Lietuva in brief

On Tuesday, Lithuania’s Parliament Speaker Loreta Grauziniene met with Gediminas Grina, general director of the State Security Department (VSD), to discuss funding planned for the VSD in 2014 and the construction of the new VSD building, reports ELTA. “We discussed the budget for 2014, the planned funding, investment, their building. The main topic was the budget and long-term construction that have been taking place for 10 years already. The amount of money is impressive, yet the situation is what it is. (..) 300 million litas (87 million euros) were invested, therefore, we must somehow to finish them,” said Grauziniene. Grina also confirmed that the meeting was focused on the funding of the VSD. Asked if the speaker of Parliament had expressed criticism about his work, Grina said he would not comment on it.

In the face of Russia’s milk blockade, representatives of Lithuania’s agricultural industry expressed that they value the support of the European Union over the problems, and encourage the representatives of the country to take the initiate so that the role of the EU, while searching for a solution to future problems with Russia, will be even more prominent when encountered, reports ELTA. “Sometimes, when we are speaking about the relations with the East and Eastern Partnership, we risk starting to feel that we will be fighting with one another; however, we are the EU and we have to think who is stronger – Lithuania, or the entire EU. I think that the weight in such incidents in the future will be even more prominent in the future, but we have to work with the EU as well. If we are trying to fight all alone, we will lose,” said Chairman of the Chamber of Agriculture of Lithuania Andriejus Stancikas at a press conference on Oct. 22.

Trust in state institutions remains almost at the same level in recent months, with Lithuanians still trusting the fire-fighters and the Church the most, reports ELTA. However, the Parliament and law enforcement institutions are at the bottom of the list. Market and public opinion survey company Baltijos Tyrimai conducted an opinion poll from Sept. 20-30, commissioned by news agency ELTA. It revealed that 88 percent of the respondents trust the fire and rescue service; 70 percent trust the Church; 67 percent trust the armed forces and 66 percent have faith in the president. Social security SoDra earned the trust of 57 percent of the polled; Lithuania’s media 56 percent; the Constitutional Court 54 percent; police and the Bank of Lithuania received 53 percent each; the State Border Guard Service at 50 percent. More than half of the adults also rather trust, than distrust the municipalities and the State Security Department. Lithuanians distrust the Parliament the most - indicated by as much as 70 percent of the polled.