Last week, President Nausėda missed Ukraine war theme in UN chief’s speech, Lithuanian, and Polish soldiers’ joint grave found.
Court rules on BKT expansion deal
Lithuania’s Constitutional Court ruled on Thursday, 22 September, that the legal provision the country’s government applied in 2019 and barred Birių Krovinių Terminalas (Bulk Cargo Terminal, BKT), co–owned by businessman Igor Udovickij and Belarusian fertiliser producer Belaruskalij, from acquiring shares in Nemuno Terminalas, a stevedoring company owned by the Udovickij family, and expanding BKT does not run counter to the country’s Constitution.
BKT lodged an individual appeal with the Constitutional Court after the Supreme Administrative Court of Lithuania ruled against BKT’s request in March 2021.
In its complaint, BKT asked the Constitutional Court to rule whether the provision of the Law on the Protection of Objects of Importance to Ensuring National Security regarding an investor’s relations with foreign institutions, natural or legal persons are in line with the Article of the Constitution, stating that Lithuania’s economy shall be based on the right of private ownership, freedom of individual economic activity and initiative.
Orthodox Church criticises official’s visit to Patriarch of Constantinople
Lithuanian Orthodox Church has criticised a recent meeting of Deputy Foreign Minister Mantas Adomėnas with the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew I, describing it as «acting behind the back».
Adomėnas attended the meeting, which took place in Istanbul on Monday, 19 September, together with Galina Vaščenkaitė, adviser to the Lithuanian prime minister, and Ambassador of Lithuania in Ankara Ričardas Degutis.
Adomėnas would neither confirm nor deny that the meeting also touched upon a possible restoration of canonical subordination to Constantinople.
The Orthodox Churches of Latvia, Estonia and Moldova are the only Orthodox Churches within the canonical jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate that already have the kind of autonomy that is being sought by the Lithuanian Orthodox Church.
Seimas approves zero VAT on heating for two seasons
Lithuanian lawmakers on Thursday, 23 September, backed government’s proposal to introduce a zero VAT rate on district heating for two more winter seasons after 111 MPs voted in favour and nine abstained. As some MPs were concerned that the rate will apply to district heating only, Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė pointed out that the state’s electricity and gas price compensation this year is higher than any VAT rate.
The difference between the gas price paid by consumers and the market price is about four times, she said.
According to the Finance Ministry, the state budget would lose around 54 million euros in revenue in the 2022–2023 heating season because of the VAT relief and would further lose 57 million euros in the 2023–2024 season, provided that prices remain at the same level as in the first half of 2023.
Seimas slaps temporary ban on Russian, Belarusian TV, radio broadcasts
The Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas, on Thursday, 22 September, slapped a temporary ban on Russian and Belarusian TV and radio broadcasts in Lithuania. This was done due to the state of emergency in Lithuania now being limited to zones along the country’s borders with Russia and Belarus instead of its entire territory. A respective legislative amendment was passed in a vote of 113 to zero with four abstentions.
The amendment to the Law on the Provision of Information to the Public imposes a temporary ban on rebroadcasting and online distribution of radio, TV or individual broadcasts by entities established, directly or indirectly owned, controlled or financed by Russia and Belarus. The provision will remain in effect until 16 October, 2024.
Lithuania to decide case–by–case on humanitarian visas for Russians
Lithuania said it would assess each application individually following Riga’s announcement that it will not issue humanitarian visas to Russians avoiding mobilisation. Lithuania’s Foreign Ministry said Lithuania «does not have the objective and capacity to issue humanitarian visas to all Russian citizens who apply for them». Moreover, it said, Lithuania will continue to coordinate its response with regional partners and the European Union. As the Kremlin’s war in Ukraine continues for almost eight months, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a partial mobilization in the country on Wednesday, 21 September.
Proposal on new minimum wage tabled
Lithuania’s ministers of finance and social security and labour confirmed officially that their respective ministries propose to increase the minimum monthly wage by 15%, and the non-taxable income threshold – by almost 16% from January 1, 2003. Finance Minister Gintarė Skaistė said on Wednesday, 21 September, that her mini0stry proposed to increase the maximum applicable non-taxable income threshold by 85 euros, i.e. to 625 euros, from 540 euros, which means an increase of 15.7%. According to the proposals, the minimum monthly wage would be increased by 110 euros, to 840 euros (before tax), while the non–taxable income threshold would be raised by 85 euros, to 625 euros.
Lithuania reports 1 707 new COVID-19 cases, no deaths
Lithuania recorded 1 707 new coronavirus infections and no deaths from COVID-19 over Tuesday, September 20, official statistics showed on Wednesday, September 21. Of the new cases, 1 249 were primary, 447 were secondary and 11 were tertiary. The number of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 now stands at 162, including 12 ICU cases. The daily number of new coronavirus cases remains well below the peak of over 14 000 reached in early February.
Some 70%of the Lithuanian population have received at least one coronavirus vaccine jab so far.
President misses war in Ukraine in UN chief’s speech
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda sain Tuesday, 20 September, he missed the «Ukraine theme» in UN Secretary–General Antonio Guterres’ speech as he opened the UN General Assembly on Tuesday.
In Nausėda’s own words, the war in Ukraine is a necessary topic to discuss as by attacking Ukraine in February, Russian violated the world order that until then was based on respecting agreements, the president said.
Later on Tuesday, 20 September, Nausėda delivered his speech in which he focused on Ukraine, saying that Russia’s propagated war narrative prevails in some parts of the world and needs to be changed.
Lithuanian, Polish soldiers’ joint grave found
A joint grave of Lithuanian and Polish soldiers has been found near the village of Lazdėnai near Elektrėnai, some 30 km west of Vilnius, the local municipality said on Tuesday, 20 September.
A team of archaeologists found the remains of 14 people, according to the Office of Search and Identification of the Polish Institute of National Remembrance, which is carrying out excavation in the area.
The soldiers are believed to have died during the Lithuanian–Polish military conflict of 1919–1920. In 1919–1920, under the pretext of expelling the Bolsheviks, Poland invaded Lithuania and took control of the Vilnius and Suwalki regions.
Border guards refuse entry to 18 Russian citizens
Lithuania refused entry to 18 Russian citizens since the coming into force of a more stringent entry procedure for Russian citizens in the Baltic countries and Poland on Monday, 19 September.
Giedrius Mišutis, the spokesman for the State Border Guard Service (SBGS), said that about equal numbers of Russian citizens had been barred from entering the territory of Lithuania at checkpoints on the Lithuanian–Russian border and the Lithuanian–Belarusian border between 12 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Monday, 19 September.