Week in Lithuania | Prime Minister remains silent on rumors about Landsbergis’ employment in the EU and termination of several agreements with Russia and Belarus

Lithuania last week opposed Russia’s changing maritime borders and wants a joint response from the EU and NATO

IMF mission begins work in Lithuania

A mission from the International Monetary Fund began its work in Lithuania on Friday May 24. Led by Borja Gracia, the mission will work in Vilnius until June 7, the Bank of Lithuania said. During these two weeks, IMF experts will meet with the heads of the Bank of Lithuania, representatives of the Ministry of Finance and other public institutions, as well as the private sector. “IMF experts will familiarize themselves with the overall macroeconomic situation in Lithuania and developments in the labor market. The meetings with representatives of the institutions will also include discussions on fiscal policy, the structural reform program and financial sector regulation,” the central bank said in its statement.

New LCI whip commits to making the voice of Lithuanian industrialists heard more

Vidmantas Janulevičius, re-elected on Thursday (May 23) president of the Lithuanian Confederation of Industrialists (LCI) for a second four-year term, declared that he intended to play a more active role in representing the country’s industry in the corridors. of the European Union. Janulevičius believes that it is necessary to make the voices of Lithuanian industrialists heard more in Brussels to ensure that European legislation is more favorable to local businesses. “We need more influence in Brussels because 80% of laws come from there and land here as fact. So, as long as they arrive here as a fact, there is no chance to communicate, to talk and to change anything,” the LCI president told journalists. Janulevičius, chairman of the board of high-tech group BOD Group which he founded, also said that the organization’s members should increasingly move from the production of physical goods to the electronic service sector.

Prime Minister does not comment on Landsbergis’ chances of joining the European Commission

Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė refused on Thursday (May 23) to comment on the chances of Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis, leader of the ruling conservative Fatherland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats (HU-LCD) party, to become the next European Commissioner of Lithuania, saying such discussion is premature until the results of June’s European elections are known. Šimonytė noted, however, that Lithuania would likely nominate its candidate for the next Commission during the term of the current Seimas and government. “First of all, let’s wait for the votes from key constituencies to come in, as they say,” she told reporters when asked if the government would nominate Landsbergis for the European Commission.

Lithuania wants joint EU-NATO response to Russian plans to change maritime borders

Vilnius is seeking a unified response from the European Union and NATO to recent reports that Russia plans to revise its maritime borders with Lithuania and Finland, Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė said on Thursday (May 23). According to a document prepared by the Russian Defense Ministry, the Kremlin intends to declare as internal maritime waters part of the Baltic Sea east of the Gulf of Finland, as well as near the cities of Baltiysk and Zelenogradsk , in the Kaliningrad region. The document suggests that on the border with Lithuania, the Curonian Spit region, Cape Taran, the area south of Cape Taran and the Baltic Spit would be revised. Following the report, Baltic and Finnish leaders said they were cooperating and gathering information and urged avoiding unnecessary confusion. Šimonytė said that while some agreements allow for “some or other changes,” the Kremlin’s plans remain unclear.

Lithuania to launch new auction for its second offshore wind farm in early 2025

Lithuania plans to launch a new tender procedure for its second 700 megawatt (MW) offshore wind farm in the Baltic Sea in early 2025, Energy Minister Dainius Kreivys said on Wednesday (May 22). The second tender, which offered a state incentive to the successful bidder, failed as only one bid was submitted in mid-April, that of Ignitis Renewables, a subsidiary of the Lithuanian energy group controlled by the State, Ignitis Group. At least two offers were required for the tender to be issued.

Lithuania plans permanent fortifications on Russia-Belarus borders

Lithuania plans to install permanent fortifications on its borders with Russia and Belarus to prevent any possible movement of hostile forces, Lithuanian Defense Minister Laurynas Kasčiūnas told reporters on Wednesday (May 22), adding that this plan should be done by the end of May. summer or early fall. Lithuania also plans to fill a dozen so-called anti-mobility parks by the end of summer, which can be used if necessary to install more fortifications. Kasčiūnas undertakes to present an “anti-mobility plan” by the end of June which will contain more information on anti-mobility parks, anti-mobility measures and the aforementioned permanent fortifications. Metal hedgehogs, reinforced concrete blocks and tetrahedra, accordions and other defensive equipment are used to build fortifications.

Government approves changes in military structure to create tank division and battalion

The Lithuanian government on Wednesday (May 22) approved legislative amendments aimed at changing the structure of the armed forces to create new units – an infantry division and a tank battalion. The amendments to the law on the principle structure of the armed forces, drafted by the Ministry of Defense, call for the development of the infantry division through the creation of new units or the strengthening of existing ones. As part of the development of the infantry division, the ministry proposed to create an artillery regiment and reorganize the engineering battalion Colonel Juozas Vitkus and the air defense battalion of the Air Force into regiments, and the King Mindaugas hussar battalion into a tank battalion. According to the Ministry of Defense, the weapons systems necessary for the expansion have already been ordered. The bill also provides for the creation of two other new military units: the Navy’s Port Protection and Coastal Defense Unit, and the Cyber ​​Defense Command, comprised of the Grand Communications and Information Systems Battalion. -Lithuanian Duke Kristupas Radvila Perkūnas and the Information Technology Department. The bill has not yet been approved by Parliament.

Lithuania to terminate several agreements with Russia and Belarus

Lithuania plans to terminate several bilateral agreements with Russia and Belarus which could be replaced by multilateral agreements, the country’s government announced on Tuesday (May 21). Among them are Lithuania’s agreements with the governments of Russia and Belarus on investment promotion and protection, as well as trade and economic relations. The Ministry of Justice has also prepared a proposal to denounce the agreement with Russia on legal assistance and legal relations in civil, family and criminal matters, while the Ministry of Finance has developed a proposal to denounce the agreement with Russia to avoid double taxation. of income and capital and on the prevention of tax irregularities. At the end of last year, the Interior Ministry also terminated the 1993 agreement with Belarus on cooperation in the areas of ministerial management.

Lithuania plans to purchase Iris-T air defense systems from Germany

Lithuania plans to acquire Iris-T medium-range air defense systems from Germany, Lithuanian Defense Minister Laurynas Kasčiūnas said after meeting his German counterpart Boris Pistorius in the Lithuanian resort town of Palanga , on the Baltic Sea, Tuesday May 21. According to Kasčiūnas, the German defense industry is developing and producing effective weapons. Lithuania also plans to purchase Leopard 2 tanks from Germany and has already purchased Boxer infantry fighting vehicles. Pistorius says Germany will take steps to speed up production of this equipment. It was reported in September 2023 that Estonia and Latvia signed a joint agreement to purchase Iris-T systems from German manufacturer Diehl for around one billion euros.

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