Lithuania faces school threats, considers energy price relief, sees return of citizens

Lithuania is grappling with a wave of threatening messages targeting educational institutions, with over fifty schools reporting such incidents on Wednesday alone, marking the third day of similar threats. The nature and origin of these messages remain under investigation.

In parallel, the government is exploring measures to support businesses facing high energy costs. President Gitanas Nausėda has submitted a proposal to parliament that would allow the government to temporarily reduce state-regulated electricity prices for businesses by up to 30%. Companies benefiting from this measure would be required to repay the difference by 2038.

On the healthcare front, payments for services exceeding contractual agreements in the first quarter are expected within a week. Valstybinė ligonių kasa (VLK), the National Health Insurance Fund, stated that these payments will be covered by reserve funds from the Compulsory Health Insurance Fund (PSDF). Tatjana Golubajeva, deputy director of VLK, noted that current contract performance exceeds agreed-upon sums by approximately 3% of the funds allocated this year, amounting to about 40.6 million euros.

Regarding foreign policy, Seimas Speaker Juozas Olekas commented on the performance of acting Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys. While acknowledging recent criticism regarding Budrys' statements on Kaliningrad and his stance on Belarus and China, Olekas described the minister as professional and capable of representing Lithuania's interests internationally. Olekas also noted that many ministers face criticism and that the foreign minister's role is more public, attracting greater attention.

In a positive demographic trend, Lithuania experienced a net inflow of citizens for the sixth consecutive year. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that nearly twice as many citizens returned to Lithuania as left in the past year. Specifically, 19,300 citizens returned, while 9,900 departed. The majority of returnees settled in Vilnius, Kaunas, and Klaipėda regions, but smaller municipalities like Visaginas and Palanga saw the highest return rates per capita.