced FP Battle Group in Lithuania.
Read also: BNN ANALYSES | Will talks about a reshuffle of Lithuanian Cabinet finally flesh out?
Inflation expected to go down in March
Having further risen in January, inflation in Lithuania has gone close to its peak and is expected to start going down soon, although February’s indicator might still exceed that of January, Economists Indre Genytė-Pikčienė and Žygimantas Mauricas warned on Monday, February 14. Nevertheless, the inflation rate might still remain high, and economist also warn of a potential new jump in prices later this year, driven by growing fertiliser prices that will push food prices up.
Lithuanian moves diplomats’ families, non-essential workers out of Ukraine
Due to the existing tense situation in Ukraine, Lithuania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs is moving diplomats’ families and some non-essential diplomatic workers out of Ukraine, the ministry announced on Tuesday, February 15. Vytautė Šmaižytė-Kuliešienė, spokeswoman for Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis emphasised that the Lithuanian Embassy in Ukraine continues to perform its main functions and the moving does not constitute an evacuation as that would need certain legal mechanisms. The registration is ongoing actively and around 300 people had registered by Monday morning, the spokeswoman said.
Lithuanian service terminates Moscow House land use contract
Lithuania’s National Land service (NLS) has decided to terminate early the land use contract with Moscow House, a Lithuanian-Russian cultural and business cooperation centre, in Vilnius. The NLS made the decision following the Lithuanian Supreme Administrative Court’s ruling stating that Moscow House’s operation poses threat to national security, the service said on Tuesday, February 15. The idea to build Moscow House in Vilnius emerged in July 2004 when Yuri Luzhkov, the then mayor of the Russian capital, attended celebrations of the 750th anniversary of the coronation of King Mindaugas in the Lithuanian capital. It was decided at that time to carry out a similar project in Moscow, too. In its 2017 assessment of threats to national security, Lithuania’s State Security Department said the Moscow House project has a relatively symbolic and practice importance for Russia as a potential instrument for its influence, compatriot policy and public diplomacy.
Lithuania lifts COVID-19 tests for EU arrivals, adds facilitations for third countries
People arriving in Lithuania from other EU member states and some other European countries will no longer need COVID-19 tests, and also more facilitations are planned for people arriving from third countries, Lithuania’s government decided on Tuesday, February 15. It also backed the Health Ministry’s proposal to lift the requirement for additional tests for non-vaccinated people and those who have not had COVID-19 arriving from EEA countries of Switzerland and the UK, as well as from miniature European countries of Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and the Vatican. Health Minister Arūnas Dulkys says there’s no point in keeping the tighter rules as the Omicron variant has already spread in Lithuania and incoming people no longer pose any higher infection risks than local residents.
China calls on Lithuania to change Taiwanese office’s name in all languages
Lithuania has to change the name of the Taiwanese representative office in Vilnius in all languages if it wants to normalize its relations with Beijing, Qu Baihua, China’s acting chargé d’affaires in Lithuania, said on Tuesday, February 15. The office could use the name of Taipei, as similar institutions elsewhere in the world do, according to Qu Baihua, who is currently China’s highest-ranking diplomat in Lithuania.
Lithuania posts lowest export growth in Baltics for 2021
Lithuania has posted the lowest export growth for 2021 among the three Baltic countries, according to figures from Eurostat, the EU statistical office, released on Tuesday, February 15. Exports increased by 21 percent to 34.6 billion euros in Lithuania, imports rose by 30 percent to 37.8 billion euros and Lithuania’s trade deficit stood at 3.2 billion euros last year.
Lithuanian CB imposes fine on Estonia’s LHV for violation
The Bank of Lithuania has reached a decision that AS LHV Pank, part of listed Estonian financial services group LHV Group, has breached the Market Abuse Regulation in fulfilling orders related to a client’s securities and imposed a fine of 200,000 euros on LHV, which LHV Pank is contesting in court. LHV Pank said on Thursday, February 17, it will be contesting the Bank of Lithuania’s decision in court, LHV told the stock exchange.
LFGU leader offers to negotiate with China to normalise ties
Ramūnas Karbauskis, chairman of the opposition Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union, has asked Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė to authorise him to negotiate with China to normalize relations between Vilnius and Beijing, he said on Thursday, February 17.
Lithuania reports 6,604 new COVID-19 cases, five deaths
Lithuania recorded 6,604 new coronavirus infections and five deaths from COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, official statistics showed on Friday, February 18. Overall, 847,900 people in Lithuania have been infected with the coronavirus at least once since the start of the pandemic, and the death toll has reached 8,200. The 14-day infection rate now stands at 4,291.5 per 100,000 people, with the seven-day percentage of positive tests at 50.9 percent.
Week in Lithuania: Opposition seeking talks with China, diplomat families returned from Ukraine, German troops from Germany arrive in Lithuania
