Several dozen hotel and restaurant owners and managers protested outside the Lithuanian government office in central Vilnius on September 27 over the government’s plans to end VAT exemptions for catering businesses. Lower VAT rates were introduced to prop up the sector during the Covid-19 pandemic and would expire at the end of the year. The…
The Bank of Lithuania has downgraded its economic growth forecast for next year. Instead of the previously planned 3.4%, the country’s economy is now expected to grow by only 0.9%. “The forecast for 2023 is being significantly downgraded. This is mainly related to the weaker household consumption,” said Gediminas Simkus, board chairman of the Bank…
One in five people in Lithuania were at risk of poverty last year, according to data from the Lithuanian Statistics Department. In 2021, the at-risk-of-poverty rate in Lithuania was 20%, according to Inga Masiulaityte-Sukevic, Deputy Director of the Lithuanian Statistics Department. “Compared to 2020, the at-risk-of-poverty rate has decreased by 0.9% and by 2.9% over…
Together with Associated British Ports (ABP), Unifeeder has launched a new service from Klaipeda to the Port of Immingham, UK, according to the company’s release. The new route is a weekly sailing offering faster transit times, with the vessel leaving Klaipeda on Friday and Immingham on Monday. The maiden voyage saw the Elbspring vessel arrive…
The trade union of Vilniaus Public Transport (VVT) workers is seeking to improve working conditions and therefore is calling a strike “to the bitter end”. A bus driver says it is a result of the management’s failures to address long-brewing issues. The action is to start on October 3, the union leader Algirdas Markevicius has…
Lithuanian lawmakers 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 would apply to district heating only, Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte pointed out that the state’s electricity and gas price…
With some Lithuanian MPs proposing to legislate the right of workers to be unavailable after working hours, trade unions say the scale of the issue is huge. Employers, meanwhile, do not see a problem. The Vilnius-based law firm Cobalt employs over 120 lawyers, paralegals and support staff. The lawyers’ union has been working for some…