LRT English Newsletter – June 11, 2021
Belarusian protesters set up camp near the border in Lithuania’s Medininkai. The aim – block commercial traffic with Belarus, put pressure on the regime, raise awareness that the repressions in Belarus are ongoing.
But the first aim has been put on hold after the unplanned action met resistance from the Lithuanian authorities. A permit to stage a road-blocking protest has been submitted for June 14. For now, the protest camp – complete with tents, flags, and anti-Lukashenko agitation – remains with several dozen activists staying onsite at any given time. Supporting Belarusians is now a watershed moment for the whole EU, argues EC’s Frans Timmermans following a recent visit to Lithuania.
IRREGULAR MIGRATION
After Alexander Lukashenko threatened to send “drugs and migrants” over the border, irregular migration has picked up pace. Lithuania’s senior officials have blamed the Minsk regime for being complicit in facilitating the crossings. According to one Lithuanian MP, up to 300 undocumented migrants may head to the country per week, while authorities have doubled down on plans to build a refugee camp if need-be.
PRIDE TROUBLES IN KAUNAS
The municipality of Lithuania’s second-largest city Kaunas has denied permission to hold a gay pride march in September, saying that the ongoing street works are to blame. The organisation aiming to stage the rally, however, maintains that other marches had been allowed to proceed using the same route along the central Liberty Avenue (Laisvės Alėja).
PARLIAMENT UPDATE
Following a ruling by the ECHR, the Lithuanian parliament is set to adopt a law that would allow the country’s impeached former president, Rolandas Paksas, to run for office again.
Meanwhile, a corruption probe has rocked an otherwise calm Thursday afternoon (bar the solar eclipse which you should definitely check out). Officers of the Special Investigation Service (STT) were allegedly involved in a scuffle with MP Mindaugas Puidokas when trying to seize phones in his office. Puidokas’ assistant, Kęstutis Motiečius, stands accused of offering a 50,000-euro bribe to another MP to influence gambling legislation.
In other news, more hemp produce is now legal.
THE END IS NIGH?
If the pandemic situation in the country continues improving, June may mark the last month of quarantine, the health minister said earlier this week. Some restrictions would still remain, while post-corona reopening struggles would now mostly move to the EU-wide level, Dulkys added.
NATO-BOUND
The Baltic states are preparing for the upcoming NATO summit in Brussels on Monday, with the three countries launching several top-level meetings to prepare a common agenda. According to the Lithuanian president, the region is now facing “unprecedented incidents and provocations”. Earlier, the three countries called for continued NATO presence.
BEING CIVILISED
Lithuania’s ambassador to China said the country’s decision to leave the 17+1 format, which FM Landsbergis said was “divisive”, had nothing to do with taking sides, contrary to the claims by Chinese state media. It was “pure calculation” as the initiative brought few benefits, according to Ambassador Mickevičienė. All that Lithuania wants is a “normal, working, civilised relationship”, she added.
In any case, Lithuania has continued with its trade diplomacy, moving to open an embassy in South Korea. The country’s top officials have previously said Lithuania would open representations in South Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan in order to reduce trade dependence on China.
EDITOR’S PICKS:
– Post-pandemic prices are beginning to go up, with gas costs for households set to rise by up to 50 percent.
– Vilnius has become the foreign policy centre of three Baltic states and this is a win for Tallinn too. The three states are growing out of their self-centric foreign policies, writes Piret Kuusik at the International Centre for Defence and Security (ICDS) in Tallinn, Estonia.
– The Big Family Defence March on May 15 was organised by people that have continuously flagged up in reports by the Lithuanian intelligence service, the State Security Department. The same figures have also appeared together in various antisystemic protests and pro-Kremlin political movements. LRT Investigation Team reports.
– Mandated by the constitution, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda delivered his second annual speech. Find the key takeaways here.
– Lithuania will not order the additional 616,000 doses of Jenssen’s Covid-19 vaccine.
– Can Hollywood change its “dreadful” representation of women in Eastern Europe? It can and it should, argues Milana Nikolova.
– Dealing with Holocaust legacy is key to measure the society’s “maturity”, says Lithuanian PM Šimonytė.
– Lithuania’s neo-pagans may have a second chance to ask for state recognition after a favourable ruling by the ECHR.
– And go donate blood.
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