Archive for September, 2012

- Posted by - 15725(0) Comment2012-09-14+11%3A33%3A540df53x21http%3A%2F%2Fvilnews.com%2F%3Fp%3D15725

Baltic exports to Russia
have jumped to the highest
in more than a decade

Estonia’s biggest liquor producer has no time for political squabbles as sales to Russia help it plot a safe passage through the euro-area debt turmoil.
“It would be very shortsighted if we turned our backs on Russia,” Liviko AS’s Chief Executive Officer Janek Kalvi said in a phone interview from the capital, Tallinn. “Especially if you look at what’s been happening in Europe.”

Baltic exports to Russia, now Estonia’s top destination for goods, have jumped to the highest in more than a decade, fueling Europe’s fastest growth after the region that also includes Latvia and Lithuania endured the world’s worst recessions after Lehman Brothers Inc.’s 2008 collapse. The surge has defied strained ties over issues from Soviet occupation to energy imports and has helped drive Baltic debt yields to record lows.

Read more...

Category : News

- Posted by - 15721(0) Comment2012-09-14+11%3A23%3A400df53x21http%3A%2F%2Fvilnews.com%2F%3Fp%3D15721

Record harvest in
Lithuania this summer

Lithuania plans to boost its grain exports to 2.5 million tons this year after a record harvest, 15min reported, citing Adomas Grigaitis, head of grain exporter Litagra Prekyba.

Lithuania may see a record grain harvest of as much as 4.5 million tons this year, or 1 million tons more than the average in previous years, the newspaper said.

Category : News

- Posted by - 15433(0) Comment2012-09-13+08%3A48%3A230df53x21http%3A%2F%2Fvilnews.com%2F%3Fp%3D15433

	VilNews section 4: FROM OUR ARCHIVES
	JANUARY 2006 Andrius Kubilius LITHUANIA NEEDS A VISIONARY STRATEGY Read more...
	NOVEMBER 2004 Professor Donatas Katkus THE MUSIC MAN Read more…
	MARCH 2005 PM Algirdas Brazauskas MASTER OF THE GAME Read more…
	SEPTEMBER 2005 Rolandas Paksas NEVER SAY NEVER Read more…
	DECEMBER 2005 Arturas Zuokas I AM BEING STABBED IN THE BACK Read more…

- Posted by - 15697(0) Comment2012-09-11+13%3A29%3A090df53x21http%3A%2F%2Fvilnews.com%2F%3Fp%3D15697

Klaipėda has got a crisis centre for women
that is probably going to be a pioneering
example for such centres worldwide

Text and photos: Aage Myhre
Editor-in-Chief/M.Sc. of Architecture
aage.myhre@VilNews.com

Let me today take you to the new crisis center for women in Klaipeda. The building opened a few days ago, but still there is no furniture and staff in place, hence the centre will be ready to accommodate 'patients' only later in the fall. I myself have been involved in this project for more than three years now, and I wanted to share with you some thoughts on how this center has evolved and today stands out as something rather exceptional, in Lithuania but also on an international scale.

When we started the project, there were three main messages we wanted the center to signal to women who would come here to get help in an emergency situation:

•         Here you are in safety
•         Here you will find warmth, care and understanding
•         Here you will be taken care of by professionals

Read more…

Category : Featured black / Front page

- Posted by - 15694(1) Comment2012-09-11+13%3A29%3A070df53x21http%3A%2F%2Fvilnews.com%2F%3Fp%3D15694

Klaipėda has got a crisis centre for women
that is probably going to be a pioneering
example for such centres worldwide

$Description: C:\Users\Aage\Pictures\2012-09-09 001\IMG_7091.JPG$

Text and photos: Aage Myhre, Editor-in-Chief/M.Sc. of Architecture
aage.myhre@VilNews.com

Let me today take you to the new crisis centre for women in Klaipeda. The building opened a few days ago, but still there is no furniture and staff in place, hence the centre will be ready to accommodate 'patients' only later in the fall. I myself have been involved in this project for more than three years now, and I wanted to share with you some thoughts on how this centre has evolved and today stands out as something rather exceptional, in Lithuania but also on an international scale.

When we started the project, there were three main messages we wanted the centre to signal to women who would come here to get help in an emergency situation after having been exposed to violence at home or elsewhere:

1.    Here you are in safety
2.    Here you will find warmth, care and understanding
3.    Here you will be taken care of by professionals

I believe wise architecture can be tremendously helpful in facilitating for the noble cause of a centre like this, make it much more than just a building, rather a lighthouse for many women and children who will be coming here for protection, therapy and help, hopefully making them feel stronger and self confident, so that they afterwards can return to their homes as individuals with a more positive view on life, knowing that there is hope and a future based on positive values.

The main three factors mentioned above should in my opinion all be strictly observed while creating a crisis centre for women. Below some of the main solutions we have done for the Klaipeda centre in order to find concrete, physical answers to these three factors:

1. SAFETY

· The Klaipeda centre has been designed with strict safety and security in mind. The ‘patients’ coming here will be women, sometimes with children, who have been exposed to terrible violence in their homes or elsewhere, and they need to feel totally safe as soon as they arrive at the centre.

· There is also a risk that the person who commits the violence crime will try to follow them into the centre to continue the abuse, and it has therefore been utterly important to design the building and outdoor areas in such a way that this cannot happen.

· The building and its outdoor areas also demonstrates the ‘impression of safety’, first and foremost by the use of special design patterns and very solid materials in exteriors and interiors.

· The building’s main entrance, where the women first will arrive and be taken care of, is located at the only street with access to the centre. This is also the building’s northern facade. The entrance cannot be seen from the street, and the facade has few windows for anyone to see what goes on inside. To have the access facade closed like this means safety and security, and will in my opinion give the women and their children a clear feeling of being under protection as soon as they are safely inside the building.

· The building’s southern facades have much glass, letting the sun in, still difficult to look into from outside due to the high fence and the very design of the outdoor areas.

· The building is u-shaped, with an atrium where the women can sit outdoor in a protected area.

· There is little possibility for people from outside to look in through windows, or over the high fences around the building.

· The building and the outdoor areas are always lighted after darkness.

· Surveillance cameras are connected to reception monitors, and there is installed a high tech access control system with cameras at entrance gates and entrance doors.

· Car parking for the ‘patients’ is located within the fenced area so that the women are safely inside the secured site before leaving their cars or other means of transport before entering the very building.

· All technical equipment, fixtures, fittings, as well as surface materials, is of good quality, not flammable or breakable, so that the women and children in such difficult periods of their lives do not destroy or hurt themselves in situations of fear and potential aggression.

· Equipment in kitchen, bathrooms and other premises are secured in order to avoid burning, damages, flood etc., including child protection of taps, sockets, cookers and radiators.

· All surface materials and interior elements are easy to clean and disinfect – in order to avoid infections, insects, lice, fleas, viruses, bacteria, plus dust and dirt in general.

2. WARMTH AND CARE

· The centre is designed to be felt as utterly warm and welcoming – something that has been addressed not least by making the building look more like a home than an institution.

· The building and its surroundings is characterised by welcoming, warm colours and materials, genuine yellow-brown bricks, dark grey roof tiles and other materials that give the impression of a cosy home.

· The outdoor areas, the playground for children, the plants etc. are all designed with joyful play and happy living in mind.

· Corridors, doors, floors and other elements are all in warm colours.

· All the 20 ‘patient’ rooms are like small, cosy hotel rooms, each with separate bathrooms and balconies.

· There are only single rooms, all with space for a child bed in addition to the main bed, offering total privacy for the mother and potential following child.

· The outdoor areas are as thoroughly planned as the indoor rooms – with green grass, plants, pathways, areas for playing and activities that I believe will contribute to positive emotions and reactions for the children and their mothers.

· Water is very important. There are bathrooms with showers in each room, plus other cleaning possibilities for the women who may feel ‘dirty and unclean’ after the abuses and harassments they probably have been exposed to before coming to the centre. Water has also, by itself, a healing effect.

· Fresh air is important – hence easy access to outdoor areas is a must – all rooms have balconies, and there are outdoor terraces, as well as green areas, playgrounds etc. I believe the feeling of being ‘strangled’ is common for women in a life situation like this, and that access to fresh air therefore is utterly important, but in a way that does not expose the ‘patients’ to audience from outside. Also this is solved by the way the centre is designed.

· The TV-room, the dining room and other rooms for activities are planned for best possible interaction, uplifting activities and joy between the women and their children.

3. PROFESSIONAL CARE

· The building’s reception, the therapy rooms and other common areas are planned for efficiency but also with the aim to give the ‘patients’ a feeling of safety, love, comfort and care. That someone is there to help and understand.

· 'Patients' in the crisis centre will all be offered therapy of various kinds; from doctors, psychologists, sociologists and other professionals. There will also be offered group therapy and other activities that will make women the most fit to return to their homes. The special rooms for these purposes are all designed for efficiency and for the strengthening of the therapy efforts.

· The ‘therapy wing’ of the building looks more like an institution than the other parts of the building, ‘hidden’ a bit behind the more home-like parts. The ‘patients’ should thereby understand that a very important part of their time here is to undergo different kinds of professional therapies and consultations that will better enable them to return to their homes afterwards.

As you will understand, many of these points have also to do with how the staff will act and behave, and it is in my opinion of utmost importance that the personnel as well as therapists, doctors and others will understand how the centre’s physical frames can enhance activities and lives inside the centre.

I also believe that the country’s authorities, politicians as well as administrative employees – in municipality, county, ministries, government and the presidential office – should try to understand the importance of correct planning of centres like this in order to better support the individuals and institutions directly involved in helping and supporting the women and the children that are exposed to violence in their homes as well as in public spaces.

Correct architecture can also function as a fine demonstration of good will and warm cooperation between institutions and people working within these institutions.

A well planned crisis centre will, furthermore, make it easier for media to understand what this complex of problems related to violence against women basically is about, and the general public can then through media get a better understanding and thereby potentially contribute to a number of preventative measures in their neighbourhoods, communities, counties and even on national level.

There is so much more I could have said and tried to explain, and my hope is that those involved in planning of centres like this in the future will study and communicate more deeply about causes and measures that can be used to create healing buildings and environments, than what often is the case today.

I hope the people of Lithuania will understand how important a crisis centre like this is in healing and preventative efforts for the women and children exposed to violence and abuse, and I sincerely hope the design and functionality of this new women’s shelter will come to represent a strong message of care, compassion and concrete help to individuals in difficult life situations.

The difference between a good and a less good crisis centre is huge, and I am happily confident that

Klaipeda now has a centre that will emerge as one of the best in the world.

In the planning of the centre, the authorities, both at local and national level, have been active partners in relation to improved legislation and improved procedures for cases and conditions where women are subjected to violence.

Also Lithuania's diplomatic corps has played an invaluable role in this process, and I feel sincere gratitude to all those who have supported and participated in this important process which I fervently hope will be a new 'lighthouse' of hope and mutual respect and human understanding in Lithuania and around in our fantastic but vulnerable world where violence unfortunately still is far too common.

The Crisis Centre in Klaipeda has become a reality thanks to an initiative of and financial support from the Danish Espersen Foundation. Espersen is a world leader in fish processing, with factory in Klaipeda since 2003. The firm and its affiliated Foundation aims to contribute to the communities where they are established with business, and this has now given Klaipeda a new social institution in a most distinguished manner.

Corporate Responsibility from a private foundation and company at its very best!

Also Klaipeda Municipality and EU has contributed funding for the centre.

The building and its outdoor areas

$Description: C:\Users\Aage\Pictures\2012-09-09 001\IMG_7094.JPG$
The Klaipeda crisis centre for women is designed to be felt as utterly warm and welcoming – something that has been addressed not least by making the building look more like a home than an institution. The building and its surroundings is characterised by welcoming, warm colours and materials, genuine yellow-brown bricks, dark grey roof tiles and other materials that give the impression of a cosy home. The outdoor areas, the playground for children, the plants etc. are all designed with joyful play and happy living in mind. The building also relates to the nearby policlinic on one side and a residential area on the other side.

$Description: C:\Users\Aage\Pictures\2012-09-09 001\IMG_7095.JPG$
The building’s main entrance, where the women first will arrive and be taken care of, is located at the only street with access to the centre. This is also the building’s northern facade. The entrance cannot be seen from the street, and the facade has few windows for anyone to see what goes on inside. To have the access facade closed like this means safety and security, and will in my opinion give the women and their children a clear feeling of being under protection as soon as they are safely inside the building.

$Description: C:\Users\Aage\Pictures\2012-09-09 001\IMG_7047.JPG$ $Description: C:\Users\Aage\Pictures\2012-09-09 001\IMG_7049.JPG$
The entrance to the building offers lots of light inside, still unseen from outside.
Covered by a roof, the place to put baby strollers etc.

$Description: C:\Users\Aage\Pictures\2012-09-09 001\IMG_7050.JPG$
Car parking for the ‘patients’ is located within the fenced area so that the women are safely inside the secured site before leaving their cars or other means of transport before entering the very building.

$Description: C:\Users\Aage\Pictures\2012-09-09 001\IMG_7054.JPG$

$Description: C:\Users\Aage\Pictures\2012-09-09 001\IMG_7051.JPG$
The outdoor areas, the playground for children, the plants etc. are all designed with
joyful play and happy living in mind.

$Description: C:\Users\Aage\Pictures\2012-09-09 001\IMG_7057.JPG$ $Description: C:\Users\Aage\Pictures\2012-09-09 001\IMG_7072.JPG$
Fresh air is important – hence easy access to outdoor areas is a must – all rooms have balconies, and there are outdoor terraces, as well as green areas, playgrounds etc. I believe the feeling of being ‘strangled’ is common for women in a life situation like this, and that access to fresh air therefore is utterly important, but in a way that does not expose the ‘patients’ to audience from outside. Also this is solved by the way the centre is designed.

$Description: C:\Users\Aage\Pictures\2012-09-09 001\IMG_7060.JPG$

$Description: C:\Users\Aage\Pictures\2012-09-09 001\IMG_7059.JPG$
The building’s southern facades have much glass, letting the sun in, still difficult to look into from outside due to the high fence and the very design of the outdoor areas. The building is u-shaped, with an atrium where the women can sit outdoor in a protected area. There is little possibility for people from outside to look in through windows, or over the high fences around the building.

$Description: C:\Users\Aage\Pictures\2012-09-09 001\IMG_7088.JPG$
The ‘therapy wing’ of the building looks more like an institution than the other parts of the building, ‘hidden’ a bit behind the more home-like parts. The ‘patients’ should thereby understand that a very important part of their time here is to undergo different kinds of professional therapies and consultations that will better enable them to return to their homes afterwards.

$Description: C:\Users\Aage\Pictures\2012-09-09 001\IMG_7065.JPG$ $Description: C:\Users\Aage\Pictures\2012-09-09 001\IMG_7074.JPG$
Corridors, doors, floors and other elements are all in warm colours.

$Description: C:\Users\Aage\Pictures\2012-09-09 001\IMG_7075.JPG$ $Description: C:\Users\Aage\Pictures\2012-09-09 001\IMG_7076.JPG$
All the 20 ‘patient’ rooms are like small, cosy hotel rooms, each with separate bathrooms and balconies.
There are only single rooms, all with space for a child bed in addition to the main bed, offering total
privacy for the mother and potential following child.

The people who made it possible

$Description: C:\Users\Aage\Pictures\2012-09-09 001\IMG_7062.JPG$ $Description: C:\Users\Aage\Pictures\2012-05-19 001\IMG_6274.JPG$
Dalia Puidokiene, Executive Director, Klaipeda Social and Psychological Support Centre,
andAudronė Liesytė, Head of Social Care Division at Klaipeda Municipality.

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The Klaipeda Municipality team in full swing planning the crisis centre, May 2011. Tomas Barsevičius, Project Manager (Project Division), Elona Jurkevičienė, Head of the Projects Division, and Aušra Tautkevičiūtė, Chief Specialist of Construction and Infrastructure Development Division.

$Description: C:\Users\Aage\Pictures\2012-05-19 001\IMG_6277.JPG$
See also https://vilnews.com/?p=12304

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These two women will be responsible for the operation of the crisis centre; Rita Bratėnaitė-Vitkienė, Director, and Lina Krasauskienė, Subdivision Manager, Klaipeda Municipality Family and Child Welfare Centre.

Government, Municipality and the Diplomatic Corps

$Description: C:\Users\Aage\Pictures\2012-05-19 001\IMG_6273.JPG$
Also Lithuania's diplomatic corps has played an invaluable role in this process, and I feel sincere gratitude to all those who have supported and participated in this important process which I fervently hope will be a new 'lighthouse' of hope and mutual respect and human understanding in Lithuania and around in our fantastic but vulnerable world where violence unfortunately still is far too common. In May 2012 Ambassador of South Africa to Denmark and Lithuania, Ms. Samkelisiwe I. Mhlanga came to greet the team working with the centre.
Read about the visit and her speech at https://vilnews.com/?p=14054

$Description: C:\Users\Aage\Pictures\2012-09-09 001\IMG_7080.JPG$ $Description: C:\Users\Aage\Pictures\2012-09-09 001\IMG_7036.JPG$
Finland‘s Ambassador Marja-Liisa Kiljunen and Denmark‘s Ambassador Jørgen Molde.

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Advisor of the Klaipeda Mayor, Simonas Gentvilas and
Ingrid Susanne Farner, Deputy Head of Mission at the Norwegian Embassy.

$Description: C:\Users\Aage\Pictures\2012-05-19 001\IMG_6272.JPG$ $Description: C:\Users\Aage\Pictures\2012-09-09 001\IMG_7035.JPG$
The extraordinary supportive Klaipeda Mayor, Vytautas Grubliauskas, and
Dalija Seporaitiene, Head of Family Policy Department, Ministry of social Security & Labour.

$Description: C:\Users\Aage\Pictures\2012-09-09 001\IMG_7012.JPG$ $Description: C:\Users\Aage\Pictures\2012-09-09 001\IMG_7040.JPG$
Had it not been for the Danish Espersen Foundation, there wouldn’t have been a crisis centre for women in Klaipeda now. Here Lene Holm Nielsen, who has represented the Foundation in such a brilliant, warm manner, and Chairman of A. Espersen A/S, board member the Espersen Foundation, Vagn Thorup.

$Description: C:\Users\Aage\Pictures\2012-09-09 001\IMG_7097.JPG$

Category : Featured black / Health & wellbeing

- Posted by - 15691(0) Comment2012-09-11+13%3A14%3A480df53x21http%3A%2F%2Fvilnews.com%2F%3Fp%3D15691

Oh, those old Lithuanian
wedding traditions

The article author, Kestutis Eidukonis, with the bride and her maids.

Marriage and death - these are the events to which ancient Lithuanian culture gave special attention to, and judging by the surviving customs and folklore, the most significant of these was the wedding, for it was on the family that the entire community depended on for survival, structure, and stability - not only of the community but of the whole nation. It is therefore understandable why the creation of a family - a wedding- receives so much attention in both ancient and present day Lithuanian culture.

Read more…

Category : Front page

- Posted by - 15689(8) Comment2012-09-11+13%3A14%3A440df53x21http%3A%2F%2Fvilnews.com%2F%3Fp%3D15689

Oh, those old Lithuanian
wedding traditions

$Description: C:\Users\Aage\Downloads\the bridesmaids.JPG$
The article author, Kestutis Eidukonis, with the bride and her maids.

One only needs to walk around old town Vilnius or Kaunas or any good size Lithuanian town on any given weekend to see wedding entourages accompanied by photographers posing for pictures at churches, bridges or any other landmark. These festivities occur everywhere in Lithuania. It is a wonderful sight for a country. It is usually a sign of confidence and hope in the future. Of course, traditions change and some people are reluctant to celebrate the wedding using some of these traditions but it was interesting to see them none the less and hope people continue to observe them.

I recently had the privilege of attending one of these special occasions in Žemaitiją in the wonderful towns of Veiverženai, and Švekšna I was invited to the wedding of Arturas and Žavinta, (her name means Enchanting) and I want to thank them and their families for sharing this beautiful experience with the me and the readers of VilNews.

At Žavinta's and Arturas's wedding, all the old traditions of a Lithuanian wedding came into play. All the actors, the matchmaker and his wife, the groom, the bride, the parents, bridesmaids, groomsmen, musician, large number of relatives and friends and most importantly, the children, had a part to play.

The day started at the bride's house with the bride getting dressed for the occasion being assisted by the brides maids. As the magic hour got close, the groom together with groomsmen arrived at the house, where, family and friends waited. The ceremonies began with the Matchmaker and Mrs Matchmaker (The matchmaker's wife) taking charge. The groomsmen are introduced to the bridesmaids. The boys tied flowers on the bridesmaids wrists and the girls in turn put a flower on the lapel of the boys. The future bride and groom in turn present a typical handwoven Lithuanian sash to the Matchmaker with the words Matchmaker - Liar.

The next part of the festivities was both comical and melancholic. The parents shared with everyone present their fondest memories of their children. Their first words, the lullabies they used to put them to sleep with and anything else memorable. The groom's mother then pinned a flower on her son's lapel, and in traditional Catholic families the couple is presented with a rosary as symbol of God's blessing. The bride and groom then bid farewell to their parents by kissing their hands. Tears flow copiously! Moms are usually very tearful - not so the fathers. Guests applaud and cry!

After this the couple proceed to the church where the mass is said and the couple exchange vows - pretty much like any other wedding ceremony. The couple also adopted the custom of releasing white turtle doves after the wedding ceremony outside the church.

After the church ceremonies the young couple along with their whole entourage hop into their cars and go on a noisy, horn blasting, few hour long trip. Photos are taken and rituals are performed. These combine a few old and new traditions - the old tradition consists of sorting through a bunch of stones labeled by the maid of honor with good and bad characteristics of the couple. Love jealousy, respect, hot temper, etc. The good stones are kept and put in a basket. The bad ones are tossed away. The stones have a special pagan significance - in old times they were considered messages to the gods. The newer tradition consists of locking two hearts together with a symbolic lock. The lock is often placed on a bridge and the key is discarded. Most Lithuanian bridges are covered with such locks. (I have also seen people removing their locks after a divorce or separation). The wedding party also uses this occasion to go visit close relatives who are ill or frail and could not make it to the festivities. The groom is also supposed to carry the bride across any and every bridge they come to.

Finally, according to old traditions it is time to go back to the house where the parents and the guests are eagerly awaiting. Weddings used to take place in one of parents' home. Now days, the celebrations are often held in a hall or in a place specially selected for its rural scenery or for the occasion. However, the decorations, like in the old days remain the same, the yard is decorated with birch branches flowers and other decorations. Our wedding took place in Alsė, a "kaimo sodyba" - a rural B & B.

After raising Cain on the roads and streets, the newly weds return to the hall where they are welcomed by their parents with the traditional gifts of bread and salt and water. (The bread symbolizes life, salt bitter moments and the water or wine to wash everything down) But before they are allowed to enter, they are required to undergo a variety of challenges. What would Lithuanian wedding be without jokes, and pranks? The organizer of all this is the irreplaceable wedding musician and the matchmakers who, up until the return of the young couple have been busy preparing for the first trials, an obstacle course for the groom to navigate while carrying his bride blindfolded - she is supposed to coach him where to walk. A baby doll for the bride to wash and diaper. Firewood for the groom to chop, a dish has to be broken and it will predict the number of children they will have, the bride will have to demonstrate that she knows how to peel potatoes. All this is accompanied with cat calls from the audience and commentary from the matchmakers as to how well or how ineptly the newly weds are performing their tasks. Upon completion of their tasks the newly weds request permission to enter the hall, but before the couple are allowed in they must get the approval of all the guests - who might want to challenge the couple. The maid of honor comes to the aid of the couple with a basket of candy and goodies to bribe the guests with. Many of the traditional matchmaker tasks have survived to this day but some are modified to fit the times. It is the matchmakers jobs to keep the evening flowing with toasts, songs, games and speeches. Everyone present is offered a chance to talk. The speeches have to be witty or sentimental, and they are always heartily applauded. The food was plentiful and delicious. Each table had official "bottle masters" and "happy attitude enforcers" assigned. The staff of the "Alsė" was great - pitchers were always full and platters of food just kept on coming. The place where the wedding took place was just outside the town of Švekšna it is a "Kaimo Turismo Sodyba" - a rural village garden type of an accommodation - with gazebos and other areas where guests young and old could socialize and imbibe. It also had places where everyone could rest, either in private rooms or communal bunk type accommodations. People with less stamina, were given semi-private accommodations - while the younger folks were provided with communal sleeping arrangements.

Around midnight - everyone was invited to a fire (normally a fireplace ) but in our case it was burning candles where everyone was asked to sprinkle amber dust on the flames and make a wish for the newly weds. Why Amber? Amber is considered to be the oldest, healing, spiritual rock with a large amount of organic energy. This magnetic stone, can still be found in the Baltic Sea, it is used for attracting love, carrying for and protecting happiness. It is symbolical invitation to an old Lithuanian ancestral spirit, to care for our young family and for our ancestors to reinforce the strength of the spirit of the family hearth fire. This magical fire now resides in Arturas and Zavinta and burns passionately within them.

The party continued till seven AM - With guests disappearing little by little till only the most energetic and hearty ones were left.

On the second day of the wedding - we were awakened by our colorful musician wearing a long wig. knocking on our door and insisting on us opening the door whilst he and his accordion serenaded us with his "wake up" song. Good natured threats were hurtled back and forth. Dire consequences were predicted for those who did not open up and wake up. Little by little, everyone woke up and gathered around for a breakfast of sour kraut soup served with potatoes and Kastynis ( A rich mix of butter and cream). This traditional hangover remedy , a visit to the sauna followed by a dip in the pond quickly revived everyone. The sauna and the dip in the pond was voluntary - though many took advantage of it.

Around noon - everyone was ready to start partying all over again. Everyone gathered at the banquet hall for second round of revelry. In the meantime, the bridal party decided that the matchmaker exaggerated the grooms qualities when he recommended the groom to the bride and her parents and that for being such a big liar, he needs to be strung up. The matchmaker at first tries to make excuses, but then when he sees that it is doing no good he starts to read his humorous last testament. This leaves everyone in stitches! The Matchmaker is than saved from hanging by the young bride - who ties her sash on him as a sign of respect and as sign of thanks for finding her a great husband. The wedding party goes along with the bride and decides that the matchmaker wasn't a liar, after all. He did match up these two wonderful young people and his services are still needed for the remaining large group of unmarried women. The matchmaker is allowed to live but now has to wear his matchmaker's sash around his neck as a reminder of the perils of his job.

Of course, there was still a lot of celebrating to do, games, dances and songs. The wedding went on till later that evening. But most importantly the Lithuanian Spirit was alive and well there. Happy guests, happy newly weds and most important of all - happy young eyes were watching all of this, for you see the young children were a part of this the whole time: This to them was a Fun Lithuanian Wedding!

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$Description: C:\Users\Aage\Downloads\the youngsters having fun.JPG$

Category : Culture & events

- Posted by - 15684(0) Comment2012-09-11+13%3A07%3A200df53x21http%3A%2F%2Fvilnews.com%2F%3Fp%3D15684

“The mass graves of Tuskulėnai”
A series of articles in 6 parts

TODAY PART 5 OF 6:
THE CHAPEL-COLUMBARIUM

By Vincas Karnila, Associate editor
vin.karnila@VilNews.com

The focal point of the Memorial Complex of Tuskulėnai Peace Park is the Chapel-columbarium. The building with its exceptional architecture was intended to memorialize and honor the memory of the victims of Soviet terror. This chapel is a place of eternal rest for the remains of 717 people, killed between 1944 and 1947 in NKGB-MGB internal prison, which were found and exhumed during archeological research in the territory of Tuskulėnai Manor between 1994 and 1996 and in 2003.

To read more, go to our SECTION 10

Category : Featured red / Front page

- Posted by - 15678(0) Comment2012-09-11+13%3A01%3A140df53x21http%3A%2F%2Fvilnews.com%2F%3Fp%3D15678

PART 5 OF 6

The CHAPEL-COLUMBARIUM

The Chapel-columbarium is a barrow-shaped building, the underground part of which there is a dome-shaped chapel surrounded by a gallery of crypts with coffins bearing the remains of the victims exhumed from the territory of Tuskulėnai Peace Park. The remains were brought to the crypt on the All Souls’ Day in 2004.

As we said, the Chapel-columbarium is the focal point of The Memorial Complex of the Tuskulėnai Peace Park and the remains of the victims that are interned inside is the focal point of the Chapel-columbarium. The first time I went inside to visit with the people who have become one of the symbols of Soviet terror, I honestly can’t put into words the myriad of emotions that overcame me. Quite often I am in the KGB Museum. When I am in there I feel anger towards the people that tortured and killed my fellow country men and women. In the Chapel-columbarium it is not possible for me to feel anger. It is also not possible for me to completely describe my emotions but one is of great sadness for not only how the lives of these people ended but how the Soviets disposed of their bodies. The one thing that really strikes me is when I look at all the small caskets that hold the remains of these people and look at the numbers on them is that - These people had names, they were people.

Please look at casket 048 in the photo above.

This is someone’s son or daughter, perhaps also someone’s brother or sister. It also could be someone’s wife or husband or father. This person also had friends and colleagues at work. At one time this person had a name – Now they are 048. Now they are known only to God.

As I said, it is very difficult to put my emotions into words but if you have even the smallest understanding of what I’m saying about casket 048 you will begin to appreciate the solemn power this place can have over you.

As the bodies were exhumed from the massed graves, no one knew the identity of each of the skeletal remains. To look at each, they did not know who was a Lithuanian Partisan that went to the forests to take up armed resistance against the brutal tyrannical power that had taken their country’s freedom away, who was a member of the Polish Armia Krajowa, who had collaborated with the Nazis or who was a deserter from the Soviet Army.

As one person put it, “it wasn’t possible to separate the bones into two neat piles — patriots here, criminals there”.

All that was known was that there were now more than 700 bodies that needed to be buried in some civilized way. In a civilised society, when a person dies, civilised people burry the deceased in a civilised way. This was and is the purpose of the Tuskulenai Chapel-columbarium and the Memorial Complex of Tuskulėnai Peace Park. It provides a civilised final resting place to these victims of Soviet terror whose individual identities and what they did during life are now known only to God.

About thirty minutes before I entered the Chapel-columbarium I had read the letter of farewell written by Lithuanian partisan leader Bronius Eiva to his wife. All the time I was looking at the numbers on all the caskets his words were repeatedly going through my mind

“Please find out when I was shot or hanged and where they bury me. Dig me up and take me to Šeta cemetery.”

With his words echoing through my head I could not help but think that unfortunately they could not bury Bronius in Šeta cemetery because they didn’t know which body was his but at least they were able to dig him up and give him the best possible burial under the circumstance, have him blessed by a Holy person of the Church and give his family a place to come visit him.

Dear readers, for those of you that live outside of Lithuania I would highly recommend that during your next visit to make it a point to go to first to the KGB Museum and then to The Memorial Complex of the Tuskulėnai Peace Park and go inside the Chapel-columbarium. For our readers that live in or near Lithuania I would highly recommend you also make the time to do the same. While inside your thoughts and reasons for visiting the people that were taken away from their friends, families and countries in such a violent manner will be your own but I am quite sure that you will feel the solemn power this place will have over you

This memorial and sacral building was designed with regard to the surrounding landscape: it looks like a barrow from the park side, and the main entrance is established on its steep, riverbank side. The main material used for the construction was concrete, which suits the underground building due to its durability; and its stark decorative properties reflect the tragic destiny of the people buried there.

The authors of the chapel-columbarium project were: Vytautas Edmundas Čekanauskas, Algirdas Umbrasas, Lina Masliukienė, Gitenis Umbrasas, Gediminas Karalius, Marius Šaliamoras, and Jūras Balkevičius. The planning of the project began in 1996, and the chapel was built in 2003-2004. In 2009, the dome of the chapel-columbarium was decorated with an arched mosaic “Trejybė” (Trinity) created by the painter and monumental artist G. Umbrasas. It pictures the intertwined wings of three birds: a swan, a hawk and an owl, symbolizing Fate, Happiness and Freedom. In the same year, the barrow was capped with a metal crown created by sculptor G. Karalius.

In 2006, the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania added to the list of memorial days by announcing the designation of 28^th September as Tuskulėnai Victims Memorial Day. This day is commemorated every year in The Memorial Complex of Tuskulėnai Peace Park.

Obviously the Chapel-columbarium is locked at all times but this is absolutely no problem. To get inside the Chapel-columbarium, where the remains of the victims of the Soviet totalitarian regime rest in peace, simply go to the visitor center which is located on the grounds in the building marked Žirmūnų Gatvė 1N.

Information Center at Žirmūnų Gatvė 1N
Photo property of The Memorial Complex of the Tuskulėnai Peace Park. All rights reserved

Tell the staff that you would like to go inside the Chapel-columbarium and they will be more than happy to escort you inside. As I said before, every member of the staff here are wonderful people and they will enjoy sharing all the information with you. In fact I can honestly tell you that meeting with and talking to the staff here will be one of the highlights of your visit. Every one of them is absolutely fantastic.

Look for the next article
Part 6 of 6

The SECRETS OF TUSKULĖNAI MANOR

Dear readers

WE NEED YOUR HELP

Dear VilNews readers, we need your help. As we have said, the victims that were executed in the NKGB–MGB internal prison in between 28 September 1944 and 16 April 1947 were buried in secret mass graves in the territory of the Tuskulėnai Manor. These victims have been found, their bodies recovered, given the dignified burial they never received and their souls have been blessed by a Holy person of the religion the worshipped.

26 May 1947, following the order of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the USSR, the death penalty was abolished.

On 12 January 1950, the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the USSR passed a decree re-instating the death penalty. Between October 1950 and July 1952, 182 people sentenced to death were executed at Vilnius NKGB–MGB internal prison.
Their place of burial is still not known.

After July 1952 to 1961 executions continued pursuant to the 1926 Criminal Code Article 58 of RSFSR.
The burial place of these victims is still unknown.

The 1926 Criminal Code Article 58 of RSFSR was terminated in 1961 but executions continued.
The burial place of these victims is still unknown

Dear readers we would like to find where these people are buried, recover their bodies, give them the dignified burial they never received and have them blessed by a Holy person of the Religion they worshipped.

This is where we need your help. The NKVD and NKGB–MGB officers that oversaw these executions are now all dead. What ever records and documents which still exist are most likely locked away in a vault somewhere in the Russian Federation and it would seem highly unlikely that anyone in the Russian Federation would be kind enough allow access to these documents and records so that we could find out the location of the burial sites or simply tell us where these people are buried.

We know that there are people out there that know the location of some of these burial sites. Maybe it is a person that processed the documents, maybe it is some one that was just a rank and file soldier that was ordered to drive the truck that transported the bodies or was ordered to dig the trenches for the graves, maybe it is a colleague of one of these people or maybe it is the bartender that heard some of these people talk of it one night. The possibilities are endless.

Maybe none of these people with first hand knowledge of the burial sites are still alive. In that case we are sure that there are people out there with second hand or even third hand information. To have first hand knowledge of these executions would weigh very heavily on any civilized person’s heart and it is very possible that after carrying this weight inside them for many years they finally felt the need to free themselves from this burden they carried inside and told some one.

If you have any information at all, any information of any kind – Please tell us.

It is not important to us how you know, who it was, what they did or who told you.

None of this is important.

The only thing that is important is that we find where the executed people are buried.

This is all we care about.

What we want to do is best explained in the words from Bronius Eiva’s farewell letter he wrote to his wife while waiting his execution while in the prison of Ukmergės Peoples Commissariat for Internal Affairs.

“Please find out when I was shot or hanged and where they bury me.
Dig me up and take me to Šeta cemetary.”

This is all we want to do – Find where they are buried, dig them up and then give them a proper burial but we can only do this with your help.

All information will be kept strictly confidential
We are not concerned with who or what
We are only concerned with where these people are buried

If you have any information of any kind please contact:

The Memorial Complex of Tuskulenai Peace Park
Žirmūnų Gatvė 1F,
LT-09239, Vilnius
Lithuania

Telephone: +370 5 275 1223
E-mail. tuskulenai@genocid.lt

You can also contact me at vkvilnius-tuskulenai@yahoo.com

We sincerely thank you for your help.

Su pagarbe
Vincas Karnila

Category : Blog archive

Join our “Historic Route 66 Photography Forum”

- Posted by - 15674(5) Comment2012-09-11+12%3A50%3A510df53x21http%3A%2F%2Fvilnews.com%2F%3Fp%3D15674

By Rimgaudas P. Vidziunas aka "Rim", Mesa, Arizona, USA

At a book signing that I was photographing earlier this week, I was surprised to hear that so many Europeans come to America just to tour Historic Route 66 in tour buses, rented cars and even Harley Davidson Motorcycles. This inspired me to create "Historic Route 66 Photography Forum" for everyone to share their pictures and memories.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/HistoricRoute66PhotographyForum/

We share a passion for Historic Route 66, sharing our images, imagination, memories of the "Mother Road" for the world to enjoy.

U.S. Route 66 (US 66 or Route 66), also known as the Will Rogers Highway and colloquially known as the Main Street of America or the Mother Road, was a highway within the U.S. Highway System. One of the original U.S. Highways, Route 66 was established on November 11, 1926—with road signs erected the following year.[2] The highway, which became one of the most famous roads in America, originally ran from Chicago, Illinois, through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California, before ending at Los Angeles, covering a total of 2,448 miles (3,940 km).[3] It was recognized in popular culture by both a hit song and the Route 66 television show in the 1960s.

Route 66 served as a major path for those who migrated west, especially during the Dust Bowl of the 1930s, and it supported the economies of the communities through which the road passed. People doing business along the route became prosperous due to the growing popularity of the highway, and those same people later fought to keep the highway alive in the face of the growing threat of being bypassed by the new Interstate Highway System.

Route 66 underwent many improvements and realignments over its lifetime, and it was officially removed from the United States Highway System on June 27, 1985[4] after it had been replaced in its entirety by the Interstate Highway System. Portions of the road that passed through Illinois, Missouri, New Mexico, and Arizona have been designated a National Scenic Byway of the name "Historic Route 66", which is returning to some maps.[5][6] Several states have adopted significant bypassed sections of the former US 66 into the state road network as State Route 66.

Category : Front page / Lithuania in the world

- Posted by - 15662(0) Comment2012-09-11+12%3A21%3A450df53x21http%3A%2F%2Fvilnews.com%2F%3Fp%3D15662

Klaipėda crisis centre for women –
a pioneering example for such centres worldwide? ______________________________

I love that Lithuanians feel strongly enough about stopping violence against women by building a beautiful haven for abused women to heal in

Gail VanWart I hate that there is violence against women in Lithuania (too) but love that Lithuanians feel strongly enough about stopping it to build a beautiful haven for abused women to heal in.
______________________________

Poland and Lithuania were amongst the worst for child abuse, violence against women and homophobia

Viktorija Ruškulienė When Lithuania was considered to be a member of EU, there was a research published on various countries candidates and their comparison to old EU members. Poland and Lithuania were amongst the worst for child abuse, violence against women and homophobia. There is so much to be done on these important social problems.
______________________________

Huge achievement ♥

Irmina Santaika Congratulations, for this huge achievement ♥
______________________________

Wonderful concept!

Ruta Musonis What a wonderful concept and beautiful house!

Category : Opinions

- Posted by - 15658(0) Comment2012-09-11+12%3A08%3A140df53x21http%3A%2F%2Fvilnews.com%2F%3Fp%3D15658

Baltic countries must
stop silly cock-fighting

Tõnis Tamme, attorney and a partner of pan-Baltic alliance of commercial law firms TRINITI writes about how the Baltic countries could and should cooperate better for the common good.

One can often hear ambitious words in Estonia – that the real opportunities of our enterprises for the next decades are related to China, India, South-East Asia and other far-away markets. Indeed, the global economic crisis made Baltic enterprises adopt a wider view of export markets than before. It was a positive change for the small economy of the economic boom period, as it had been too focused on domestic consumption. On the other hand it’s not probable that the exotic markets would be the driving force carrier of the economies of Lithuania, Latvia or Estonia in near future. Rather, the much-discussed globalisation stage entails regionalisation, resulting in widening those mental borders that we perceive to determine “our” home market.

No ground for snobbism
The competition among the Baltic States for the name of the “best port” for foreign investments is growing. All three countries have their own perceivable and developed advantages – Lithuania has the largest domestic market, Latvia is logistically in the centre of the region and Estonia has pulled somewhat ahead of others with the structure of its economy and key figures.

Read more…

Category : News

- Posted by - 15647(0) Comment2012-09-07+13%3A57%3A290df53x21http%3A%2F%2Fvilnews.com%2F%3Fp%3D15647

Lithuania remains
BBB rated by S&P

Lithuania’s sovereign credit rating was this week affirmed by Standard & Poor’s (S&P), which cited the nation’s commitment to budget policies that promote sustainable economic growth.

S&P kept its stable outlook on Lithuania’s BBB rating, its second-lowest investment grade, on par with Russia and Bulgaria.

Read more…

Category : Featured black / Front page

- Posted by - 15646(1) Comment2012-09-07+13%3A57%3A270df53x21http%3A%2F%2Fvilnews.com%2F%3Fp%3D15646

Lithuania remains
BBB rated by S&P

Lithuania’s sovereign credit rating was this week affirmed by Standard & Poor’s (S&P), which cited the nation’s commitment to budget policies that promote sustainable economic growth.

S&P kept its stable outlook on Lithuania’s BBB rating, its second-lowest investment grade, on par with Russia and Bulgaria.

“The Lithuanian government has made significant progress in consolidating the public finances,” the ratings company said. “We expect fiscal deficits to continue declining over the medium term and for consolidation efforts to be helped by a forecast return to strong economic growth.”

Lithuania plans to narrow this year’s budget deficit to within 3 percent of gross domestic product from 5.5 percent in 2011. After expanding 5.9 percent last year, the economy will grow 3 percent in 2012, the central bank predicts.

The yield on Lithuania’s 2022 dollar bond fell 4 basis points to 4.15 percent as of 1:25 p.m. in Vilnius.

There are “significant risks” that this year’s fiscal shortfall will be “marginally” higher than the government’s target after the first-half deficit reached about 2.4 percent of full-year estimated GDP, S&P said.

“Fiscal prudence is particularly important for Lithuania as its currency board affords it no meaningful monetary or exchange rate flexibility,” it said.

S&P, which also raised the country’s short-term foreign and local currency rating to A-2 from A-3, warned that rising gas and heating prices may spur price growth, hindering plans to meet inflation criteria for euro adoption.

“Whatever the case, we believe that Lithuania’s authorities may hesitate to apply for euro-zone membership for as long as the economic and debt crises in the euro zone persist,” the ratings company said.

Category : Business, economy, investments / Featured black

- Posted by - 15637(0) Comment2012-09-07+13%3A47%3A250df53x21http%3A%2F%2Fvilnews.com%2F%3Fp%3D15637

AAA rated nations worldwide:
8 of 10 top rated nations
located in North Europe!

Least risky countries, Score out of 100 Country risk rankings (June 2012) Source: Euromoney country risk http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Credit_rating
Rank	Previous	Country	Overall score
1	1	Norway	90.37
2	2	Switzerland	88.83
3	3	Singapore	88.03
4	4	Luxembourg	87.90
5	4	Sweden	86.79
6	5	Finland	84.30
7	7	Canada	84.26
8	8	Denmark	83.52
9	9	Netherlands	83.07
10	7	Germany	82.24

It may surprise many that eight of the top ten countries in the world enjoying AAA rating from Standard & Poor’s are located in Northern Europe, and that all four Scandinavian countries are among these eight. The only non-European countries on this distinguished list are Canada and Singapore, while countries like the U.S., Japan and China have to accept lower rank.

Category : Front page

- Posted by - 15636(0) Comment2012-09-07+13%3A47%3A090df53x21http%3A%2F%2Fvilnews.com%2F%3Fp%3D15636

AAA rated nations worldwide:
8 of 10 top rated nations
located in North Europe!

Least risky countries, Score out of 100 Country risk rankings (June 2012) Source: Euromoney country risk http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Credit_rating
Rank	Previous	Country	Overall score
1	1	Norway	90.37
2	2	Switzerland	88.83
3	3	Singapore	88.03
4	4	Luxembourg	87.90
5	4	Sweden	86.79
6	5	Finland	84.30
7	7	Canada	84.26
8	8	Denmark	83.52
9	9	Netherlands	83.07
10	7	Germany	82.24

Click on the map for higher resolution.

What is a 'credit rating'?

A credit rating evaluates the credit worthiness of a debtor, especially a business (company) or a government. It is an evaluation made by a credit rating agency of the debtor's ability to pay back the debt and the likelihood of default.

Credit ratings are determined by credit ratings agencies. The credit rating represents the credit rating agency's evaluation of qualitative and quantitative information for a company or government; including non-public information obtained by the credit rating agencies analysts.

Credit ratings are not based on mathematical formulas. Instead, credit rating agencies use their judgment and experience in determining what public and private information should be considered in giving a rating to a particular company or government. The credit rating is used by individuals and entities that purchase the bonds issued by companies and governments to determine the likelihood that the government will pay its bond obligations.

A poor credit rating indicates a credit rating agency's opinion that the company or government has a high risk of defaulting, based on the agency's analysis of the entity's history and analysis of long term economic prospects.

Sovereign credit rating

A sovereign credit rating is the credit rating of a sovereign entity, i.e., a national government. The sovereign credit rating indicates the risk level of the investing environment of a country and is used by investors looking to invest abroad. It takes political risk into account

The table above shows the ten least-risky countries for investment as of June 2012. Ratings are further broken down into components including political risk, economic risk. Euromoney's bi-annual country risk index monitors the political and economic stability of 185 sovereign countries. Results focus foremost on economics, specifically sovereign default risk and/or payment default risk for exporters (a.k.a. "trade credit" risk).

A. M. Best defines "country risk" as the risk that country-specific factors could adversely affect an insurer's ability to meet its financial obligations.

Short-term rating

A short-term rating is a probability factor of an individual going into default within a year. This is in contrast to long-term rating which is evaluated over a long timeframe. In the past institutional investors preferred to consider long-term ratings. Nowadays, short-term ratings are commonly used.

First, the Basel II agreement requires banks to report their one-year probability if they applied internal-ratings-based approach for capital requirements. Second, many institutional investors can easily manage their credit/bond portfolios with derivatives on monthly or quarterly basis. Therefore, some rating agencies simply report short-term ratings.

Credit rating agencies

The largest credit rating agencies (which tend to operate worldwide) are Dun & Bradstreet, Moody's, Standard & Poor's and Fitch Ratings.
Other agencies include A. M. Best (U.S.), Baycorp Advantage (Australia), Egan-Jones Rating Company (U.S.), Global Credit Ratings Co. (South Africa),Levin and Goldstein(Zambia),Agusto & Co(Nigeria), Japan Credit Rating Agency, Ltd. (Japan), Muros Ratings (Russia alternative rating agency), Rapid Ratings International (U.S.). and Credit Rating Information and Services Limited (Bangladesh)

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Credit_rating

Category : Business, economy, investments

OPINIONS

Have your say. Send to:
editor@VilNews.com

By Dr. Boris Vytautas Bakunas,
Ph. D., Chicago

A wave of unity sweeps the international Lithuanian community on March 11th every year as Lithuanians celebrated the anniversary of the Lithuanian Parliament's declaration of independence from the Soviet Union in 1990. However, the sense of national unity engendered by the celebration could be short-lived.

Human beings have a strong tendency to overgeneralize and succumb to stereotypical us-them distinctions that can shatter even the strongest bonds. We need only search the internet to find examples of divisive thinking at work:

- "50 years of Soviet rule has ruined an entire generation of Lithuanian.

- "Those who fled Lithuania during World II were cowards -- and now they come back, flaunt their wealth, and tell us 'true Lithuanians' how to live."

- "Lithuanians who work abroad have abandoned their homeland and should be deprived of their Lithuanian citizenship."

Could such stereotypical, emotionally-charged accusations be one of the main reasons why relations between Lithuania's diaspora groups and their countrymen back home have become strained?

* * *

Text: Saulene Valskyte

In Lithuania Christmas Eve is a family event and the New Year's Eve a great party with friends!
Lithuanian say "Kaip sutiksi naujus metus, taip juos ir praleisi" (the way you'll meet the new year is the way you will spend it). So everyone is trying to spend New Year's Eve with friend and have as much fun as possible.

Lithuanian New Year's traditions are very similar to those in other countries, and actually were similar since many years ago. Also, the traditional Lithuanian New Years Eve party was very similar to other big celebrations throughout the year.

The New Year's Eve table is quite similar to the Christmas Eve table, but without straws under the tablecloth, and now including meat dishes. A tradition that definitely hasn't changes is that everybody is trying not to fell asleep before midnight. It was said that if you oversleep the midnight point you will be lazy all the upcoming year. People were also trying to get up early on the first day of the new year, because waking up late also meant a very lazy and unfortunate year.

During the New Year celebration people were dancing, singing, playing games and doing magic to guess the future. People didn't drink much of alcohol, especially was that the case for women.

Here are some advices from elders:
- During the New Year, be very nice and listen to relatives - what you are during New Year Eve, you will be throughout the year.

- During to the New Year Eve, try not to fall, because if this happens, next year you will be unhappy.

- If in the start of the New Year, the first news are good - then the year will be successful. If not - the year will be problematic.

New year predictions

* If during New Year eve it's snowing - then it will be bad weather all year round. If the day is fine - one can expect good harvest.
* If New Year's night is cold and starry - look forward to a good summer!
* If the during New Year Eve trees are covered with frost - then it will be a good year. If it is wet weather on New Year's Eve, one can expect a year where many will die and dangerous epidemics occur.
* If the first day of the new year is snowy - the upcoming year will see many young people die. If the night is snowy - mostly old people will die.
* If the New Year time is cold - then Easter will be warm.
* If during New Year there are a lot of birds in your homestead - then all year around there will be many guests and the year will be fun.

* * *

VilNews
Christmas greetings
from Vilnius

* * *

Ukraine won the historic
and epic battle for the
future

By Leonidas Donskis

Kaunas
Philosopher, political theorist, historian of
ideas, social analyst, and political
commentator

Immediately after Russia stepped in Syria, we understood that it is time to sum up the convoluted and long story about Ukraine and the EU - a story of pride and prejudice which has a chance to become a story of a new vision regained after self-inflicted blindness.

Ukraine was and continues to be perceived by the EU political class as a sort of grey zone with its immense potential and possibilities for the future, yet deeply embedded and trapped in No Man's Land with all of its troubled past, post-Soviet traumas, ambiguities, insecurities, corruption, social divisions, and despair. Why worry for what has yet to emerge as a new actor of world history in terms of nation-building, European identity, and deeper commitments to transparency and free market economy?

Right? Wrong. No matter how troubled Ukraine's economic and political reality could be, the country has already passed the point of no return. Even if Vladimir Putin retains his leverage of power to blackmail Ukraine and the West in terms of Ukraine's zero chances to accede to NATO due to the problems of territorial integrity, occupation and annexation of Crimea, and mayhem or a frozen conflict in the Donbas region, Ukraine will never return to Russia's zone of influence. It could be deprived of the chances to join NATO or the EU in the coming years or decades, yet there are no forces on earth to make present Ukraine part of the Eurasia project fostered by Putin.

* * *

Watch this video if you
want to learn about the
new, scary propaganda
war between Russia,
The West and the
Baltic States!

* * *

90% of all Lithuanians
believe their government
is corrupt

Lithuania is perceived to be the country with the most widespread government corruption, according to an international survey involving almost 40 countries.

* * *

Lithuanian medical
students say no to
bribes for doctors

On International Anticorruption Day, the Special Investigation Service shifted their attention to medical institutions, where citizens encounter bribery most often. Doctors blame citizens for giving bribes while patients complain that, without bribes, they won't receive proper medical attention. Campaigners against corruption say that bribery would disappear if medical institutions themselves were to take resolute actions against corruption and made an effort to take care of their patients.

* * *

Doing business in Lithuania

By Grant Arthur Gochin

California - USA

Lithuania emerged from the yoke of the Soviet Union a mere 25 years ago. Since then, Lithuania has attempted to model upon other European nations, joining NATO, Schengen, and the EU. But, has the Soviet Union left Lithuania?

During Soviet times, government was administered for the people in control, not for the local population, court decisions were decreed, they were not the administration of justice, and academia was the domain of ideologues. 25 years of freedom and openness should have put those bad experiences behind Lithuania, but that is not so.

Today, it is a matter of expectation that court pronouncements will be governed by ideological dictates. Few, if any Lithuanians expect real justice to be effected. For foreign companies, doing business in Lithuania is almost impossible in a situation where business people do not expect rule of law, so, surely Government would be a refuge of competence?

Lithuanian Government has not emerged from Soviet styles. In an attempt to devolve power, Lithuania has created a myriad of fiefdoms of power, each speaking in the name of the Government, each its own centralized power base of ideology.

* * *

Greetings from Wales!

By Anita Šovaitė-Woronycz
Chepstow, Wales

Think of a nation in northern Europe whose population is around the 3 million mark a land of song, of rivers, lakes, forests, rolling green hills, beautiful coastline a land where mushrooms grow ready for the picking, a land with a passion for preserving its ancient language and culture.

Doesn't that sound suspiciously like Lithuania? Ah, but I didn't mention the mountains of Snowdonia, which would give the game away.

I'm talking about Wales, that part of the UK which Lithuanians used to call "Valija", but later named "Velsas" (why?). Wales, the nation which has welcomed two Lithuanian heads of state to its shores - firstly Professor Vytautas Landsbergis, who has paid several visits and, more recently, President Dalia Grybauskaitė who attended the 2014 NATO summit which was held in Newport, South Wales.

MADE IN WALES -
ENGLISH VERSION OF THE
AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF
VYTAUTAS LANDSBERGIS.

* * *

IS IT POSSIBLE TO
COMMENT ON OUR
ARTICLES? :-)

Read Cassandra's article HERE

Read Rugile's article HERE

Did you know there is a comment field right after every article we publish? If you read the two above posts, you will see that they both have received many comments. Also YOU are welcome with your comments. To all our articles!

* * *

Greetings from Toronto

By Antanas Sileika,
Toronto, Canada

Toronto was a major postwar settlement centre for Lithuanian Displaced Persons, and to this day there are two Catholic parishes and one Lutheran one, as well as a Lithuanian House, retirement home, and nursing home. A new wave of immigrants has showed interest in sports.

Although Lithuanian activities have thinned over the decades as that postwar generation died out, the Lithuanian Martyrs' parish hall is crowded with many, many hundreds of visitors who come to the Lithuanian cemetery for All Souls' Day. Similarly, the Franciscan parish has standing room only for Christmas Eve mass.

Although I am firmly embedded in the literary culture of Canada, my themes are usually Lithuanian, and I'll be in Kaunas and Vilnius in mid-November 2015 to give talks about the Lithuanian translations of my novels and short stories, which I write in English.

If you have the Lithuanian language, come by to one of the talks listed in the links below. And if you don't, you can read more about my work at
www.anatanassileika.com

http://www.vdu.lt/lt/rasytojas-antanas-sileika-pristatys-savo-kuryba/
https://leu.lt/lt/lf/lf_naujienos/kvieciame-i-rasytojo-59hc.html

* * *

As long as VilNews exists,
there is hope for the future

Professor Irena Veisaite, Chairwoman of our Honorary Council, asked us to convey her heartfelt greetings to the other Council Members and to all readers of VilNews.

"My love and best wishes to all. As long as VilNews exists, there is hope for the future,"" she writes.

Irena Veisaite means very much for our publication, and we do hereby thank her for the support and wise commitment she always shows.

You can read our interview with her

HERE.

* * *

EU-Russia:
Facing a new reality

By Vygaudas Ušackas

EU Ambassador to the Russian Federation

Dear readers of VilNews,

It's great to see this online resource for people interested in Baltic affairs. I congratulate the editors. From my position as EU Ambassador to Russia, allow me to share some observations.

For a number of years, the EU and Russia had assumed the existence of a strategic partnership, based on the convergence of values, economic integration and increasingly open markets and a modernisation agenda for society.

Our agenda was positive and ambitious. We looked at Russia as a country ready to converge with "European values", a country likely to embrace both the basic principles of democratic government and a liberal concept of the world order. It was believed this would bring our relations to a new level, covering the whole spectrum of the EU's strategic relationship with Russia.

* * *

The likelihood of Putin
invading Lithuania

By Mikhail Iossel

Professor of English at Concordia University, Canada
Founding Director at Summer Literary Seminars

The likelihood of Putin's invading Lithuania or fomenting a Donbass-style counterfeit pro-Russian uprising there, at this point, in my strong opinion, is no higher than that of his attacking Portugal, say, or Ecuador. Regardless of whether he might or might not, in principle, be interested in the insane idea of expanding Russia's geographic boundaries to those of the former USSR (and I for one do not believe that has ever been his goal), he knows this would be entirely unfeasible, both in near- and long-term historical perspective, for a variety of reasons. It is not going to happen. There will be no restoration of the Soviet Union as a geopolitical entity.

* * *

Are all Lithuanian energy
problems now resolved?

By Dr. Stasys Backaitis,

P.E., CSMP, SAE Fellow Member of Central and Eastern European Coalition, Washington, D.C., USA

Lithuania's Energy Timeline - from total dependence to independence

Lithuania as a country does not have significant energy resources. Energy consuming infrastructure after WWII was small and totally supported by energy imports from Russia.

First nuclear reactor begins power generation at Ignalina in 1983, the second reactor in 1987. Iganlina generates enough electricity to cover Lithuania's needs and about 50%.for export. As, prerequisite for membership in EU, Ignalina ceases all nuclear power generation in 2009

The Klaipėda Sea terminal begins Russia's oil export operations in 1959 and imports in 1994.

Mazeikiu Nafta (current ORLEAN Lietuva) begins operation of oil refinery in 1980.

* * *

Have Lithuanian ties across
the Baltic Sea become
stronger in recent years?

By Eitvydas Bajarunas

Ambassador to Sweden

My answer to affirmative "yes". Yes, Lithuanian ties across the Baltic Sea become as never before solid in recent years. For me the biggest achievement of Lithuania in the Baltic Sea region during recent years is boosting Baltic and Nordic ties. And not because of mere accident - Nordic direction was Lithuania's strategic choice.

The two decades that have passed since regaining Lithuania's independence can be described as a "building boom". From the wreckage of a captive Soviet republic, a generation of Lithuanians have built a modern European state, and are now helping construct a Nordic-Baltic community replete with institutions intended to promote political coordination and foster a trans-Baltic regional identity. Indeed, a "Nordic-Baltic community" - I will explain later in my text the meaning of this catch-phrase.

Since the restoration of Lithuania's independence 25 years ago, we have continuously felt a strong support from Nordic countries. Nordics in particular were among the countries supporting Lithuania's and Baltic States' striving towards independence. Take example of Iceland, country which recognized Lithuania in February of 1991, well in advance of other countries. Yet another example - Swedish Ambassador was the first ambassador accredited to Lithuania in 1991. The other countries followed suit. When we restored our statehood, Nordic Countries became champions in promoting Baltic integration into Euro-Atlantic institutions. To large degree thanks Nordic Countries, massive transformations occurred in Lithuania since then, Lithuania became fully-fledged member of the EU and NATO, and we joined the Eurozone on 1 January 2015.

* * *

It's the economy, stupid *

By Valdas (Val) Samonis,

PhD, CPC

n his article, Val Samonis takes a comparative policy look at the Lithuanian economy during the period 2000-2015. He argues that the LT policy response (a radical and classical austerity) was wrong and unenlightened because it coincided with strong and continuing deflationary forces in the EU and the global economy which forces were predictable, given the right policy guidance. Also, he makes a point that LT austerity, and the resulting sharp drop in GDP and employment in LT, stimulated emigration of young people (and the related worsening of other demographics) which processes took huge dimensions thereby undercutting even the future enlightened efforts to get out of the middle-income growth trap by LT. Consequently, the country is now on the trajectory (development path) similar to that of a dog that chases its own tail. A strong effort by new generation of policymakers is badly needed to jolt the country out of that wrong trajectory and to offer the chance of escaping the middle-income growth trap via innovations.

* * *

Have you heard about the
South African "Pencil Test"?

By Karina Simonson

If you are not South African, then, probably, you haven't. It is a test performed in South Africa during the apartheid regime and was used, together with the other ways, to determine racial identity, distinguishing whites from coloureds and blacks. That repressive test was very close to Nazi implemented ways to separate Jews from Aryans. Could you now imagine a Lithuanian mother, performing it on her own child?

But that is exactly what happened to me when I came back from South Africa. I will tell you how.

* * * Click HERE to read previous opinion letters >

Archive for September, 2012

Oh, those old Lithuanian wedding traditions

Oh, those old Lithuanian wedding traditions

“The mass graves of Tuskulėnai” A series of articles in 6 parts

Join our “Historic Route 66 Photography Forum”

Lithuania remains BBB rated by S&P

Lithuania remains BBB rated by S&P

AAA rated nations worldwide: 8 of 10 top rated nations located in North Europe!

AAA rated nations worldwide: 8 of 10 top rated nations located in North Europe!

OPINIONS

Oh, those old Lithuanian
wedding traditions

Oh, those old Lithuanian
wedding traditions

“The mass graves of Tuskulėnai”
A series of articles in 6 parts

Lithuania remains
BBB rated by S&P

Lithuania remains
BBB rated by S&P

AAA rated nations worldwide:
8 of 10 top rated nations
located in North Europe!

AAA rated nations worldwide:
8 of 10 top rated nations
located in North Europe!