Parliament has approved amendments to the Law on Tobacco Control which prohibit smoking in apartment block balconies, terraces, galleries, by open windows, or outside closer than 5 metres to apartment blocks, as well as in children’s playgrounds if non-smokers are … Read More
Category Archives: Lithuania
Lithuania fines Gazprom 34 million euro over competition violations
Lithuanian Competition Council has fined Russian gas company Gazprom 123 million litas (EUR 34.4 million) over the company preventing competition in Lithuania. The Gazprom, Lithuania’s sole natural gas supplier, breached competition rules when it refused to enter a deal on … Read More
Green light from the EC and the ECB for Lithuania to adopt the euro
In line with our expectations, the convergence reports by the European Central Bank (ECB) and the European Commission (EC) provide a positive appraisal on Lithuania’s readiness to join the euro area. Lithuania fulfils all Maastricht criteria with a good margin, … Read More
Lithuania reacts to navigation hindrance in its Exclusive Economic Zone
Yesterday, between 10 and 11 a.m., Lithuanian Navy received reports about the presence of Russian naval ships in Lithuania’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the Baltic Sea, reports LETA/ELTA. Russian naval vessels had ordered civilian ships sailing in the EEZ … Read More
Surprising results of shale gas research in Lithuania
According to a report by the Ministry of Environment in Lithuania, mainly oil, rather than shale gas, has been produced in Lithuanian rocks. The discovery was made during research carried out on rocks containing shale hydrocarbons, DELFI reported. Following more … Read More
Lithuania is second only to Latvia in extent of cigarette smuggling in EU
Lithuania’s underground tobacco product market amounts to approximately LTL 300 million (EUR 87 million), informs LETA/ELTA, referring to Lietuvos rytas. Lithuania is a transit country and its role is significant when solving the issue of illegal tobacco product trade in … Read More
Majority Lithuanians still afraid of negative euro changeover consequences
Only about 12% of Lithuanians believe that the euro changeover will have no negative consequences. The rest of respondents are afraid of various negative consequences of the introduction of the euro: from price rise to a significant loss of national … Read More
Lihuania bans sale of energy drinks to minors
Lithuania has banned drinks that contain 150 milligrams of caffeine per litre from being sold to minors. The ban also applies to such popular brands as Red Bull and Monster Energy. The Wall Street Journal evaluates that the move could … Read More
Microchips to fight against the shadow economy in Lithuania
Prime Minister of Lithuania Algirdas Butkevicius says simple tax stamps for cigarettes will be eliminated and will be replaced by microchips, and electronic invoices will be introduced, in order to combat smuggling, informs LETA/ELTA. The Lithuanian Free Market Institute (LLRI) … Read More
Lithuania and Poland get 60 million euro for new power-line
The European Commission has confirmed that it will spend 60 million euro to cofinance a new power line leading from Elk, north-east Poland to the Lithuanian border. The money will be paid out from the European Regional Development Fund. The … Read More
Vilnius to be included in “Rail Baltica 2″ project
Vilnius will also be included in the European-gauge railroad project “Rail Baltica 2″, as the three Baltic countries’ transport ministers agreed during a meeting in the Lithuanian capital yesterday, as the Lithuanian Transport Ministry’s Development Department Director Arenijus Jackus told … Read More
British jets coming to Lithuania to boost Baltic air policing mission
Four British Royal Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon jets are coming to Lithuania today to back up the NATO air policing mission in the Baltic states, amid growing tensions between Russia and Ukraine. Four Polish Mig-29 will join the British jets … Read More
German companies in Lithuania will encourage investment
Almost half of Lithuania-based German companies say they are planning to increase investment and the number of employees in 2014, while 9 from 10 German investors would chose Lithuania once again, a poll carried out by German-Baltic Chamber of Commerce … Read More
US to reinforce its forces in the Baltic States
The decision to step up presence in the Baltic states shows the United States’ responsible view of the threats to the security of the Baltic region, Lithuania’s President Dalia Grybauskaitė says. “By sending specific assistance and reinforcing its forces in the Baltic … Read More
Swedbank to finance construction of largest wind farm in Lithuania
Bank Swedbank and wind farm developer Amberwind have signed a long-term funding agreement worth EUR 103 million for the construction of the largest in Lithuania 73.5 megawatt wind farm in Taurage county, informs LETA/ELTA. The project’s total worth is EUR … Read More
Russia suspends imports of prefabricated meat from Poland and Lithuania
On Monday, the ban introduced by the Russia’s Federal Service for Veterinary Supervision on imports of prefabricated meat products from Poland and Lithuania came into effect, reports LETA/ELTA. It is estimated that due to this ban Lithuanian companies will lose … Read More
Rail Baltica to link Poland with Baltic states
Prime Minister of Lithuania Algirdas Butkevicius has reaffirmed that an EU-backed railway line that links Poland with the Baltic states will go ahead. Butkevicius told Lithuania’s state news agency LETA on Thursday that although the matter was not discussed during … Read More
New “e-nose” handheld device to determine the quality and freshness of food
A first-of-its-kind handheld device and mobile app which provides information about the freshness and quality of meat, poultry, and fish launched today. The prototype device, named “PERES,” is also featured on international crowdfunding site Indiegogo, where its developers aim to … Read More
Lithuania most active in Baltics in seeking foreign investors
Lithuania is clearly more active than Latvia or Estonia in attracting foreign investors, says Kitty Kubo, former monitoring manager of the Development Fund, writes Eesti Päevaleht. “When Skype once released a press statement saying thaty they will set up a … Read More
Emigration level drops in Lithuania
Around 38,800 people emigrated from Lithuania last year, the final figures from the Statistics Lithuania, the country’s statistics department, show. Compared to 2012, the number dropped by 2,300 people (5.6 per cent). In January, the Statistics Lithuanian said around 40,400 … Read More