Lithuania to give Belarusians special passports amid repression fears

> Belarusians living in Lithuania will be able to obtain special travel documents, after they were stripped of the right to renew their passports overseas by Minsk.

> Lithuania's Interior Ministry made the announcement on Monday, offering such passports to Belarusian exiles who have the right to live in #Lithuania, but lack travel documents.
https://www.euronews.com/2023/09/11/lithuania-to-give-belarusians-special-passports-amid-repression-fears #Belarus

#Lithuania's President Gitanas Nauseda urged the #EU to begin #membership negotiations with #Ukraine in 2023. Nauseda argued that a clear European perspective would inspire Ukrainians to continue fighting for their country.

https://viabaltica.fi/lithuania-president-urges-eu-accession-talks-with-ukraine-in-2023/

🇱🇹🇪🇺A plan to revive cargo transport in #Lithuania's inland waterways w/ electric vessels could:
🔵cut 48000 trucks journeys/year
🔵lower emissions
🔵reduce traffic
🔵lower noise pollution
🔵improve biodiversity
Discover how we are supporting it🔗http://bit.ly/3PIlfXJ

🐦🔗: https://n.respublicae.eu/EIB/status/1700048625034833967

#Lithuania has sent over 4.5mn rounds of #ammunition to #Ukraine, the #Defence Ministry announced. Lithuanian military assistance to Ukraine since the start of #Russia's large-scale invasion totals EUR 0.5bn.

https://viabaltica.fi/lithuania-4-5mn-rounds-of-ammunition-sent-to-ukraine/

#Lithuania's national men's #basketball team won against the US, advancing to the quarter-finals of the #FIBA World Cup. This was the first time since the 2004 Olympics that Lithuania has beaten the US in basketball.

https://viabaltica.fi/lithuania-first-basketball-win-against-us-since-2004/

The Lithuanian #government seeks to have more direct #flights to #Germany. #Defence Minister Arvydas Anusauskas said that the more frequent flight connections would help German #troops stationed in #Lithuania.

https://viabaltica.fi/lithuania-government-seeks-more-direct-flights-to-germany/

#Apartment rental prices in #Lithuania in 2023 are 20% higher than before #Russia's invasion of #Ukraine. In 2022, rental #prices rose by around 40% due to the influx of Ukrainian #refugees.

https://viabaltica.fi/lithuania-apartment-rental-prices-20-higher-than-before-2022/

A court in #Lithuania has upheld an appeal annulling a decision to revoke the residence permit of a citizen of #Russia on national security grounds. The State Security Department found out that the applicant had worked at a prison colony in #Sakhalin until 2002.

https://viabaltica.fi/lithuania-court-sides-with-russian-barred-over-national-security/

#Banks and other credit institutions in #Lithuania have paid EUR 56mn in temporary solidarity #tax for Q2/2023, the Finance Ministry reports. Altogether 18 credit institutions made the first quarterly advance payment by the deadline of 31 August 2023.

https://viabaltica.fi/lithuania-banks-pay-eur-56mn-in-solidarity-tax-for-q2-2023/

The Lithuanian #government is unlikely to propose the same #sanctions on citizens of #Belarus as on #Russia nationals, Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen, speaker of the Lithuanian parliament, stated. Currently, #Belarusians are subject to fewer restrictions on entry and property purchase in #Lithuania than #Russians.

https://viabaltica.fi/lithuania-no-same-sanctions-on-belarusians-as-on-russians-seimas-speaker/

Another blowout score for #Lithuania! But this one was anything but a blowout for the most of the game, the 4th quarter was when Greece fell apart. Actually at half time it was super annoying, LT looked their chaotically bad.

The next game is against the US but we already have a spot in the quaterfinal. Can't complain about that.

Average labour income in #Lithuania stood at EUR 1,980 before taxes in Q2/2023, which was up 12.3% from a year earlier, according to the State Social Insurance Fund. The average monthly net #wage amounted to EUR 1,230, which was up 11.2% over a year.

https://viabaltica.fi/lithuania-average-gross-wage-up-12-3-on-year-in-q2-2023-sodra/

#Banks in #Lithuania are due to pay over EUR 50mn in temporary solidarity #tax by 31 August 2023. The government expects to raise a total of around EUR 400mn from the windfall tax over two years.

https://viabaltica.fi/lithuania-banks-due-to-pay-first-tranche-of-windfall-profit-tax/

#Lithuania's Foreign Ministry has invited the #Vatican envoy for a conversation after #Pope Francis gave statements praising #Russia. The Pope told a group of #Catholic Russians that they were heirs of an "empire of great humanity."

https://viabaltica.fi/lithuania-foreign-ministry-summons-vatican-envoy-after-pope-praises-russia/

#Latvia's airBaltic will open #flights on 11 new routes in May 2024, including 2 from #Estonia, 7 from Latvia, and 2 from #Lithuania. Also, the company is considering placing an order for more #Airbus A220s.

https://viabaltica.fi/latvia-airbaltic-to-open-flights-on-11-new-routes-in-may-2024/

And another one for #Lithuania. But in case you are wondering what's up with all the blowouts, the guys have been playing well but we did get lucky with the group draw. This game should have been closer for sure but again, I am not getting carried away.

The next group we are in will have USA 😬

#Lithuania does not plan to close more checkpoints on the #border with #Belarus in the near future, PM Ingrida Simonyte announced. Earlier, Interior Minister Agne Bilotaite suggested closing two more checkpoints.

https://viabaltica.fi/lithuania-no-more-closures-of-checkpoints-on-belarus-border-pm/

#Latvia's Ministry of #Transport supports the resumption of passenger #train traffic between Latvia and #Lithuania. The ministry said that the priority was reopening the route from #Riga via #Daugavpils to #Vilnius.

https://viabaltica.fi/latvia-transport-ministry-supports-reopening-latvia-lithuania-passenger-train-traffic/

#Germany will begin deploying a brigade to #Lithuania in early 2024, Germany's Chief of Defence, Gen. Carsten Breuer, announced. The brigade's forward command element is currently stationed in Lithuania.

https://viabaltica.fi/lithuania-germany-to-deploy-brigade-to-lithuania-in-early-2024/

The Lithuanian Migration Department has refused to grant #asylum to #Belarus activist Volha Karach on national security grounds. #Lithuania's State Security Department revealed that Karach had cooperated with #Russia's intelligence services.

https://viabaltica.fi/lithuania-belarusian-activist-denied-asylum-on-national-security-grounds/