Karolina Mickute

Yesterday Lithuanian Free Market Institute celebrated the Tax Freedom day in Lithuania. A person earning an average wage here had to work 4 months and 23 days just to support government spending (and it would be way more if not for inflation). Lithuanian Free Market Institute calculates this with their own tax calculator that also provides a receipt for specific spending.

Under Article 38 of the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania, the family is the basis of society and the State, and family, motherhood, fatherhood, and childhood shall be under the protection and care of the State. Even though the Constitution provides that families are the basis of society and what the concept of marriage is, there are still disagreements between legal scholars, lawyers, and politicians as to what ‘family’ actually means. The state’s obligation to protect families under the Constitution entails not only providing a regulatory framework for creating a family, but also the ability of the family members to make their own decisions in deciding what is best for them and their families.

The Directive on regulating platform work (the Directive)[1], first proposed by the European Commission (the EC) in December 2021[2], introduces a legal presumption of employment for potentially misclassified self-employed gig workers.

Lithuania’s plan is focused on ensuring energy independence and expanding the green energy infrastructure typically via subsidies or compensations for alternative energy.

The recent humanitarian crisis caused by Russia’s aggression against Ukraine has, among other things, illuminated the path of de-bureaucratization and trusting more in the self-regulation of persons both for the EU and its member states as a way to move forward.

In recent years, there has been a significant growth of an interest in the gig economy built upon the premise of online platforms that connect customers with service suppliers. Platform work brings more opportunities to traditional businesses by closely connecting suppliers and customers and reducing transaction frictions.

In light of COVID-19 governments around the globe are juggling between ensuring business liquidity and preserving workplaces. Most countries have taken the approach of increasing regulations and tailoring them to the topicalities.

On May 11, Lithuania celebrated its second National Respect for Taxpayers Day. This day became an official commemorative day in Lithuania following the adoption of a proposal from the Lithuanian Free Market Institute (LFMI) in early 2018.