Lithuania’s new government has pledged to raise pensions and child benefits as part of its program to combat poverty, but lawmakers and anti-poverty organisations warn the measures may be insufficient without broader increases in social spending. Social Security and Labour Minister Jurate Zailskiene acknowledged that poverty in Lithuania was declining slowly. She said the government…
Vilnius’ first electric boats have carried nearly 12,000 passengers since services began on the River Neris in late July, city transport operator JUDU has said. Two vessels – Rytas and Lasisa – entered service this summer, with average daily ridership reaching around 244 on weekdays and more than 300 at weekends, when occupancy reached about…
Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene has reiterated her belief that a four-day workweek is part of the future of work, but experts say there is still a long way to go. LRT Brussels correspondent Milda Vilikanskyte noted that the idea of a four-day workweek gained support during the Covid-19 pandemic, when remote work blurred the…
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys on September 19 inaugurated the Lithuanian Central Project Management Agency’s (CPMA) office in Kyiv, saying the move would strengthen Lithuania’s contribution to Ukraine. “We continue with reconstruction projects, with humanitarian assistance,” Budrys told a joint press conference with his Ukrainian counterpart, Andriy Sybiha. “I am here to open the office…
German defence manufacturer Rheinmetall and its Lithuanian partners will soon begin preparatory work on a new artillery ammunition plant in northern Lithuania, a project worth between EUR 260 million and EUR 300 million. The facility will be built in Baisogala, Radviliskis district, with construction expected to take place in stages until early 2027. “Physically things…
Vilnius will maintain a firm stance on sanctions against Belarus, including restrictions on the transit of Belarusian potash fertilizers, despite possible international pressure, Prime Minister-designate Inga Ruginiene has said. “If we do not continue to push for sanctions and a tough stance on the aggressor, it will be bad. The United States may apply pressure,…
The United States’ decision to lift sanctions on Belarus’s state airline Belavia will be a major test of the backbone of the European Union’s sanctions policy, Lithuania’s foreign minister-designate Kestutis Budrys has said. “This does not mean that the EU will immediately follow suit once the US has made such a decision. It will be…