Vilnius, July 27 (ELTA) – DHL, one of the world’s leading logistics companies, reported Monday it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Venipak Group. Through the acquisition of Venipak companies in Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, DHL will establish a fully owned presence in the Baltic region, combining Venipak’s local infrastructure with its global network. 

Subject to customary regulatory approvals, Venipak will become part of DHL eCommerce, a division of DHL Group.

DHL eCommerce is acquiring 100% of the shares of Venipak Group from its current owner, Nerijus Raudonis. Following the transaction, he will focus on the further development of the investment platform Stokex and its global asset management.

For DHL eCommerce, the acquisition provides a well-established domestic delivery network in a region characterised by strong out‑of‑home delivery adoption and continued growth in e‑commerce.

“The Baltic States are among the fastest-growing e-commerce markets in Europe today, which is why we were looking for a partner with deep local market expertise, a trusted brand and the ambition to continue growing,” said Pablo Ciano, CEO of DHL eCommerce. 

“Venipak joins DHL as one of the strongest independent logistics companies in the Baltics, with a valued brand, a highly professional team, well-developed infrastructure, extensive local market expertise, and significant growth potential.”

Subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals, an integration process will begin following completion of the transaction. 

During this period Venipak will gradually become part of DHL Group’s global logistics network while continuing to operate under its existing brand identity. The current management team and employees will remain in their roles.

“Joining DHL opens up entirely new opportunities for our customers. We will preserve everything customers across the Baltics value about Venipak today – speed, flexibility, and close customer relationships – while giving them access to one of the world’s largest logistics networks,” said Venipak CEO, Andrius Ladauskas.

Venipak, one of the largest independent logistics companies in the Baltics, operates a network of approximately 800 parcel lockers and provides parcel delivery, e-commerce logistics and fulfillment services to both private and business customers.

Vilnius, July 27 (ELTA) – Social Minister Inga Ruginienė on Monday acknowledged shortcomings in preventing violence among minors, saying authorities needed a clear, child-friendly action plan to help youngsters recognise violence and seek help.

“We found gaps, which is why there is a whole list of measures being prepared. We agreed that there must be a simple algorithm that children can understand – how to recognise violence and where to turn for help,” Ruginienė told reporters after an interagency meeting on preventing juvenile violence and crime at the Ministry of Social Security and Labour.

She said basic information on preventing and reporting violence should be distributed to every classroom in the country’s schools.

The meeting followed a recent incident in Marijampolė, where police launched an investigation after a group of minors allegedly assaulted a teenage girl in a public park. The incident was filmed by bystanders and the footage circulated widely on social media.

Children’s Rights Ombudswoman Alina Jakavonienė said Lithuania still placed too little focus on prevention, with institutions often reacting only after serious incidents occurred.

“Institutions tend to work on a case-by-case basis, responding to incidents that shock society. But a child’s behaviour, including violence, is not only an issue for schools or law enforcement – it is a matter for families, communities and the entire environment in which a child grows up,” she said.

Jakavonienė stressed that adults must send a clear message that violence is not an acceptable way to resolve conflicts.

“It is also important to understand that witnessing violence and failing to react, remaining passive, is just as unacceptable as the act itself,” she added.

Deputy police chief Marius Draudvila said the overall level of youth crime remained stable, with young suspects accounting for around 4 percent of all criminal cases.

“The situation regarding teenagers’ crime is neither significantly worsening nor improving. I would describe it as relatively stable,” Draudvila told reporters.

He said youth crime rose slightly in 2024–2025 but fell by around 10 percent when comparing the first halves of 2025 and 2026.

According to Draudvila, boys make up about 91 percent of juvenile suspects, while most young offenders remain students in general education schools. He said the causes of youth crime varied, ranging from bullying to wider social problems.

The police are contributing to prevention through work in communities, schools and kindergartens, as well as by educating children about safe behaviour online and offline, he said.

“We talk about what children should pay attention to and what they should report to their parents,” Draudvila said, adding that police had also developed a questionnaire to help parents identify potentially concerning changes in their children’s behaviour.

Vilnius, July 27 (ELTA) – The Foreign Ministry has drafted a new government resolution proposing the opening of a Lithuanian embassy in Brazil on 1 October, revising an earlier plan to establish the mission in July.

The embassy would be located in Brasilia, Brazil’s capital. Lithuania currently operates a consulate general in Sao Paulo.

The ministry said the revised draft was prepared in line with the new government’s programme, which calls for expanding the network of diplomatic missions in countries and regions of strategic importance to Lithuania.

According to a letter sent by the Foreign Ministry to the Finance Ministry, establishing and operating the embassy would require EUR 2 million in 2027, EUR 1.78 million in 2028 and EUR 1.36 million in 2029.

In March, Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys told the politika.lt podcast that Lithuania needed an embassy in Brazil to better serve business interests and boost exports to Mercosur countries. He said the mission would provide an opportunity to expand Lithuania’s export markets.

Vilnius, July 24 (ELTA) – Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Kęstutis Budrys on Friday met with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Singapore Vivian Balakrishnan. The meeting was held in the Philippines, on the sidelines of the 50th Anniversary of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.

The foreign ministers discussed development of bilateral relations between Lithuania and Singapore, international security issues, support for Ukraine and cooperation opportunities in the area of innovation and security.

According to Budrys, the security of the Euro‑Atlantic and Indo‑Pacific regions is inseparable and that is why Lithuania seeks even closer cooperation with Singapore in the areas of cyber security, resilience building, security and defence.

The head of Lithuania’s diplomacy welcomed ongoing practical cooperation between the two countries on cyber security and the regular exchange of the assessment of cyber threats and risks.

At the meeting, the ministers reaffirmed the strive to continue strengthening partnership in the areas of security, technology, trade and international law.

Vilnius, July 27 (ELTA) – The Foreign Ministry on Friday, 24 July, summoned a representative of the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Lithuania and handed him a note of strong protest regarding Russia’s massive shelling attacks carried out earlier that day in Ukraine, which killed at least 10 civilians and injured more than one hundred others.

Lithuania condemned the Russian attack on the building of the Honorary Consulate of the Republic of Latvia in the city of Sloviansk, according to a statement. 

The Foreign Ministry said that the aggressive actions of the Russian armed forces against foreign diplomatic missions are not accidental, but systematic. The note underlines that Russia thereby grossly violates the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.

Lithuania demands that Russia immediately cease the senseless destruction of Ukraine and the killing of its people, cease its aggression against Ukraine, withdraw the occupying forces from the entire internationally recognised territory of Ukraine and compensate the losses caused to Ukraine, the ministry said in the statement.

Vilnius, July 27 (ELTA) – Strong winds and heavy rain expected in Vilnius on Monday afternoon could disrupt traffic and cause other problems, residents have been warned. 

“Stronger winds may cause tree branches to break, while water may temporarily accumulate in the city’s lowest-lying areas. Traffic disruptions are also possible,” municipal company Grinda said on Facebook.

The company said heavy rain was expected in Vilnius on Monday afternoon, with wind gusts forecast to reach 21 metres per second.

Grinda also advised people who notice or encounter emergency situations to report them by calling the 1355 hotline.

Vilnius, July 27 (ELTA) – Civinity, a building maintenance, engineering and technology solutions group, said Monday it has completed the acquisition of the Croatian lift companies Metus and Metus Service from Sweden’s Sdiptech. The total transaction value is EUR 2.44 million. 

Through the acquisition of Metus, Civinity is taking over established service teams in Croatia and Slovenia, together with their customer portfolios.

“In terms of the size of its service portfolio and technician network, Metus ranks among the market leaders in Croatia. When assessing the company, we looked at how it serves customers in different regions of the country. The people here have known the market for many years. We will grow this business together with them,” says Deividas Jacka, Chairman of the Board of Civinity Group

The Metus Group employs around 280 people and operates in lift manufacturing, new lift installation, and lift maintenance and modernisation. In Croatia, the company maintains approximately 2,800 lifts from a range of manufacturers. 

According to unaudited figures for 2025, Metus generated consolidated revenue of EUR 18.9 million and EBITDA of EUR 1.1 million, while its total assets stood at EUR 12.6 million. 

The Metus company in Slovenia was incorporated in 2022 and operates in Ljubljana. Its revenue reached EUR 1.26 million in 2025, compared with EUR 856,000 a year earlier. The company employed an average of around nine people.

“A local team is already operating in Slovenia, and the customer portfolio is growing. We now want to scale up the business. We will expand into other countries gradually, as the pace of growth in maintenance services depends on the number of technicians and actual response times. Metus will be our base for further expansion in the region,” Jacka said.

Sdiptech had owned Metus since 2015.

Vilnius, July 27 (ELTA) – YIT Lietuva, sustainable urban and infrastructure development company, said Monday it has signed an agreement with UAB Lithuania Defence Service for the construction of a tank production and maintenance plant in the Kaunas Free Economic Zone. 

The 13,000 sq. m facility will become one of the key elements of Lithuania’s defence industry infrastructure – in the future, it will be used to assemble and maintain the most advanced Leopard 2A8 tanks as well as other heavy equipment of the Lithuanian Armed Forces. 

The total value of the project is around EUR 29 million, according to the report.

The project will be implemented under the Design-Build model, with YIT Lietuva responsible for both design and construction works. Construction is planned to begin in August this year and be completed in November 2027.

“This project is significant not only for our company, but for Lithuania as a whole. It will contribute to strengthening the country’s defence infrastructure and will play an important role in ensuring the technical readiness of the Lithuanian Armed Forces in the future… The Design-Build model is particularly important for projects of this kind, as it enables close coordination between design and construction processes and efficient decision-making throughout the entire project,” says Kęstutis Vanagas, CEO of YIT Lietuva.

The new plant will be built on an area of almost 10 hectares. The complex will comprise the main production building and auxiliary-purpose structures.

The new plant will ensure long-term heavy equipment maintenance capabilities for the Lithuanian Armed Forces within the country, CEO of Lithuania Defence Services Sebastian Dietz said.

In the future, the company will be responsible not only for assembling Leopard 2A8 tanks, but also for their long-term technical maintenance, repair and maintaining combat readiness in Lithuania. 

The plant is expected to create up to 100 jobs – around 70 for production specialists and around 30 for administrative staff. More than 120 parking spaces will also be installed on the site, some of them equipped with electric vehicle charging stations.

The first tank assembled in Lithuania is scheduled to roll out of the plant at the end of 2028.

Vilnius, July 27 (ELTA) – Estonia’s Apollo Group, in cooperation with MM Group and KFC franchisor, is in the process of acquiring the local Fly Chicken restaurant chain operating in the Norwegian market in order to bring the KFC franchise to the Norwegian market, the group said in a statement via the Nasdaq stock exchange on Monday.

The seller is the Norwegian company Fly Holding AS, whose main owners are the Sandvik family, Knut Nikolai Tønnevold Ugland and CEO Ronny Gjøse.

Today, Fly Chicken operates 19 locations in Norway, most of which Apollo Group plans to convert into KFC restaurants. In addition, Apollo Group plans to open new KFC restaurants in Norway within the next 5 years.

Norway becomes the fifth KFC market where Apollo Group operates under a KFC franchise agreement. Norway offers strong purchasing power, a highly developed restaurant and delivery market, and significant potential in the fried chicken category, where KFC is currently not represented.

Together with the acquisition of the company, Apollo Group plans to invest around EUR 20 million in the Norwegian market over the next 5 years.

Following completion, Fly Chicken’s co-founder and CEO Ronny Gjøse, a hands-on restaurant operator with more than 35 years in the industry, will continue as CEO and lead the transition, conversion and further development of the business in Norway.

Fly Chicken is a modern Norwegian fast casual concept founded in 2018, known for its fried chicken, signature sandwiches, hot sauces and loaded fries, served across dine-in, takeaway and delivery. The turnover of the company last year was EUR 14 million.

Completion of the transaction is subject to the usual formalities and processes. The transaction is carried out in cooperation with MM Group in order to mitigate the risks arising from the transaction for Apollo Group in accordance with the current acquisitions policy.

Apollo Group’s restaurant portfolio includes well-known brands in Lithuania such as KFC, Delano and CAN CAN Pizza. Following the recent transaction to acquire 100% of the shares in the Lithuanian companies RESTORANAI DVYLIKA UAB and CCF KAVINĖS UAB, the portfolio will be expanded with ten more “12” self-service restaurants and 20 Caif Cafe cafes.

Vilnius, July 27 (ELTA) – The Lithuanian Government has held a primary placement auction of additional offers of its Eurobonds at the public company Nasdaq Vilnius, with the average accepted yield of 3.297%.

The state borrowed EUR 55 million for a period of four years and nearly six months, the stock exchange said Monday. The Government Eurobonds are scheduled to be redeemed on 22 January 2031.

The total volume of competitive and non-competitive bids on Monday stood at around EUR 171.3 million.

Vilnius, July 27 (ELTA) – More than half of Lithuanian general education schools still lack educational support specialists. Although the state and local authorities are increasing funding, implementing measures to attract specialists and encouraging people to choose these professions, the shortage of specialists persists the National Audit Office said in a statement. 

An audit carried out by the National Audit Office, “Educational Support in Schools”, revealed that, as a result, the specialists currently working in this field face heavy workloads, and a significant proportion of their working time is spent on administrative tasks rather than providing direct support to children.

“If we want inclusive education to be more than just a slogan on paper, we must urgently turn our attention to those who work with children on a daily basis. Educational support specialists and teaching assistants cannot perform their duties to a high standard when, on the one hand, they are trying to manage several complex cases of behavioural difficulties across different classes, while, on the other, they are forced to fill in endless, constantly changing reports. The audit results clearly show that reducing the administrative burden and filling vacant posts would not only improve the availability of services for pupils but would also fundamentally change the well-being of the specialists themselves, which is currently bordering on professional burnout. We must eliminate methodological chaos and provide schools with practical tools and competitive remuneration in order to attract the necessary skills,” emphasises Auditor General Irena Segalovičienė.

Heavy workloads – the biggest obstacle to helping children

The audit figures clearly illustrate the systemic shortage of specialists. In 2025, 52% of general education schools were short of at least one educational support specialist, and each specialist was responsible for between 16 and 337 pupils, depending on the school. Although as many as 76% of the selected local authorities implement various measures to attract or retain specialists, there is still a critical shortage of them in the labour market. In 2025, employers across the country were seeking 1,157 educational support specialists, while the number of jobseekers was almost three times lower.

A survey of educational support specialists carried out by the National Audit Office confirmed that excessive workloads are the single greatest obstacle preventing the provision of high-quality support to children. Due to a shortage of staff, existing specialists are forced to deal with a significantly excessive number of pupils, leaving critically insufficient time for direct, individual support.

Heavy workloads for specialists affect not only the children who need support, but also the teachers. In a survey carried out during the audit, as many as 41% of the teachers surveyed stated that they did not receive sufficient support from educational support specialists, as the latter are either fully occupied at school or their posts are simply unfilled.

Bureaucratic burden takes time away from children

Educational support specialists themselves cite the administrative burden as one of the biggest obstacles to their work. According to the National Audit Office’s survey, as many as 69% of educational support specialists stated that administration, preparing for meetings and other indirect activities account for a moderate or significant proportion of their daily work. The specialists also highlighted this issue during the auditors’ visits to schools. According to them, educational support specialists spend a large part of their working day filling in assessment tables, preparing and refining individual education plans, writing minutes and reports, completing constantly changing assessment forms, and carrying out other administrative tasks.

In the schools’ view, reducing the administrative burden would allow specialists to devote considerably more time to direct interaction with children, improve the availability of support, and reduce the emotional and professional strain on the staff themselves.

The work of educational support specialists is also hampered by a lack of methodological guidance and clear working standards. In the absence of standardised assessment tools and clear methodologies, they are forced to work according to varying practices, adapt to changing requirements and devote additional time to documentation. This increases the administrative burden and reduces the time that could be devoted to the children’s needs.

Teaching assistants also face heavy workloads

Similar systemic problems also weigh heavily on teaching assistants. In the survey, they indicated that a single assistant is often assigned to support 3–4 pupils in different classes, or to look after as many as 6–8 children with special educational needs in a single class at the same time. This means that a single staff member is often faced with several particularly complex cases of behavioural or emotional difficulties at once.

Teaching assistants emphasise that children need support not only during lessons, but also during breaks, in the canteen, after school or during extracurricular activities; however, their working hours are usually scheduled exclusively for lessons. For this reason, they are physically unable to be where help is most needed, meaning that some pupils and teachers are left without any support during lessons.

The lack of clarity regarding their duties also causes additional stress – as many as 24% of the teaching assistants surveyed stated that they carry out additional tasks that are entirely outside their remit, such as standing in for teachers who are ill or absent, preparing assignments or marking pupils’ work. The teaching assistants themselves emphasise that clearer regulation of their duties and stronger support from teachers and the school administration would allow them to focus on their core mission – providing high-quality support to children in the educational process.

To retain specialists, it is not enough simply to attract new ones: the National Audit Office offers its recommendations

With a view to preventing staff burnout and ensuring that the support provided genuinely meets children’s needs, the National Audit Office has made specific recommendations to the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport (MESS) and its subordinate institutions. First, in order to create an effective educational environment and systematically address the problem of staff shortages, the Ministry is recommended to introduce open-class models. To this end, it is necessary to update the criteria under which a second teacher or a person providing educational support must be assigned to certain classes in primary and basic education.

It is also necessary to ensure continuous monitoring of the provision of educational support so that policy decisions are made on the basis of real data. To achieve this, it is recommended that schools be required to record, in the Pupil Register, the actual extent of support provided by the recommended educational support specialists to each pupil.

Finally, in order to eliminate methodological inconsistencies and ensure that specialists from all educational psychology services and schools across the country assess pupils’ needs in a uniform manner, it is recommended that the Lithuanian Centre for Inclusive Education develop and implement a uniform standard for the pedagogical and psychological assessment of children and ensure the procurement or development of the necessary assessment tools.