THE VOICE OF INTERNATIONAL LITHUANIA
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Lithuania vs. U.S.S.R.: A Secret Hot Fight in the Cold War
By Edward G. Lengel
World War II is supposed to have ended in Europe on May 8, 1945, when German representatives signed the act of military surrender in Berlin. Isolated German units held out a little longer, and there remained sporadic instances of unrest elsewhere. Greece was in a state of turmoil—civil war would break out there in March 1946 and last until 1949. A new "cold war" loomed between the Soviet Union and the United States. Yet for the most part the guns seemed to have fallen silent.
But in at least one part of the continent the guns had not stopped firing. In a remote forest in southern Lithuania, on the afternoon of May 26, 1946, partisans of the Iron Wolf Regiment leapt to action as Soviet troops advanced cautiously through the woods. Hiding their valuables, including printing equipment they had used to produce subversive literature, the partisans abandoned their log bunkers and fled several hundred yards into the forest to await developments.
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Minsk-Vilnius journey to become 30 minutes faster on 26 May
MINSK, 28 March (BelTA) – The journey time by train No.15/16 and No. 37/38 will reduce by half and hour and make 2.5 hours starting from 26 May, BelTA learnt from the press service of Belarusian Railways.
Specialists noted that this will be achieved thanks to optimization of border and customs control.
The details and terms of the Belarus-Lithuania joint project to reduce the Minsk-Vilnius journey time have been recently discussed at a session in Minsk. Taking part in it were representatives of Belarusian Railways, Lithuanian Railways, border and customs services of Belarus and Lithuania. The sides formalized a decision on optimizing border and customs control on trains No.15/16 and No. 37/38. Passenger screening on the Belarusian territory will be done on the route between Molodechno and Gudogai. In Lithuania the checks will be carried out at a special terminal at the Vilnius railways station.
The participants of the session discussed requirements to the rolling stock, train schedules and a possibility to launch additional trains between Minsk and Vilnius.
The reduction of travel time between Minsk and Vilnius down to 2.5 hours is the second stage of the project to reduce journey time between the capitals of Belarus and Lithuania. The first phase was completed in 2011. As a result the travel time between the capital cities of Belarus and Lithuania reduced from 4 hours to 3 hours.
The press service of Belarusian Railways informed that the passenger flow between the two countries exceeded 295,000 people in 2012, up by 51.7% against 2011. About 195,000 people travelled by train No. 15/16 in 2012, or 66.7% of all travelers going from Minsk to Vilnius and back. This means that this train is most popular with travelers.
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Finnish tourists spend most money per day in Vilnius
A survey of visitors in Vilnius in 2012 commissioned by Vilnius' city municipality has revealed just how much visitors from different countries spend in Vilnius, reports LETA/ELTA, referring to the city's municipality.
The biggest spenders at LTL 635 (EUR 184) a day, are the Finnish, followed by Russians at LTL 497 (EUR 144) a day. Visitors from Russia and Belarus spend more of their money on tangible goods.
The average money spent by a tourist in one day was found to be LTL 275 (EUR 80), while total expenses over the duration of their stay averaged out to LTL 1,120 (EUR 325).
According to the survey, business-oriented visitors in Vilnius spent, on average, LTL 643 (EUR 186) a day. In 2012, tourists spent 35.3 percent of their expenses on housing accommodations, 22.8 percent on food, 22.7 percent on goods, 8.1 percent on transportation, and 6.8 percent on cultural and leisure activities, Vilnius Municipality's press office said today.
The survey reveals that most visitors from Lithuania's closest neighbors (Russia, Poland, Belarus, the Baltic States) have been to Vilnius before. Regardless, they tend to stay in Vilnius for a few days, and Vilnius remains a primary or at least important goal.
Vilnius as a whole was rated positively by visitors, with almost all criteria averaging at 4 or more out of 5. The city received its highest marks for residents' friendliness and hospitality, and for its taxi services (excluding those to the airport). Medium marks were given to the city's public toilets and to the public transportation information system. Polish visitors tended to rate Vilnius the highest, while French visitors rated it the lowest.
A total 81 percent of visitors indicated that it was either likely or very likely that they will return to Vilnius within the next 5 years. Almost all survey respondents said that they will recommend visiting Vilnius to others.
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Laima Andrikiene as opposition leader?
Lithuanian MEP Laima Andrikiene has also decided to vie for the position of chairman of the largest opposition party Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats.
„It was not easy to make up my mind but I don't want to and cannot disappoint people who trust me as I received 88,840 priority points during the 2009 EP elections. This number of citizens of our state wanted me to represent them in the European Parliament. Compared to the 2004 EP elections, the number of my voters increased by over 18,000 (18,556), or 26 percent! I was elected into the European Parliament after receiving 70,284 priority points,“ Andrikiene said in a statement sent to BNS.
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Dustin Hoffman's 'Quartet' Kicks Off Vilnius International Film Festival
The 18th edition of the festival will feature American independent cinema, short films and the "New Europe — New Names" competition.
The 18th edition of the Kino Pavasaris Vilnius International Film Festival (March 14-28) started Thursday in Lithuania’s capital Vilnius, with select screenings in Kaunas, the country’s second-largest city. The festival opened with Quartet, the Golden Globe-nominated comedy directed byDustin Hoffman, and will close with the Hungarian film Final Cut -- Ladies & Gentlemen, directed by Gyorgy Palfi.
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Copenhagen mayor lends support to gay Lithuanians
Following a request from gay rights activists, Copenhagen Mayor Frank Jensen urges Vilnius Mayor Arutras Zuokas to support Baltic Pride parade.
Copenhagen Mayor Frank Jensen pointed to the success of the annual Copenhagen Pride parade, which attracts thousands of LGBT supporters each year
(Photo: Scanpix)
Copenhagen's mayor, Frank Jensen (Socialdemokraterne) showed his support for international gay rights last week in Vilnius, Lithuania.
After the advocacy organisation Association Lithuanian Gay League (LGL) asked Jensen to advocate for the 2013 Baltic Pride Parade, Jensen wrote an open letter to Arturas Zuokas, the mayor of the Lithuanian capital, requesting his support for the event.
As LGL explained, the municipality had granted permission for the parade to proceed but denied participants from marching through downtown Vilnius, citing “security concerns.”
In his letter, Jensen urged Zuokas to allow the parade access to central Vilnius in order to increase public visibility and awareness of the event. Jensen pointed to Copenhagen’s own Pride Parade as an integral part of gay rights efforts.
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The capital city of Lithuania, Vilnius, has been named the best value city break destination in Europe by Hotels.com.
Best value city break in Europe? Old world Lithuania
The capital of Lithuania and largest Baroque town in Eastern and Central Europe, whose old world charm and picturesque streetscapes earned it a designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has been named the best value European city break destination.
According to online reservation site Hotels.com’s annual Hotel Price Index report, budget travelers looking for a weekend or short getaway within Europe should consider the city of Vilnius, where the average hotel room comes in at £53 (€61).
While predominantly Baroque, the city is described as a “textbook of architectural styles” for also reflecting late Gothic and Classic domes, towers and castles that line the city’s crooked, narrow medieval streets.
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On weekends, Vilnius looks like a Belarusian city.
Cars with Belarusian registration plates, crowds of Belarusians carrying shopping bags, even bus schedules to Belarus from big shopping centres. In 2012, according to the Lithuanian State Department of Tourism, 400,000 Belarusian guests visited Lithuania.
In politics, Lithuania maintains a critical position against Lukashenka's regime. A significant number of offices of foreign foundations and organisations which work with Belarusian civil society are located in Vilnius.
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Number of Vilnius visitors increased by 14% in 2012
The Department of Statistics reports that in 2012 a total of 778,019 guests (679,380 in 2011) stayed in Vilnius accommodation establishments where they spent 1.538,580 nights (1.310,197 in 2011). The number of guests and nights increased by 14% and 12% respectively, Vilnius City Municipality's press office said.
A total of 82% (636,816) of all the guests who stayed in Vilnius hotels and guesthouses were foreigners, most of whom were from Russia – 43% more than in 2011 (84, 506). Belarus took the second place – 50% more than in 2011(75,412), guests from Poland were third – 8% less than in 2011 (71,544), guests from Germany were fourth – 11% more than in 2011 (57,527), and guests from Latvia took the fifth place – 6.5% more than in 2011 (30,789).
Indexes of rooms occupancy in Vilnius hotels have increased in 2012 and average rooms occupancy reached 59.1%, whereas during the same period in 2011, the indicator was 56.5%. Hotels were mostly accommodated in the period of June-September. The highest hotel room occupancy was in July as the rate accounted for 76.2%.
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Viktor Uspaskich and Rolandas Paksas, leaders of the Labor Party and the Order and Justice party, believe that a merger of the two parties would produce the strongest center political force in Lithuania.
Photo: www.15min.lt
Lithuanian court rejects plea to stop Labor Party's merger with Order and Justice Party
Vilnius Regional Court on Friday rejected a request by prosecutor Saulius Verseckas of the Prosecutor General's Office to restrict activities of the Labor Party and stop its merger with the Order and Justice party.
The prosecutor says that in case of a merger, the Labor Party would cease to exist and would escape prosecution.
Meanwhile the court believes there will be no obstacles to the prosecution of the reorganized legal entity.
The ruling can be appealed in seven days. The prosecutor is yet to decide on whether to do so.
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“Zuokas Airline”
to take off in June
Air Lituanica, the brain child of Vilnius' mayor Arturas Zuokas whose idea is to launch a new national air carrier is taxiing for take-off, writes news2biz LITHUANIA in its latest report.
In June the airline should complete lease of its two mid-range aircraft (reportedly, Embraer 175). Eventually, the airline plans to have five 70-80-seat aircraft in 2015.
At least in the beginning, the would-be airline will truly be a national one, paid for by tax-payer money in the form of Vilnius municipality owning 83%.
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Russian Ambassador:
Lithuania was incorporated into Soviet Union "rather peacefully"
Lithuania's incorporation into the Soviet Union happened rather peacefully, Russian Ambassador to Lithuania Vladimir Chkhikvadze said in Vilnius on Friday. The ambassador attended an event at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs held to introduce the second volume of "The Soviet Union and Lithuania during World War II," a collection of historic documents compiled by Lithuanian and Russian historians.
"The published archival materials undeniably show that Soviet Lithuania existed. By the way, it is noted in the introductory article, with references to archival materials, that Lithuania's incorporation into the internal system of the Soviet Union happened rather peacefully," the Russian diplomat said.
"The documents, in my opinion, have great importance for the description and evaluation of a period of common history that is difficult for us all. To my mind, it's very important also because efforts have recently been made in historical literature to falsify the truth, to diminish the role of the Soviet Union in victory against Fascism," Chkhikvadze said.
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to boost revenues
after former government’s
austerity cuts
Julie Kozack, head of the IMF
monitoring mission to Vilnius
Lithuania must boost revenue and investment to safeguard its solid recovery after a biting austerity drive which helped it to overcome recession, the International Monetary Fund said Monday.
"Lithuania's revenue-to-GDP ratio is the lowest in the European Union and we think that there is scope to shift the adjustment more to the revenue side," Julie Kozack, head of the IMF monitoring mission to Vilnius, told journalists there Monday. ¨
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Strategic project with Poland will ensure Lithuania’s energy independence
The Lithuanian and Polish interconnection LitPol Link will interconnect the power systems of Baltic States and West Europe. Moreover, it will contribute to the development of common European electricity market and increase the reliability of energy supply. It is scheduled that 500 MW Poland-Lithuania power interconnection will be launched into operation in 2015.
Read the full energy report from Litgrid HERE
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Rimas Pileika
Hi everyone, Just to let you know that you can take a street by street tour of Vilnius and all of Lithuania on Google maps now. Take your little yellow man down for a walk and enjoy....:)
SEE SOME VILNIUS HIGHLIGHTS
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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.
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