The 24-meter-long Solaris Trollino 24 Metrostyle is the longest vehicle ever used by Vilnius, exceeding its closest rivals by 6 meters. The bus will course along Konstitucijos Avenue, Antakalnis and Sauletekis (the No. 19 trolleybus route) until mid-January 2022. The city will be testing the new vehicle to see if buses that long are practicable.…
Despite two major concurrent crises – the combustible situation on Lithuania’s border with Belarus and the COVID-19 pandemic, the country’s ruling party, the Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats (HU-LCD), known as Conservatives colloquially, have been ensconced cosily behind the Social Democrats in many recent party support polls. But a major test to the HU-LCD-orchestrated…
Lithuania’s transport minister has asked the government commission vetting strategic companies’ deals to evaluate the existing contract between Lithuanian Railways and the Belarusian fertilizer producer Belaruskali. The state-owned railway company continues to transport Belaruskali products even as US sanctions come into force. Lithuanian Railways said that it had received pre-payment from Belaruskali and would continue…
The Lithuanian parliament has passed new legislation to make more people eligible for heating subsidies in an effort to cushion low-income households against an expected surge in heating bills. The parliament, Seimas, adopted the amendments to the Law on Cash Social Assistance for Low-Income Families on December 7 with 117 votes in favour, none against…
Lithuanian politicians have proposed harmonising language requirements for all foreigners working in the country’s service sector. Currently, only those with employment contracts must take the Lithuanian language exam. But self-employed foreigners say the exam is unnecessary and would be hard to pass for some. Beardland, a barbershop in Vilnius, employs only foreigners. None of them…
Inflation not seen since before the 2009 crash is raising alarm among Lithuanian consumers and economists. Lithuania reported a 9.3% annual inflation in November, the highest rate in the euro zone, according to Eurostat, where it averaged 4.9%. It is likely, that Lithuania will end the year with double-digit annual inflation. “Inflation this monstrous was…
Natural gas prices for Lithuanian households are to rise by 27-36% from January 2022. The National Energy Regulatory Council (VERT) set the final gas prices for the customers of Ignitis, the state-controlled energy company. The parliament has recently passed a package of laws to mitigate the impact of soaring energy prices on consumers. The measures…