Vilnius, April 16 (ELTA) – Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys will travel to Türkiye on Thursday to attend the annual Antalya Diplomacy Forum, the ministry reported.

This year’s event will focus on the security situation in the Middle East, transatlantic relations and NATO’s agenda.

Budrys is set to take part in a discussion on European security and the upcoming NATO summit in Ankara in July.

On the sidelines, he will hold bilateral meetings with ministers from Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia, as well as representatives of international organisations.

The forum, held under the auspices of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is expected to bring together more than 460 high-level guests and nearly 5,000 participants from around 150 countries.

Held annually since 2021, it has become a major international platform on security, drawing world leaders, ministers and senior officials from Europe, Asia and Africa.

Vilnius, April 16 (ELTA) – President Gitanas Nausėda, together with the President of Estonia, Alar Karis, on Thursday attended a ceremonial event at Vytautas Magnus University, where the Estonian leader was awarded an honorary doctorate, the president’s office said in a statement.

President Nausėda highlighted President Karis’ contributions to science and the strengthening of democracy,

“Today, we have an exceptional opportunity to celebrate a life devoted to science, public service, and the strengthening of democratic resilience. As a scientist, President Karis chose the path of curiosity, discipline, and a deep commitment to the advancement of knowledge. His work in molecular genetics contributed significantly to the growth of modern life sciences in Estonia and in our region.”

Speaking about bilateral relations, the president highlighted the close partnership between Lithuania and Estonia: “I am delighted to regard President Karis as a true friend of Lithuania. We had countless meetings and productive discussions at both bilateral and multilateral levels, and it certainly made our countries stronger on the international scene.”

President Nausėda also emphasised the expanding practical cooperation in defense and security, the economy, and culture. Lithuania and Estonia are working tirelessly together to build a better future for the region and the world, he said. They are strengthening people-to-people ties and enhancing strategic connectivity via major regional projects, such as Rail Baltica, Via Baltica, GIPL, and the LNG terminal. The president also underscored historic achievements in the field of energy.

President Nausėda noted that Vytautas Magnus University is one of Lithuania’s leading academic institutions. It is a place where a strong liberal arts tradition fosters open dialogue, critical thinking, and the promotion of democratic values – an institution that actively engages with numerous international partners worldwide, among them the Estonian University of Life Sciences and the University of Tartu.

Vilnius, April16 (ELTA) – The Seimas on Thursday stripped lawmaker and former speaker Saulius Skvernelis of his legal immunity, satisfying prosecutors’ request over a corruption investigation.

A total of 102 MPs voted in favour, one against and two abstained.

In his address before the vote, Skvernelis, who was prime minister in 2016–2020, urged MPs to lift his legal immunity, saying it would allow him to defend himself in the case.

“This vote is important to give me the right to actively defend myself through legal means,” he told the Seimas, calling the step “inevitable”.

Skvernelis said he already felt “judged” in the public eye despite not being formally named a suspect.

“I stand before you not even as a suspect, but I am already seen as one – accused and convicted,” he said.

The former leader of the Democrats for Lithuania party also reiterated that this was the end of his political career.

“My political career is over (…) not today, but on 9 February (refers to searches at his office and home – ELTA). After such actions, it is difficult, perhaps impossible, to recover politically,” he said, adding he had entered and was now leaving politics “unexpectedly”.

Prosecutor General Nida Grunskienė told the Parliament earlier this week that Skvernelis is suspected of accepting at least EUR 51,000 in bribes in a large-scale corruption case linked to the State Plant Service under the Agriculture Ministry.

Skvernelis agreed to a simplified procedure for lifting his immunity but denied any wrongdoing.

Vilnius, April 16 (ELTA) –Agriculture Minister Andrius Palionis said Thursday he had not discussed sector-related matters in recent years with lawmaker Saulius Skvernelis, who is implicated in a major corruption investigation involving a ministry agency.

The Seimas is set to vote on lifting Skvernelis’ legal immunity on Thursday, following a prosecutors’ request to bring bribery allegations linked to the State Plant Service, which issues phytosanitary certificates.

“We did not discuss phytosanitary matters. We may have spoken more broadly on agriculture in 2019–2020, when I was minister and he was prime minister,” Palionis told Žinių radijas.

He added he did not know Skvernelis’ former adviser Agnė Silickienė, also a suspect in the case, and said he had not been questioned as a witness.

In December 2025, law enforcement officers detained 13 individuals amid an investigation into large-scale corruption at the State Plant Service. The number of suspects has increased to 14 since then, the Prosecutor’s Office said.

Based on the investigation, representatives of companies transporting plants and plant products were asked to pay large bribes for phytosanitary certificates issued by the State Plant Service to freight carriers.

More than 100 searches led to the the seizure of over EUR 1.3 million in cash, around 8 kilogrammes of gold worth roughly EUR 1 million, thousands of packs of cigarettes, tens of thousands of litres of alcohol, as well as cocaine and explosives.

The suspects include Jurijus Kornijenko, then head of the State Plant Service, his then deputy Mantas Butas, advisers Aurelijus Šapranauskas and Agnė Silickienė, head of Alytus regional unit Giedrius Urbelionis and acting head of Kaunas regional unit Dalia Šubonienė.

Palionis said the ministry alerted the Special Investigation Service (STT) last spring over suspected wrongdoing by Kornijenko.

He said an “extraordinary” performance review last autumn, which rated Kornijenko above expectations and led to a pay rise, was based on information provided by the official himself and coordinated with investigators.

“It was not a routine review but one initiated by him. I assessed what he presented, and we aligned this with the STT so as not to raise suspicion during the pre-trial investigation,” Palionis told Žinių radijas.

The minister said that he had not discussed Kornijenko with Skvernelis. He noted that he had encountered the official earlier in roles including acting ministry chancellor and head of a unit responsible of corruption prevention and internal investigations.

“The case shocked me (…) that such things are still possible, and that someone in charge of corruption prevention could be involved,” he said, adding that a selection of a permanent head of the State Plant Service is planned for the summer.

The 14 suspects face allegations of bribery in an organised group. Allegations of bribery, graft and influence peddling acting in the organised group were also made against heads of seven private companies and related individuals.

In February this year, the STT searched the homes and parliamentary offices of Skvernelis, former prime minister and parliament speaker, and Kazys Starkevičius, then MP from the Homeland Union (TS-LKD) party, former agriculture minister. In March, Starkevičius resigned from the Seimas.

On Tuesday, Prosecutor General Nida Grunskienė formally asked lawmakers to lift the immunity of MP Skvernelis amid allegations that he may have received a bribe of at least EUR 51,000 in cash linked to the corruption case at the State Plant Service.

Luxembourg, April 18 (ELTA) –The euro area annual inflation rate was 2.6% in March 2026, up from 1.9% in February. A year earlier, the rate was 2.2%. European Union (EU) annual inflation was 2.8% in March 2026, up from 2.1% in February. A year earlier, the rate was 2.5%, according to figures published by Eurostat, the EU’s statistical office, on Thursday.

In March, annual inflation in Lithuania was 4.4%, up from 3.3% recorded in February. A year earlier, the rate stood at 3.7%.

The lowest annual rates were registered in Denmark (1.0%), Czechia, Cyprus and Sweden (all 1.5%). The highest annual rates were recorded in Romania (9.0%), Croatia (4.6%) and Lithuania (4.4%). Compared with February 2026, annual inflation fell in three Member States, remained stable in one and rose in twenty-three.

In March 2026, services (+1.49 percentage points, pp), energy (+0.48 percentage points, pp), food, alcohol & tobacco (+0.45 percentage points, pp) and non-energy industrial goods (+0.13 percentage points, pp) contributed positively to the annual euro area inflation rate.

Vilnius, April 16 (ELTA) – Audrius Pukas has been appointed the CEO of the Ukrainian subsidiary of LTG Cargo, the freight transport company of the LTG Group, the state railway operator said in a statement on Thursday.

Pukas had headed the Technological Asset Management Division at LTG Cargo for the past five years.

The new CEO of LTG Cargo Ukraine says that one of the priorities of the planned activities is to strengthen synergies with LTG Cargo’s subsidiary in Poland. 

According to Pukas, the development of an integrated service offer with LTG Cargo Polska for foreign customers operating in Ukraine will enable both companies to act as a single and reliable partner in the region.

In the role, Pukas replaced Saulius Stasiunas, who had been the CEO of LTG Cargo Ukraine since its establishment in 2020.

LTG Cargo Ukraine was established in 2020 to strengthen the logistics and supply chains between Lithuania and Ukraine.

Vilnius, April 15 (ELTA) –The Ministry of Education, Science and Sport on Thursday denounced a decision by Belarus’ Supreme Court to label the European Humanities University (EHU) in Vilnius an “extremist organisation”, calling it a “gross violation” of academic freedom and human rights.

Education Minister Raminta Popovienė urged the academic community to “clearly condemn” the move and voice “strong support” for EHU, saying academic freedom “cannot be restricted by political decisions or ideological interests”.

The ministry said it would appeal to the European Commission and EU education ministers to show solidarity and jointly condemn the action.

Broadcaster Belsat reported the court banned EHU’s activities at the request of prosecutors, who accused it of “destabilising” the situation and collaborating with “radical structures”.

EHU, a private university founded in Minsk in 1992, was shut by Belarusian authorities in 2004. It resumed operations in Vilnius in 2006 with support from the Lithuanian Government, the European Commission, Nordic Council of Ministers, the United States and some European countries.

Vilnius, April 15 (ELTA)– Ten foreign nationals attempted to cross illegally from Belarus into Lithuania on 14 April, the State Border Guard Service (VSAT) has reported.

Latvia’s border agency on Wednesday turned away 31 migrants. Poland said no foreign nationals tried to enter the country illegally from Belarus a day earlier.

So far this year, Lithuanian border officers have blocked 413 attempts by foreign nationals to cross illegally from Belarus. The overall figure for 2025 was 1,652.

Since the start of the migrant crisis orchestrated by Belarus in 2021, Lithuania has thwarted more than 25 thousand illegal border crossing attempts.

Vilnius, April 16 (ELTA) – Three in four Lithuanians are concerned about rising food and transport costs, according to a survey published by LRT.lt.

The poll found that 77% of respondents were most affected by increases in food prices. Rising transport costs and higher electricity and heating bills were also a major concern, cited by 66% and 64% respectively.

Around three in 10 respondents said they were most affected by higher housing costs (29%) and rising prices for medicines and healthcare services (28%).

By contrast, only 7% said they were most concerned about increases in the cost of leisure, entertainment and dining out.

Pollster Baltijos tyrimai interviewed 1,009 Lithuanian residents aged 18 and over at 110 sampling points across the country between 19 and 30 March. 

The survey has a margin of error of up to 3.1% with a 95% confidence interval.

Vilnius, April 15 (ELTA) – RB Rail AS invites current and prospective suppliers, partners, and stakeholders to join Rail Baltica Industry Day 2026, taking place online on 27 April 2026 from 13:00 to 16:00 (EEST). 

The event will provide a practical overview of the project’s latest developments and upcoming opportunities, with a strong focus on engagement with the supplier community across the Baltic States, joint venture of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia RB Rail AS said in a press release.

This year’s Industry Day will highlight Rail Baltica’s priorities for 2026, including the next wave of procurement opportunities, progress in superstructure and railway sub-systems, as well as construction and logistics planning. The session is designed to give participants clear, up-to-date insights into areas where industry involvement is expected. 

The programme will combine short presentations from Rail Baltica experts with live Q&A sessions, offering participants a direct opportunity to engage with project representatives and receive answers to practical questions.

The working language of the event will be English, and participation is free of charge, subject to prior registration. 

The live broadcast of Rail Baltica Industry Day 2026 will be available on the global project’s official website and Rail Baltica’s social media channels on LinkedIn and Facebook.