LRT English Newsletter – February 18, 2022
As we were heading for Independence Day celebrations on February 16, some feared that, rather than a day of national unity, it will be yet another occasion for those unhappy with the current government to express discontent. On the eve of the holiday, the VSD, Lithuania’s intelligence agency, went as far as to issue a warning about possible unrest and provocations, including by “pro-Kremlin” elements. To a large extent, that did not come to pass. While there were some who came to boo the traditional speech by Vytautas Landsbergis, a rather divisive patriarch of the ruling conservative party, the protest did not come close to the heckles of January 13, let alone the riot of last August.
Meanwhile, developments in and around Ukraine continue to overshadow domestic concerns. The Foreign Ministry has recalled non-essential staff from the embassy in Kyiv, transferred some functions to the western city of Lviv, and advised all nationals to immediately leave Ukraine.
At home, Lithuania received a reinforcement of NATO troops from Germany and welcomed promises of additional military support from Norway and the UK. The central bank has warned financial institutions to beware of cyber attacks.
UKRAINE DISPATCH
– On the frontlines along the Donbass steppes, Ukrainian troops await Russia’s next move. With the frozen ground turning into trenches of mud, the window for an invasion narrows.
– The frontline is not as static as it may seem. Although the trenches and bunkered down soldiers evoke images of the First World War, a modern war unfolds around and above them – with Lithuanian weapons and Ukrainian “partisans” playing a key part.
WE ARE THE WINNERS OF EUROVISION
Or at least we hope that Monika Liu will be. The 34-year-old from Klaipėda is going to Turin in May with her chanson Sentimentai – the first time since 1999 that Eurovision fans will hear a song in Lithuanian.
EASY TRAVEL
Despite unceasingly high Covid-19 infection rates, Lithuania is easing pandemic restrictions. Travellers from the EU can now visit without any restrictions, while the rest will no longer need to self-isolate, even if they are unvaccinated.
OPPOSITION ON CHINA
Some politicians are mounting opposition to the Lithuanian government’s policy on China. One member of the Foreign Affairs Committee has met Beijing’s representative last week, drawing some criticism from fellow MPs. And Ramūnas Karbauskis, the rather eccentric leader of the Farmers and Greens Union, has offered to go to Beijing as “shadow prime minister” to mend the Lithuanian-Chinese ties. This may well be little more than a stunt, though, as he himself said he didn’t expect to get a go-ahead from the government.
Meanwhile, Beijing’s representative in Vilnius gave an interview this week, reiterating that Lithuania must change the name of the Taiwanese representative office, if it wants to normalise relations.
EDITOR’S PICKS
– Following its military build-up near Ukraine, Russia has demanded NATO to withdraw its forces from the former Soviet states, citing the bloc's promise not to expand to the east. By doing this, Russia is not only rewriting history but also violating its own treaty signed with Lithuanian in 1991.
– Lithuanian-American photographer Andrew Miksys has been documenting the life of the Roma people in Lithuania for the past 20 years. According to him, the dismantling of the former Roma settlement in Vilnius was an unfortunate event that he talks about in a new exhibition at MO Museum.
– A directive proposed by the European Commission (EC) seeks to clarify work relations between various online platforms and those who work through them. Lithuanian trade unions and couriers support the initiative, but others see no need to implement major changes.
– Lithuania’s second city Kaunas hopes to attract more tourists after it was inaugurated as the European Capital of Culture 2022. But the tourist numbers are still expected to lag behind the pre-pandemic level.
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