Last week, the top news in Lithuania were the suspension of Covid health pass requirement for up to 16-year-olds, a grim record of 4,635 new Covid-19 cases in one day and a very high inflation in 2021.
Lithuania’s annual inflation to go over 7 percent this year
Lithuania’s annual inflation is likely to exceed 7 percent this year, in contrast to earlier expectations that it would ease to below 5 percent, Swedbank Lithuania’s chief economist Nerijus Mačiulis said on Monday, January 10. Last November, Swedbank forecast that Lithuania’s annual inflation would decelerate to around 4.4 percent in 2022. Mačiulis expects inflation to keep rising in the winter.
Lithuania to step up support to Ukraine amid Russia’s military build-up
Lithuania plans to ramp up support to Ukraine by increasing the number of military instructors and handing over both lethal and non-lethal equipment, Defence Minister Arvydas Anušauskas said after the State Defence Council’s meeting on Monday, January 10. Lithuania plans to hand over thermal imaging equipment to Ukraine shortly, the minister said, adding that the respective government resolution is currently being drafted.
President says public, politicians have to decide on women’s military draft
The general public and politicians have to decide whether universal military conscription in Lithuania should include women, Darius Kuliešius, President Gitanas Nausėda’s chief national security advisor, said on Tuesday, January 11. A recent feasibility study by the Defence Ministry looked into the possibility of a universal military draft for both men and women and only for men. It found that the former option would take more time and would require much more investment.
Minister sees ‘small crisis’ with China as opportunity
Vilnius’ raft with Beijing over the opening of a Taiwanese representative office means a boost for Lithuania to become one of the most competitive countries in the region, Economy and Innovation Minister Aušrinė Armonaitė said on Tuesday, January 11. The minister added that the government is planning to double the number of commercial representative offices around the world to encourage Lithuanian companies to look for new markets. To increase its competitiveness, Lithuania has to become an even more tax-friendly country, and perhaps consider a zero corporate income tax, according to Armonaitė. In her words, Lithuania now needs to deepen its economic links with Taiwan, despite China’s wrath.
Lithuania suspends Covid-19 health pass requirement for up to 16-year-olds
The Lithuanian government said on Wednesday, January 12, it was temporarily suspending the requirement for children aged up to 16 years to have a Covid-19 health pass to enter some public places. Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė confirmed that the requirement for teenagers under 16 will be postponed. The requirement for children aged between 12 and 15 years is being suspended so that the testing of children does not put additional pressure on the infrastructure already under strain due to the rapid spread of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, according to Šimonytė. Instead, the government has decided to hand out rapid tests to children in schools, so that they can get tested before going back to school, according to the prime minister.
Read also: BNN ANALYSES | «Insane» heating bills startle Vilnius residents
Lithuania reports 4,635 new coronavirus cases, 6 deaths
Lithuania registered 4,635 new coronavirus infections – the highest daily figure on record – and six deaths from Covid-19 over Tuesday, the country’s statistics office said on Wednesday, January 12. All of the fatalities were either not vaccinated or only partially vaccinated. The 14-day infection rate has risen to 1,281.7 per 100,000 people, and the seven-day percentage of positive tests has climbed to 18.6 percent. Overall, nearly 552,000 people in Lithuania have tested positive for Covid-19 since the start of the pandemic. The death toll has reached almost 7,600.
FA committee picks Andrikienė as its new chair
Members of the Lithuanian parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs on Wednesday, January 12, unanimously picked Laima Liucija Andrikienė, a Conservative MP, as its new chairperson. The final decision on the appointment of the new committee chair will be adopted by the full chamber. The committee chairperson’s seat was left vacant after the resignation of Žygimantas Pavilionis, who stepped down earlier this year, as demanded by the ruling Homeland Union–Lithuanian Christian Democrats’ political group in the Seimas for what the Group called «inappropriate statements». The Homeland Union’s political group on December 21 gave Pavilionis until January 3 to step down.
Vilnius could host EU’s anti-money laundering authority
Lithuania is willing to host the European Union’s (EU) Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA) in Vilnius, Finance Minister Gintare Skaistė has said after a meeting on Wednesday, January 12, with Paschal Donohoe, Minister for Finance for Ireland and President of the Eurogroup. The creation of this new authority is a core element of a package of legislative proposals presented by the European Commission with the aim to strengthen the EU’s anti-money laundering and countering terrorism financing (AML/CFT) rules.
Germany’s IT firm GOD enters Lithuania
Germany’s IT company GOD is setting up units in Vilnius and Kaunas, with plans to hire up to 200 specialists in the next three years, Invest Lithuania said on Thursday, January 13. GOD Lithuania CEO Vilma Khmaladze said the company had been planning to expand to Lithuania for some time now.
Lithuanian Railways mulls to order new electric trains
LTG Link, the passenger transportation arm of Lietuvos Geležinkeliai (Lithuanian Railways, LTG), announced on Thursday, January 13, it is planning to sign in the third quarter of 2022 a contract worth over 200 million euros to purchase new electric trains. The state-owned railway group said train manufacturers have submitted their first offers in the public procurement procedure, but it did not disclose the number of bids received. A Vilnius court last spring temporarily suspended the bidding process after a company of the Czech group Skoda, a potential bidder, filed a lawsuit challenging its terms. It is planed that the single-platform electric trains will be able to reach speeds of up to 160 kilometres per hour.
Head of major Vilnius hospital, 4 doctors in bribery probe
The Lithuanian Special Investigation Service (STT) said on Friday, January 14, that it had opened an investigation into suspected bribery in Vilnius City Clinical Hospital. Formal suspicions have been brought against five individuals: Narimantas Markevičius, the hospital’s director, and four doctors, it said. The pre-trial investigation was launched following a patient’s complaint that a bribe was demanded from them. STT suspects that the hospital’s doctors demand and accepted bribes from patients for medical services and surgeries, ranging from 100 to 400 euros per service.
Week in Lithuania: President says public, politicians to decide on women’s military draft
