Lithuania

Think Tank News

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In May, the Lithuanian Tripartite Council debated Government-proposed amendments to the Labour Code that envisaged the first-ever thorough revision of employment regulation in Lithuania. The package contains proposals that would render labour relations more flexible to correspond to the real needs of the market and the existing reality. Supporting the Government’s proposals, we took part in the sittings of the Tripartite Council and in the public debates, highlighting that these changes would be beneficial both…

Think Tank News

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In April we continued working actively on the issues of higher education. The Parliament passed amendments to the Law on Science and Studies, incorporating our recommendations submitted in March. Among them is the provision enshrined in the law that well-learning students “shall be granted” studentships (the original wording of the bill was “may be granted” studentships). We understand that there is still a number of pressing issues to be solved as regards the higher education…

Economy

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In recent years, the Baltic States have been showcased as an austerity success story. While the whole world has seen countries such as Greece, Spain and Portugal struggling to reduce their public spending, Lithuania has been hailed as an austerity example. Lithuanian success in public spending cuts has been widely acknowledged; yet simultaneous tax increases and their harmful effects have received less attention. Since the end of 2011, however, the country once again found itself…

Economy

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On March 2, EU-25 leaders signed the Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union, commonly called the Fiscal Compact. The Treaty was not signed by the Czech Republic and Great Britain. Lithuania joined the treaty, but it still needs to be ratified by the Lithuanian Parliament (Seimas). Not being a member of the eurozone, Lithuania would be able to choose, which particular provisions of the treaty to commit to. However,…

Politics

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As The Lithuania Tribune writes a new party was granted a persmission fo be registered – the Lithuanian People’s Party, established by Vladimir Romanov. After regsistration in the Register of Legal Entities party will be formally set up. At the same time documents submitted by Democratic and Labour Party and Emigrants Party were rejected as they failed to “meet the legal requirements”. To take part in the closest parliamentary elections, the parties will have to…

Economy, Politics

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The Lithuania Tribune writes that on March 29 president Dalia Grybauskaitė met with Johaness Hahn, EU Commissioner for Regional Policy. The main topics of the meeting included EU financial framework for the period 2014-2020 and the EU Cohesion Policy. Dalia Grybauskaitė expressed Lithuanian dissatisfaction with the proposal concerning rules of EU aid’s distribution. Lithuania puts emphasis on the importance of the interests and member states’ level of development. More information here.  

Economy

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A survey of the Lithuanian economy conducted by the Lithuanian Free Market Institute (LFMI) shows that eurozone problems do not leave anybody cold. Lithuania failed to join the eurozone in 2007 because it missed the inflation criteria by only 0.06 per cent. At the time, it was considered a big political failure. However, given the present vulnerability of the eurozone, it may look like a windfall success. The national currency, the litas, is pegged to…

Politics

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As The Lithuania Tribune writes Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaitė met with the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency Yukiya Amano in Seoul, during the Nuclear Security Summit. President Grybauskaitė emphasised that works at both the Ignalina nuclear power plant and the planned Visaginas nuclear power plant are carried out with full respect for nuclear safety requirements. However, she pointed out concern when it comes to the safety of planned nuclear power plants in…