From health certificate to waste sorting: 15 key changes in effect in Lithuania from Jan 1 - BNS REVIEW

VILNIUS - The BNS news agency presents 15 key changes that came into effect in Lithuania on January 1, 2025.

MEDICAL CERTIFICATE VALIDITY IS LINKED TO DRIVING LICENSE VALIDITY

From January, the validity of the driving license is linked to the validity of the medical certificate - drivers who do not undergo a medical check-up at the prescribed intervals will no longer be able to drive.

Once a medical check has been carried out and a certificate has been obtained, the validity of the driving license will be restored automatically.

Those who have not had a health check in time will have their license suspended only for the period until the health check.

According to the data provided by Regitra, the state enterprise in charge of driving tests and licenses, almost 370,000 Lithuanian drivers have had a health check since the end of 2023 and 72,000 have not.

LOW EMISSION ZONES

Low Emission Zones are introduced in Vilnius and Panevezys.

The Low Emission Zone in the capital is bounded by Islandijos Street, Vilniaus Street (from Islandijos Street to Traku Street), Klaipedos Street, Liejyklos Street (from Vilniaus Street to Totoriu Street), and Benediktiniu Street (from Vilnius Street to Sv. Ignoto Street).

No tolls or other restrictions are foreseen for the time being in the designated low emission zone.

In Panevezys, the Low Emission Zone would cover Elektros Street and the section of Vasario 16-osios Street from Kranto Street to Respublikos Street.

Entry of all types of vehicles with internal combustion engines will be restricted in this zone.

Municipalities are obliged to set up low-emission zones from January 2025 under the Law on Alternative Fuels.

MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS WILL BE ABLE TO REFUSE TO PROVIDE SERVICES

Starting from January 1, medical professionals are allowed to refuse to provide services in certain cases.

This is allowed if a patient's actions pose a threat to the health or life of the healthcare professional, another staff member involved or other patients.

Medical professionals can also exercise this right if a patient's inappropriate and disrespectful behavior brings the medical profession into disrepute and interferes with the provision of quality healthcare to the patient or to other patients, except where such behavior is due to a medical condition or in case of a medical emergency.

INCREASED FEES TO ENTER NERINGA

From this year onwards, the fee for entering Lithuania's Curonian Spit resort of Neringa will increase - for passenger cars, it will cost 50 euros during the peak season in two summer months, and 10 euros during the remaining months. Previously, the rate was 5 euros for the fall, winter and spring periods and 30 euros for part of the summer.

At the same time, the fee for large buses rises to 100 euros, compared to 70 euros in the peak summer season previously.

The fee has also been increased for motorcycles, and will also be introduced for electric vehicles. The rate will be 25 euros during the peak summer season, from June 20 to August 20.

The local entry fee is aimed at regulating traffic flows and encouraging people to choose less polluting transport alternatives.

THE LAW THAT HAD NOT EXISTED FOR 15 YEARS

The Law on National Minorities entered into force on January 1. The law defines what a national minority is, and establishes the legal framework, conditions and procedures for national minorities' education, culture and information dissemination.

Lithuania had not had a law on national minorities since 2010, when the then version expired. Several subsequent attempts to adopt a new law regulating the rights of national minorities were unsuccessful.

NEW ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE PROVISION OF OUTPATIENT HEALTHCARE SERVICES

Under the new arrangements, primary healthcare facilities will open between 7am and 8am, and will provide full scale services for 12 hours. If a facility has less than three posts for family doctors and is not able to work 12 hours a day, it can contract another facility in the municipality for the rest of the day.

With these changes in force, emergency outpatient care for acute conditions must be provided at the latest within 24 hours.

The list of acute conditions includes severe pain, prolonged fever, traumas, acute allergic reactions, nausea or vomiting. For children, conditions such as fever with a temperature of more than 37.8 degrees for more than 24 hours, rash, pain or superficial wounds are also covered.

Services can be provided in emergency rooms and in municipalities where such rooms are not available, in admissions and emergency departments.

REORGANIZATION OF DISTRICT COURTS ENTERS INTO FORCE

The reorganization of district courts, which was postponed last summer, entered into force on Wednesday.

Following the changes to the territories where district courts operate in Lithuania, the number of chambers has decreased to 27, from the former 43. The total number of district courts remains the same - 12.

One court chamber will consist of two or more buildings located in different localities.

According to the National Judicial Administration, the changes relate to the district courts and their chambers' areas of operation, the streamlining of the work of judges, and more efficient infrastructure management.

The administration says that documents initiating a case - a claim, complaint or petition - can be brought to any district court building in the area where the person lives, but once the case is assigned to a judge, the judge's team must be actively monitored and contacted as necessary.

Actions, pleadings and other documents instituting proceedings lodged at any court chamber building will be forwarded to the judge hearing the case.

TEXTILE SORTING

Starting from January 1, municipalities must make it possible for all residents to separate textile waste.

Textile waste must be collected in dedicated collection facilities - special containers, devices or other adapted means.

According to the requirements, at least one textile waste container per 1,000 inhabitants must be installed in urban districts, towns and villages. In densely populated urban districts or in towns without districts, one textile waste container per 2,000 inhabitants may be installed while ensuring more frequent collection of textile waste.

BAN FOR PEOPLE HANDLING CLASSIFIED INFO TO TRAVEL TO RUSSIA, BELARUS AND CHINA

A ban on traveling to unfriendly foreign countries - Russia, Belarus and China - for employees of certain institutions and members of the paramilitary Riflemen's Union who are authorized to handle classified information has come into force this year.

According to the estimates of the Defense Ministry, the ban will affect 56,000 persons authorized to work with classified information.

The respective legislative amendments also stipulate that retired servicemen retain the right to work with or have access to classified information.

FREE PARKING IN KLAIPEDA

Parking fees in the Old Town of Klaipeda and in the central part of the city from the River Dane to Liepu and Naujojo Sodo Streets will be waived from January 1 every day from 12 pm to 2pm in order to encourage the residents of the port city to visit the Old Town more actively.

According to Klaipeda Mayor Arvydas Vaitkus, two free parking hours after midday will hopefully encourage people to come to the cafés in this part of the city for lunch, to visit the shops there and to do business in the local establishments.

HIGHER ‘PILLOW TAX’ IN KAUNAS

In Kaunas, the pillow tax rate for overnight stays in accommodation establishments has been raised twofold to 2 euros. Previously, the rate was one euro.

It is estimated that the increased rate will bring in almost one million euros a year in extra revenue to the city budget.

CYBER DEFENSE BOARD

The Cyber Defense Board of the Lithuanian Armed Forces, established on the initiative of the Defense Ministry, launched operations on January 1.

The new unit of the Lithuanian Army will plan and execute cyberspace operations, as well as introduce communication and information systems at the strategic and operational levels, ensure their interoperability with the communication and information systems of NATO, the national defense system and other institutions and organizations.

NEW ARRANGEMENTS FOR DENTISTS

According to the new arrangements, starting from January 1, the Dental Chamber will once again license dentists and oral care professionals and supervise their activities by providing professional development and professional practice in accordance with the relevant professional qualification.

The Dental Chamber will contribute to the development of medical standards, take care of the integration of the professional competence platform and issue medical stamp numbers. These changes will affect around 8,000 dentists and oral care professionals working in the country.

All dentists and oral care professionals will have to apply to the Dental Chamber through the members' portal for the issue of licenses, the revocation of license suspensions, the improvement of professional qualifications, and the practice of dentistry or oral care.

PERMISSION TO INHERIT HUNTING LICENSES

Starting from 2025, it is allowed to inherit a hunting ground owner’s license.

The amendments to the Law on Hunting that are now in force provide that, if a person who held a hunting license dies, this license can only be passed on to one heir by written agreement between all heirs.

A person loses the right to inherit the license if he or she does not apply for inheritance within three months after the death of the owner of the hunting ground.

DEVELOPMENT OF HEALTHCARE SERVICES

Starting from January 1, the age limits for the breast cancer early diagnosis program will be extended. Women aged 45 to 74 will be invited to be screened for the disease and will receive a mammogram and evaluation every two years. Until now, this prevention program has been aimed at women aged 50 to 69.

From January, the procedure for the early diagnosis and treatment of oral, facial and jaw cancer has also been changed. From now on, a dentist or an oral hygienist will have to carry out an initial oral screening and prophylaxis for each patient.

If abnormalities are detected, the patient will be referred for a specialized consultation and more detailed examinations. If cancer is detected, the patient will be treated by one of the four specialized oncology treatment facilities.