LRT English Newsletter – November 7, 2025.
After Lithuania closed its border with Belarus in response to a surge in smuggling balloons, several thousand lorries were left stranded in the neigbouring country. Then, the Minsk regime banned them from travelling on the country’s roads, essentially blocking them in. Business lobbies in Lithuania were annoyed, saying Vilnius had handed the regime a convenient bargaining tool. So what now? Well, the Lithuanian government said it would ask the regime nicely to let the trucks leave, while the Seimas speaker hinted that the border closures should be lifted once the balloons stop.
Not balloon-related, but a drone sighting stopped the work of Vilnius Airport earlier this week, affecting two flights. But despite the closures, Šiauliai Airport in northern Lithuania was not being considered as a rerouting option, officials said.
In another border story – do you remember the Russian citizen who jumped from the Kaliningrad transit train? Our partners at Current Time published an interview with him, which you can also find on our platform.
PICKING MINISTERS
We’re still two ministers short – the defence and culture posts are empty. Earlier this week, the president hinted that he would approve Robertas Kaunas despite him coming under fire for his glaring lack of experience in the field (a statement by Kaunas' party colleagues that it would take three days to learn defence policies was ridiculed pretty much across the board). The social democrats say they trust their man and he has proven himself at previous managerial roles.
Meanwhile, the culture minister saga continues with another colourful character being appointed vice minister – reports have linked Aleksandras Brokas to a pseudoscientific movement stemming from Russia.
GETTING CREATIVE?
The opposition and critics are worried that the government will start applying looser definition to defence spending, eg, paving roads for “military mobility”. Recall, this is what the commander of the armed forces warned about. The former minister, Dovilė Šakalienė, also echoed the same worries via a group of influencers, which got her fired shortly after.
In related news, the National Audit Office issued a warning on Thursday, saying the current defence spending is unsustainable without new “sources of revenue”.
ISTANBUL ECHOES
After a quick succession of events, Latvia’s parliament has kicked the can down the road, leaving the next parliament to decide in a year whether to renounce the Istanbul Convention. This was sparked by the country’s president returning the bill to leave the Convention on protecting women to the parliament, saying that the whole process was basically moving too fast.
In Lithuania, the prime minister said she saw no obstacles to ratifying the bill (Estonia and Latvia had done it years ago). But this met immediate rebukes from coalition partners, with Justice Minister Rita Tamašunienė (from the Christian Families Alliance group) saying that her ministry would not support the Convention. Similarly, she also said she would not legalise same-sex partnerships (despite the Constitutional Court’s ruling last year). A group of MPs, including from the social democrats, have now proposed a bill of their own.
ECONOMY UPDATES
– Three percent of people in Lithuania can’t afford food, a survey showed.
– Lithuania’s GDP growth forecast has been lowered.
– No more Lukoil products for Kaliningrad via Lithuania.
– The much lauded Rheinmetal factory is now under construction, with officials saying another investment worth some 400 million euros is already underway.
– EU agriculture cuts are worrying Lithuanian farmers.
– Rural hospitals are throwing cash around to attract doctors.
– Lithuania’s debt levels are rising (though they’re still below the EU average).
– And take a look at Vilnius’ soon-to-be fancy arrivals terminal.
EDITOR’S PICKS:
– The story behind Lithuanian Jewish migration in the 19th century.
– The cost of preserving Lithuanian identity: Over 240 informal Lithuanian-language schools operate worldwide, educating more than 10,000 children.
– Kaunas has new bronze reliefs, check them out.
– Immigrants in Lithuania face integration challenges and continue to encounter poor institutional support and an almost unchanged government policy.
– One from last Friday, but we would like to flag it again; Ukraine has handed over to Lithuania a Russian soldier accused of war crimes against Ukrainian citizens, as well as two Lithuanian civilians (one survived and brought the charges forward, the other was killed in the same filtration camp).
– New trains are coming.
– Did you meet a walking robot on the streets of Vilnius in recent days?
– And please don’t keep pet crocodiles.
Written by Benas Gerdžiūnas
Edited by Justinas Šuliokas
Newsletter
Every Friday morning.
