Lietuva in brief - 2011-02-10

  • 2011-02-09

Russia has deployed short-range nuclear warheads in its Kaliningrad territory, which borders NATO members Poland and Lithuania, Lithuanian Defense Minister Rasa Jukneviciene claimed on Feb. 7, reports AFP. “We want major nations to start negotiations on reducing the number of such weapons,” Jukneviciene told Lithuanian public radio. In November the Russian military dismissed U.S. media reports that it had moved short-range - or tactical - warheads to Kaliningrad earlier in 2010. Lithuania hailed Russia’s recent ratification of the updated START arms-reduction treaty with the United States that covers long-range missiles. Washington wants to launch talks over short-range weapons that are not covered by previous nuclear disarmament agreements with Russia. Moscow has said it was premature to set a date for a new round of talks. It argued they could only begin once Washington was ready to reconsider its position on a new missile defense shield for Europe.

MPs who stand for election for municipal councils without any intentions to leave their seats in the Seimas are acting disgracefully, they are deceiving voters, Seimas Speaker Irena Degutiene said, reports ELTA. “My personal opinion is that I see it as lies and deceit. If you respect your voters, if you are elected to the Parliament, serve the person who voted for you. The people trusted you, they elected you and now you are standing for election to municipal councils and saying that if you do not get anything there, you will stay in the Seimas, which means that you do not work sincerely and you are deceiving the voters by participating in the elections. In my opinion, it is disgraceful conduct for politicians,” she said. The Seimas speaker even more emphatically referred to the members of the European Parliament who were running for municipal election. “It is like whatever the election, I will participate in them,” said Degutiene.