Tuesday, July 14, 2020
The militarization of the Baltic States continues. Defense spending grows and military infrastructure is being developed. Even in the context of COVID-19, the Baltic authorities are ready to conduct large-scale NATO military exercises. And nobody cares about the opinion of local residents on this matter. That said, NATO ships arrived in Latvia this week to participate in the annual Open Spirit 2020 mine warfare exercise. This exercise is an international…
The May 4 virtual parade “Put on your folk dress for Latvia” brought together more than 4000 participants on social networks. On 4 May 1990, Latvia proclaimed its independence from the USSR, and restoration of the Republic of Latvia. Four years ago, a new tradition was launched in Latvia: “People of Latvia. Honor. Gowns.” The parade takes place on May 4 each year, and calls for the participation of any interested person who owns a folk gown. This year, Facebook and Instagram was flooded with…
On March 11, 1990, Lithuania broke away from the Soviet Union. The event which started the demise of the Soviet empire still reverberates within the Kremlin, says DW’s Konstantin Eggert. The events in Lithuania triggered the USSR’s “black swan” moment and set off a chain of momentous events in the already troubled Soviet sphere of influence. On that day in March, the newly elected Supreme Soviet of the Lithuanian Soviet…
Predictably, the coronavirus dominated headlines this week and the country wakes up to life under different rules on Friday. While Lithuania has so far confirmed only three cases, the government has announced sweeping anti-epidemic measures to manage the risks, including closing down the country’s schools for two weeks and banning travel to some countries. Vilnius went even further, introducing tough measures of its own: closing down schools, theatres…
Bad weather and pandemic risks notwithstanding, Lithuania did not hold back in celebrating its 30 years of independence. On Wednesday morning, during the official ceremony outside the parliament building – indoor events were cancelled due to coronavirus concerns – President Gitanas Nausėda addressed Vytautas Landsbergis, who chaired the Supreme Council which declared Lithuania independent three decades ago, as “president”. “No, I did not misspeak, president, because this word best describes…
On behalf of the people and government of the United States, US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo on Monday congratulated the Republic of Estonia on the 102nd anniversary of independence and the 100th anniversary of the Treaty of Tartu. “Both the Treaty of Tartu and the US Declaration of Independence speak of a spirit of self-determination, the right of a nation’s people to end the rule of a foreign power…
The act laying Lithuania’s legal foundations was lost for almost a century. Some said it was shredded by bees, others claimed it was forgotten and lost inside a book. In 2017, a little known professor from Kaunas embarked on a quest to Berlin in search of Lithuania’s original Act of Independence. Signing Lithuania into existance A little before noon, members of the Council of Lithuania assembled in a flat on…
Tens of thousands of Poles took part in a far-right march in the capital Warsaw on Monday to mark Polish independence, an annual event that has become a focus of friction between nationalists and liberals. Some chanted “God, honour, homeland!” and “No to the European Union!” and waved red-and-white Polish flags. Others lit red flares, blanketing sections of the parade with smoke. “We have to return to our roots. Our…
The Latvian Chapter of Orders has decided to bestow the highest state award, the Order of the Three Stars, on 31 recipients, including heads of several institutions, judges, medics, scientists, public figures and artists, according to an announcement published in the official gazette Latvijas Vestnesis. Auditor General Elita Krumina, who is among the recipients of the decoration, will be made Grand Officer of the Order. On November 18, 2019, marking…
Quim Torra’s allies say it’s not the time to set ‘deadline’ for new referendum. Catalonia’s regional president called on Thursday for a new vote on independence from Spain as protests continue over the conviction of separatist leaders for staging the last referendum. In a speech to the Catalan parliament, Quim Torra condemned the Spanish Supreme Court’s decision to jail former regional government officials for their role in an October 2017 independence referendum…
