THE VOICE OF INTERNATIONAL LITHUANIA
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Irene Veisaite is this
year’s recipient of the
Goethe Medal
Chairwoman of out VilNews Honorary Council, literature professor and critic Irena Veisaite is a recipient of this year's Goethe Medal.
Once a year, the Goethe-Institut awards the Goethe Medal, an official decoration of the Federal Republic of Germany. This medal honours foreign personalities who have performed outstanding service for the German language and international cultural relations. The Goethe Medal was established by the executive committee of the Goethe-Institut in 1954 and acknowledged as an official decoration by the Federal Republic of Germany in 1975.
Since it was first awarded in 1955, a total of 326 personalities from 58 countries have been honoured.
Read more about the award and Professor Irene Veisaite:
Deutsche Welle Jüdische Allgemeine Goethe Institut
VilNews (Ellen Cassedy) VilNews (Aage Myhre)
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“The mass graves of Tuskulėnai”
A series of articles in 6 parts
TODAY PART 4 OF 6:
THE EXECUTIONERS
By Vincas Karnila, Associate editor
vin.karnila@VilNews.com
A special group consisting of the head of Division A of the NKGB–MGB, the head of the prison, deputy head of the prison, wardens, and a representative of the Military Prosecutor’s Office carried out the executions by shooting.
Dear VilNews readers, here are the men responsible for carrying out the executions
To read more, go to our SECTION 10
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In focus today: VilNews Section 17
Good news, bad news for Lithuania's economy in the nearest future
A main risk is related to the economic policy path that will be chosen by
the new government after the parliamentary election* on 14 October, where
the six political parties / leaders over are likely to gain support as shown
according to a poll from June on the website www.delfi.lt
Swedbank is out with a new ‘Economic Outlook’. These are some of their forecasts for Lithuania in 2012 – 2014:
• A main domestic risk is related to the economic policy path that will be chosen by
the new government after the parliament election on 14 October.
• Annual growth has bottomed out and will pick up slightly in the second half of this
year.
• Lowered forecast for 2013 by 0.2 percentage point to 4.1%, mainly due to the
bleaker outlook in the euro area, which will be a drag on Lithuanian exports.
• Lithuanian economy to return to close to potential only in 2014, when GDP will
expand by 4.5%.
• Slightly higher inflation next year, mainly due to an increase in regulated prices.
• Unemployment forecast estimated to 13.2% for 2012, 11.5% for 2013 and 9.3%
for 2014.
• Domestic demand has in 2012 been supported by non-labour income –
pensions
were increased by 9.3% – and this effect will ebb next year.
• The monopoly Lithuanian Gas has decided (and the regulator has agreed) to
increase gas prices for households by about 22%...
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The new President of Lithuanian Industrialists' Confederation,
Robertas Dargis, about the financial crisis in Lithuania:
Our government
has failed
ROBERTAS DARGIS
Photo: Irmanto Gelūno/ www.15min.lt
“We took the easiest way – additional borrowing. The rate of change in our sovereign debt is enormous compared to other European countries. We had a debt of 17.4 billion litas (5 billion euros) and over the four years of the crisis, it has swollen to 51 billion (14.8 billion euros) – that's the figure we're having by the end of this year. Such a hike in debt is very dangerous to the state, so at least today, we must choose measures that make future predictable.”
The Lithuanian Industrialists Confederation (LIC) has elected a new president – businessman Robertas Dargis, CEO of the Eika Group. He says business is every country's engine for progress and not, as some imagine, a clique of self-seeking lobbyists.
Dargis, who runs a construction company, defeated a strong competitor in his running for presidency – Visvaldas Matijošaitis, CEO of Vičiūnų Group. Dargis succeeds the previous LIC president, late Bronislavas Lubys, and will head the organization for four years.
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If Lithuania gets its house
in order it will become a
wonderful country
Kęstutis J. Eidukonis
1. The country is overtaxed
2. Because of these high taxes most small firms and individuals in Lithuania cheat and lie
3. One cannot hold accountable the various organs of government either
4. The lack of accountability in the government.
5. We have adapted all the bad attributes of Greece
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Rokas Masiulis,
General Manager of Klaipedos Nafta
Rokas Masiulis has huge challenges, both behind and in front of him. As head of the giant oil terminal belonging to Klaipedos Nafta, he has had good success, and has this year also delivered remarkable economic performance for the company that in essence is owned by the Lithuanian State. Now it's planning and development of the increasingly well-publicized LNG terminal that lies in front of him. The president and the government have decided that the LNG venture will be a project of national concern..
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In the early 1990s Algirdas Brazauskas lectured the international body
of economists and management specialists that the Soviet system was
an equally good alternative to any Western market economy…
To continue the Soviet-style thinking, is to lose Lithuania as a country
Valdas Samonis
Opinion: Valdas Samonis
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Russian Rouble –
invented in Lithuania?
What would you think if you found out that experts believe that the Rouble did not originate in Russia? What would you think if you found out that these same experts believe the Rouble originated in Lithuania and then later migrated to Russia?
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Dear readers,
We are delighted and honored that Mr. Frank Passic has graciously offered to share with us his vast knowledge of Lithuanian numismatics. In this article he provides us with a very interesting look into how Lithuanians living in Displaced Persons camps, following World War II, dealt with the situation of currency to help them survive in their daily lives.
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KLAIPĖDA FREE ECONOMIC ZONE:
A magnet for
international companies
The Klaipėda Free Economic Zone (Klaipėda FEZ) was established in 1996 and opened officially in 2002. FEZ offers tax incentives to qualified investors that invest at least 1 million euros. In 2008, due to overcrowding the zone was expanded from 205 hectares (510 acres) to 412 hectares (1,020 acres) of developed land. As of March 2008, before expansion, FEZ had 22 investors: seven were operating, one just finished construction, six were under construction, and others in development stage.
www.fez.lt E-Mail: info@fez.lt
The Klaipeda Free Economic Zone (FEZ) was the first and is still the only fully functioning free economic zone in Lithuania. The two companies that first started operations in the zone was the Japanese company Yazaki Wiring Technologies Lietuva, and the Danish company A.Espersen A/S, which opened their fish processing factory here in January 2003. FEZ was established to provide favourable conditions for the development of business activities by offering a prepared industrial site with a ready physical and juridical infrastructure, support services and tax incentives.
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This country is steeped in corruption
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General Director Reidar Inselseth at the Espersen Fish Factory in Klaipeda
I sit with the director of the Espersen plant in Klaipeda, Norwegian Reidar Inselseth, in the new office building his firm has just built. The building is designed as the wheelhouse of a ship, with a shiny blue glass surface, and the 'bow, roof top and masts' in stainless steel.
Reidar has been director of this facility for four years now, and among other things, been responsible for extensive new investments and developments of the company. My first question to him is what he finds hardest by being entrepreneur and company leader in Lithuania.
"The lack of predictability," he replies immediately. "Unfortunately, that is something that to a far too high degree characterizes this country. For my company this is so serious that we hardly had chosen Lithuania for our production if we eight-nine years ago had known what we now know."
"This country is steeped in corruption, which we feel very directly when we often are subjected to strange inspections etc. from the authorities; something we do not see anything like in any of the other countries where we have fish processing plants. We are, for example, constantly subjected to unreasonable disclosure requirements and controls, even if we always follow highly acclaimed and transparent international principles of production, environmental control, bookkeeping and treatment of employees. It feels as if here in Lithuania companies like ours still have to prove their innocence instead of being greeted with open arms and cooperative attitudes."
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“The mass graves of Tuskulėnai”
A series of articles in 6 parts
TODAY PART 3 OF 6:
Bishop Vincentas Borisevičius
The Soviet repressions against the citizens of our country did not exclude members of the Church. In fact the members of the Church were prime targets. Bishop Vincentas Borisevičius is an example of these repressions. A Holy man of great compassion, he was also a man of great honor and courage.
By Vincas Karnila, Associate editor
vin.karnila@VilNews.com
To read more, go to our SECTION 10
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Kestutis J. Eidukonis about Lithuania year 2012
Not all civil servants
are crooks or fools
By Kestutis J. Eidukonis, CEO VilNews
kestutis.eidukonis@VilNews.com
I have been coming and observing life in Lithuania for almost 20 years and would like to offer some observations and comments on life in Lithuania according to Lithuanians. These are little gems I have picked up talking to Lithuanian friends and relatives and my observations on these so called "TRUTHS". I don't vouch for the accuracy of these claims they may or may not be true, but perceptions are often just as corrosive as reality.
Truth according to Lithuanians:
1. It doesn't matter who is in power - nothing will change. Voting is useless - I have no one to vote for anymore. Everyone I voted for in the past has disappointed me.
Apathy is a useful tool for enemies of the country. This is a sure sign of defeat.
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In focus today: VilNews Section 21:
Lithuanian food
traditions since the
Grand Dukes
Prie lietuvių stalo – at the Lithuanian table
Text: Vin Karnila, Associate Editor
vin.karnial@VilNews.com
Sveiki garbingi skaitytojai,
Lithuania is steeped in traditions. It would be difficult to think of any part of daily life, family events or holidays where age old traditions are not practiced. Included in these are the time honored traditions that are practiced at the table. Yes, even sitting at the table to enjoy your meal is something that involves traditions practiced for generations by Lithuanian people all over the world.
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Our moms’
Lithuanian recipes
Our moms’ Lithuanian recipes is on Facebook. Click HERE to find it!
In 2011, a few of first generation Lithuanians from the Hartford Connecticut area in USA started posting on internet that they'd like to share some recipes that they grew up with. Many of these recipes may have been stored in someone's head and not written down, and the group wanted to make these recipes and food history from their beloved homeland at the Baltic Sea available also for future generations.
The group’s vibrant Facebook Page has till now collected over 1,000 members!
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Traditional Lithuanian šaltibarščiai & cepelinai
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So often we hear something like this from people “I remember Sundays when I was a child. My mom would make cepelinai (potato dumplings filled with meat) and we would all gather around in the kitchen for this special meal”. Sadly what we also hear is “I have no idea how to make these traditional Lithuanian foods”.
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OPINIONS
Have your say. Send to:
editor@VilNews.com
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:
- "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."
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.
* 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.
Christmas greetings
from Vilnius
and epic battle for the
future
Philosopher, political theorist, historian of
ideas, social analyst, and political
commentator
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.
want to learn about the
new, scary propaganda
war between Russia,
The West and the
Baltic States!
believe their government
is corrupt
students say no to
bribes for doctors
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.
Chepstow, Wales
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.
ENGLISH VERSION OF THE
AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF VYTAUTAS LANDSBERGIS.
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
"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
Facing a new reality
Dear readers of VilNews,
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
.jpg "lithuania today")
Founding Director at Summer Literary Seminars
Are all Lithuanian energy
problems now resolved?
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?
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.
Have you heard about the
South African "Pencil Test"?
But that is exactly what happened to me when I came back from South Africa. I will tell you how.
VilNews e-magazine is published in Vilnius, Lithuania. Editor-in-Chief: Mr. Aage Myhre. Inquires to the editors: editor@VilNews.com.
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