August 2017 | Lithuanian Embassy Newsletter 1 PRESIDENT GRYBAUSKAITĖ: ‘I RECEIVED A LIST OF DEMANDS ON MY VERY FIRST MEETING WITH PUTIN’ In an interview with Lithuania’s largest online me- dia outlet, Delfi.lt, President Dalia Grybauskaitė revea- led why the country’s relations with Russia have been suffering for some time. The president said that during her maiden meeting with Vladimir Putin in 2010, she quickly realized there would be no duck soup as she was immediately con- fronted with a list of unacceptable ‘requirements’. ‘At the very first meeting with Mr. Putin, I received a list of requirements that Lithuania should comply with, e.g. withdraw our plans to build a nuclear power plant, suspend criticism of Russia’s policies, etc. It was not a friendly offer; rather, it sounded like “kneel and obey, or be our enemy” proposition. I could not accept such an approach, as I do not and will not accept such [imposed] relationships,’ stressed Grybauskaitė. The president also said she rejected Putin’s offer to join the construction of a nuclear power plant in the Ka- liningrad region of Russia, in a spot just 12 kilometers from the Lithuanian border. She said Putin invited Lithuania to take part in the €3.6 billion project, but she had to decline the offer as Lithuania was pursuing the opposite objective of inc- reasing its independence from the energy imports from Russia. In the same interview, Grybauskaitė reiterated Li- thuania’s readiness to cooperate with all the neighbors, who treat Lithuania with due respect and as an equal partner. ‘Regretfully, Russia’s approach towards neighbors is nothing close to that. Russia has been instigating con- flicts [in the neighborhood], has grabbed and annexed foreign territories, and is constantly meddling in the domestic and electoral processes of the neighboring countries. Until this attitude changes, our relations with Russia will hardly improve,’ noted the president. Quickly after the interview was published, the Russian president’s administration denied a list of de- mands was issued to the Lithuanian head of state more than seven years ago. However, the fact that the two leaders have not met for a bilateral meeting since 2010 speaks for itself. See the original interview here (in Lithuanian) Excerpts in English here Source: delfi.lt, lithuaniannews.net LITHUANIAN NATIONAL SYMPHONY ORCEHSTRA COMING TO PLAY IN MUMBAI Lithuania’s signature Western classical music band, Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra (LNSO), is coming to play in Mumbai. The Orchestra will give two unforgettable concerts at the Jamshed Bhabha Theatre of the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) in Mumbai on 10 and 11 October. One of its concerts LNSO has dedicated to the upcoming Centenary of the Republic of Lithuania, which will be celebrated in February next year. For this reason, Lithuania’s Foreign Minister Linas Linkevičius will arrive in Mumbai in the morning of 10 October. High-level dignitaries from the Government of India will join the minister for the performance. NEWSLETTER AUGUST 2017
Transcript
August 2017 | Lithuanian Embassy Newsletter 1
PRESIDENT GRYBAUSKAITĖ: ‘I RECEIVED
A LIST OF DEMANDS ON MY VERY FIRST
MEETING WITH PUTIN’
In an interview with Lithuania’s largest online me-dia outlet, Delfi.lt, President Dalia Grybauskaitė revea-led why the country’s relations with Russia have been suffering for some time.
The president said that during her maiden meeting with Vladimir Putin in 2010, she quickly realized there would be no duck soup as she was immediately con-fronted with a list of unacceptable ‘requirements’.
‘At the very first meeting with Mr. Putin, I received a list of requirements that Lithuania should comply with, e.g. withdraw our plans to build a nuclear power plant, suspend criticism of Russia’s policies, etc. It was not a friendly offer; rather, it sounded like “kneel and obey, or be our enemy” proposition. I could not accept such an approach, as I do not and will not accept such [imposed] relationships,’ stressed Grybauskaitė.
The president also said she rejected Putin’s offer to join the construction of a nuclear power plant in the Ka-liningrad region of Russia, in a spot just 12 kilometers from the Lithuanian border.
She said Putin invited Lithuania to take part in the €3.6 billion project, but she had to decline the offer as Lithuania was pursuing the opposite objective of inc-reasing its independence from the energy imports from Russia.
In the same interview, Grybauskaitė reiterated Li-thuania’s readiness to cooperate with all the neighbors, who treat Lithuania with due respect and as an equal partner.
‘Regretfully, Russia’s approach towards neighbors is
nothing close to that. Russia has been instigating con-flicts [in the neighborhood], has grabbed and annexed foreign territories, and is constantly meddling in the domestic and electoral processes of the neighboring countries. Until this attitude changes, our relations with Russia will hardly improve,’ noted the president.
Quickly after the interview was published, the Russian president’s administration denied a list of de-mands was issued to the Lithuanian head of state more than seven years ago.
However, the fact that the two leaders have not met for a bilateral meeting since 2010 speaks for itself.
See the original interview here (in Lithuanian) Excerpts in English here Source: delfi.lt, lithuaniannews.net
LITHUANIAN NATIONAL SYMPHONY
ORCEHSTRA COMING TO PLAY IN MUMBAI
Lithuania’s signature Western classical music band, Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra (LNSO), is coming to play in Mumbai.
The Orchestra will give two unforgettable concerts at the Jamshed Bhabha Theatre of the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) in Mumbai on 10 and 11 October.
One of its concerts LNSO has dedicated to the upcoming Centenary of the Republic of Lithuania, which will be celebrated in February next year. For this reason, Lithuania’s Foreign Minister Linas Linkevičius will arrive in Mumbai in the morning of 10 October.
High-level dignitaries from the Government of India will join the minister for the performance.
‘For the first time the Embassy is handling an event of such scale, wherein a team of almost 100 artists is co-ming to play the best pieces of Western and Lithuanian classical music, all together. No doubt it will be a me-morable show and we invite all our friends and partners to come and see it,’ says Lithuanian ambassador Lai-monas Talat-Kelpša.
During its almost eighty years of history, LNSO has performed on the most prestigious stages in St. Peters-burg, Moscow, Madrid, Berlin, Bern, Antwerp, Stock-holm, London and Tokyo. In 2013, the Orchestra comp-leted its maiden tour to Latin America.
The Orchestra’s young and charismatic conductor Modestas Pitrėnas is well acclaimed at home and ab-road. He has taken the duties of LNSO’s chief conductor and artistic director since 2015. At the same time, he performs as the principal guest conductor at the Lat-vian National Opera.
LNSO’s visit to India will be part of its larger Asian tour. After two nights in Mumbai, the Orchestra will proceed to Bangkok where another set of concerts will take place.
The tickets to LNSO’s Mumbai performances are already on sale and can be purchased from the Book-MyShow.com website here.
Source: Embassy of Lithuania
LITHUANIAN EXPORTS TO INDIA EXPAND BY
2.1 TIMES, FURTHER DRIVEN BY THE SALES
OF MATAR, FLAX AND WOOD
Agricultural products have become the key driving force behind the robust growth of Lithuania’s exports to India, the national statistics agency, Statistics Lithu-ania, reports.
As per the agency’s data, in the first half of 2017, Lithuania’s main export commodities to India were matar (pea, 57.4%), plastics and articles thereof (8.5%), flax (5.3%), wood and articles of wood (4.9%), wadding, felt and nonwovens (4.2%).
Compared to the same period last year, the exports of Lithuanian matar expanded by almost five times, flax – by 2.5 times, raw wood (statistical code 4407) – by 1.9 times. These three commodities combined cons-tituted 64.1% of Lithuania’s total export to India.
The exports of high-value added commodities like electrical machinery and equipment (3.0%) and Lithu-anian lasers (2.9%), remained traditionally strong and amounted to EUR 2.2m.
Overall, the Lithuanian exports to India grew by 2.1 times and amounted to EUR 36.4m.
Meanwhile, Lithuanian imports from India during the first half of 2017 shrank by 9.4% and amounted to EUR 21.9m.
Pharmaceuticals (7.0%), tobacco (6.9%), worn clo-thing and worn textile articles (6.6%), fish and other aquatic bodies (6.3%), machinery and mechanical equipment (5.6%), edible fruit and nuts (5.2%), and footwear (5.0%), featured as the leading import com-modities.
In 2016, India accounted as Lithuania’s 32nd largest export market globally.
Source: Embassy of Lithuania
LITHUANIA BEST IN EU AND 9TH GLOBALLY FOR
GREENFIELD FDI
Lithuania has been ranked the EU’s number one in the Greenfield FDI Performance Index compiled by fDi Intelligence, a division of the Financial Times. The Baltic country came in 9th globally, and ranked 3rd in the Emerging Europe section, for attracting greenfield FDI.
The index measures the attractiveness of countries as destinations for greenfield foreign direct investment (FDI) relative to the size of their GDP.
According to the Financial Times, the index is compiled using the methodology devised by UNCTAD, the UN’s trade and development body. This means factors such as mergers and acquisitions, intracompany loans and other similar forms of cross-border investment are not included.
Source: Invest Lithuania
LITHUANIA TAKES ANOTHER STEP IN THE
FIELD OF FINTECH: CREATE YOUR OWN
SANDBOX
Companies developing new solutions in financial technologies (Fintech) are invited to test their products in Lithuania in real time and with real customers.
The Bank of Lithuania (the equivalent of RBI) has launched a ‘public consultations’ period during which companies like Paytm can offer and test in ‘real world’ conditions the regulatory solutions for their financial innovations -- a sort of ‘regulatory sandbox.’ During this trial period, the Bank of Lithuania will oversee the companies’ operations and together discuss necessary improvements.
‘We want to ensure the best possible conditions for Fintech’s further development in Lithuania and create the most Fintech-friendly environment in the entire Nordic-Baltic region,’ says Vitas Vasiliauskas, Chair-man of Board at the Bank of Lithuania.
‘For this reason, we invite all interested parties to join our sandbox, share their suggestions and allow us to craft a new regulatory regime that would promote new financial products and solutions befitting our digital era.’
Companies operating in the regulatory sandbox are welcome to offer their innovative financial ideas and test their business solutions in real marketplace with real customers, while the Bank of Lithuania keeps an eye on their activities and suggests required improve-ments on the go.
The companies from the sandbox can also seek legislative mitigation pre-agreed with the regulator. For example, they are entitled to simplified incorporation and licensing procedures and may temporarily be exempted from certain market regulations. Once the fi-nancial innovations have proven themselves, the com-panies will shift to the standard operating environ-ment, which by that time will be readjusted accordingly to meet the new needs.
Both established companies and Fintech startups can join the sandbox, as long as their products and solu-tions meet the criteria of innovativeness and public good.
To become a Nordic-Baltic hub of Fintech solutions, the Bank of Lithuania has already introduced a list of instruments to speed up the registration of financial firms and licensing of their products.
Thus, in Lithuania it takes only 3 months or less to get the license for an electronic money institution. In other EU countries, the procedure can take up to 12 months.
Also, companies from non-banking sector can use the Bank of Lithuania’s infrastructure to provide their payment services, thus bypassing the monopoly of commercial banks.
The initial capital requirement for setting up a bank in Lithuania has been downsized to only EUR 1 million and is the smallest in the eurozone.
Finally, the Bank of Lithuania has introduced a one-stop shop to meet and consult the potential investors. Prior to setting up a company or launching a financial product, investors can check on the Bank’s designated webpage, How to get a licence, whether their plans are in line with the applicable regulatory requirements.
Source: Invest Lithuania
LITHUANIA IMMUNE TO MONEY LAUNDERING
AND TERRORISM FINANCING RISKS, SAYS A
SWISS NGO
A Swiss-based institute has ranked Lithuania’s ban-king system as the world’s 2nd best prepared to counter money laundering and terrorism financing risks.
In its 2017 Basel AML Index, published a few weeks ago, the Basel Institute on Governance placed Lithu-ania at the bottom of the list, with the national score of 3.67, one of the lowest.
Only Finland fared lower, scoring 3.04. India stayed in the middle (5.58), ranking as the 88th country out of 146.
The top three nations most prone to money launde-ring and terrorism financing risks, according to the Ba-
sel AML Index, are Iran (8.60), Afghanistan (8.38) and Guinea-Bissau (8.35).
In measuring the risk of money laundering and ter-rorist financing in an individual country, the Basel Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Index builds on pub-licly available resources. It aggregates a total of 14 indi-cators dealing with AML/CFT regulations, corruption, financial standards, political disclosure and the rule of law, into one overall risk score.
It is important to note that as there is no reliable quantitative data on money laundering available, the Basel AML Index does not measure the actual existence of money laundering activity or amount of illicit finan-cial money within a country. Rather, it indicates the risk level, i.e. the vulnerabilities of money laundering and terrorist financing within a country.
The Basel Institute on Governance is an indepen-dent non-profit competence center working around the world with the public and private sectors to counter corruption and other financial crimes and to improve the quality of governance.
The Basel Institute is an Associated Institute of the University of Basel.
Source: Basel Institute of Governance
AMBASSADOR TALAT-KELPŠA: ‘SANSKRIT
BINDS US TOGETHER’ (INTERVIEW)
In his interview with The Statesman’s Sarah Berry, Lithuanian ambassador to India Laimonas Talat-Kel-pša hopes that India will soon ‘rediscover’ the Baltic region. Excerpts:
- India and Lithuania established diplomatic relations in 1992. What have the two countries achieved during the last 25 years?
First, we have established a legal framework for our cooperation. All major treaties regulating our trade and investment have been signed. Our governments agreed to open diplomatic missions, which Lithuania did in 2008. Our relations in science, education and culture have expanded significantly. In a nutshell, we have de-veloped both an institutional platform and an amicable atmosphere for a major leap forward, and it is up to us to decide when and how this leap would happen.
- How do you see the relationship develop-ping?
Lithuania wants a strong and powerful partner in India, one we can trust and lean on in an increasingly turbulent global environment. A democratic and eco-nomically strong India is an asset for all. So if India
grows, if she continues to reform, Lithuania will benefit too. We also believe that in the years to come, India will rediscover the Baltic region, where Lithuania is located, as this region is the most dynamically growing part of the European Union.
- Does Lithuania support India’s candidature for a permanent seat on the UNSC?
Lithuania supports the reform of the UN Security Council, which would include the expansion of its both permanent and non-permanent membership. It is hard to imagine this major revamp taking place without con-sidering India’s application. We also underscore that any reform should bring more efficiency to the Coun-cil’s proceedings, not less.
- Lithuania is a member of the European Union (EU). How do you look at the future of the grouping and why do you think a Free Trade Agreement between India and EU has not mate-rialized even after a decade of negotiations?
As a representative of a country which ranks among the most enthusiastic supporters of the EU (65% according to the latest Eurobarometer Survey), I am optimistic about its future. The EU has been into many crises before, and has always come out stronger and more consolidated. This time we see the EU regaining confidence and starting debating options of even closer integration. The EU’s ranks may shrink, but its impor-tance will not. And a Free Trade Agreement between In-dia and EU is an opportunity that shouldn’t be missed. Yes, we have been negotiating this treaty for over a de-cade now, but some other agreements, like the bilateral India-Lithuania Extradition Treaty, have been in the pipeline even longer. If we both agree it is taking too long, let’s get back to the table and get the job done.
- Lithuania is emerging as an attractive country for higher studies. What is the reason and how are you promoting it?
In 2012, we had 53 Indian students in Lithuania. Last year, the number reached 800. In our universities, Indian students find good-quality education at a reaso-nable cost. One-year tuition fee varies from 3,000 to 8,000 euro. And the cost of living is 3-4 times less than, say, London. So there is a good package deal for those who seek a graduation certificate from a European uni-versity. Lithuania has developed a special website, www.studyinlithuania.lt, to promote these opportuni-ties. Our universities also participate in education fairs.
- What is the level of bilateral trade between India and Lithuania and what are the major exports from Lithuania to India?
Last year, our trade volume crossed 130m euro. It has more than doubled since 2014. Lithuania massively exports wheat and green peas to India -- in fact, almost 20% of all peas India last year bought in foreign mar-kets were purchased from Lithuania. So whenever you are having your matar paneer, think that every fifth pea in your plate is of Lithuanian origin. India also buys our lasers and other sophisticated technologies.
- What, according to you, are the commona-lities between India and Lithuania?
Lithuanian is the closest surviving sister of Sanskrit. We have so many common words that a dictionary of
such words was compiled. Because of Sanskrit, India has always had a special place in our hearts. For genera-tions, it has inspired our scholars, travelers and artistic community. Today, this positive energy may play a significant role in facilitating our political and eco-nomic cooperation, thus it is our duty to tap into it.
- Is there any high-level exchange between the two countries in the offing?
Minister of State for External Affairs MJ Akbar re-cently visited Lithuania. We expect Foreign Minister Linas Linkevičius to pay a return visit in October, when Lithuanian National Symphonic Orchestra will be per-forming in Mumbai. It will be an important part of the centenary celebrations of the Republic of Lithuania.
Source: The Statesman
SHANTANU & NIKHIL’S COUTURE ARMY
GOES TO LITHUANIA
India’s designer duo Shantanu & Nikhil showcased their AutumnWinter’17 Collection, The Regiment, in Vilnius on 17 August.
The collection, that was a sartorial presentation celebrating 70 years of India’s independence, had dig-nitaries from all across Poland and Lithuania in atten-dance.
The evening, which was hosted by the Indian Amba-ssador to Lithuania and Poland, Ajay Bisaria, and Ho-norary Consul of India to Lithuania, Wing Commander (Retd) Rajinder Chaudhary, saw the Cabinet members like Žygimantas Vaičiūnas, Minister of Energy, Vytau-tas Umbrasas, Vice Minister of Defense, and Darius Skusevičius, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, grace the event.
The Regiment travelling from India to Lithuania struck all the right chords as the collection not only evo-ked an emotional connect of unity and order, but was also applauded for the designers’ strong modern Indian narrative that made the country look chic, elegant and powerful while preserving its traditional sanctity.
Honoring 70 years of India’s freedom through a show like this abroad is only the beginning of a rich exchange of contemporary culture and innovative thought between India and the world.
East meets west and old meets new in the moonlit alleyways of Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, writes Matt Russel in the UK’s Daily Star. Below are the ex-cerpts from his travel story on Lithuania.
In a country which reclaimed its independence from the Soviet Union in 1990, the city’s past has certainly left its mark.
Quirky bars and cafes separate stunning medieval churches from huge communist structures, making our five-minute stroll to dinner a visual potted history.
Diverse blends continue at Ertlio Namas restaurant, which serves traditional Lithuanian cuisine with a mo-dern twist.
A starter of snail caviar with cannabis oil and home-made bread dropped this unadventurous diner right in the deep end.
Further courses of boiled venison dumplings and fried pike were certainly interesting and, with the help-ful waiting staff explaining the heritage of each dish, I left the restaurant feeling a little more connected to this fascinating country.
Our base in Vilnius, the Amberton Hotel, is right in the heart of the city, overlooking the town square.
The chic, modern rooms have large en suites with lo-vely deep Jacuzzi baths, very comfy beds, a chic French restaurant and a spa for tourists who want to rest their feet after a long day pounding the cobbled streets on the history trail.
Lithuania was the last country in Europe to convert from paganism to Christianity and grand churches can be found on almost every corner.
Go to see the cathedral, in the city’s main square, then venture up its separate bell tower and you’ll be re-warded with panoramic views.
There’s also Gediminas Castle, standing proudly above the city center’s 157ft hill, with its excellent ob-servation platform.
The recent BBC series of War and Peace was filmed almost entirely in Lithuania.
The intricate streets, courtyards and churches of Vil-nius doubled as Moscow and Austria, and walking tours are available for fans.
The jewel in Vilnius, however, is its Old Town,
Užupis. This once impoverished area, which is separa-ted from the city by the Vilnelė River, has become a cul-tural hub for Lithuanian art and politics and is now a self-proclaimed independent ‘republic’ where the pri-mary requirement for entry is a smile.
Check out its constitution fixed to a wall in Paupio Street. The list includes ‘everyone has the right to be happy’ and to ‘make mistakes’.
Have a pint in its ‘parliament’ by the river, then spend an hour at the Gallery of Blacksmith’s where you can learn about this ancient skill, and they will even let you shape a nail.
For lunch we went to Džiaugsmas, meaning ‘joy’ in Lithuanian.
It was opened in February by one of the best chefs in the country – Martynas Praškevičius. Try the red beet-root salad with a glass of the Pheasants’ Tears red wine.
Dinner was at the funky new Sweetroot restaurant which serves local, seasonal cuisine including bite-size portions of ox cheek dumplings, pork kiev and a light dessert of apple sorbet.
From here, if you fancy a few post-dinner drinks, it’s a short walk to Gedimino Avenue.
Beer in Lithuania is cheap: a round of five pints in Craft and Draft, which has its own microbrewery, costs under 12 euros.
And about an hour’s drive from Vilnius is the beau-tiful city of Trakai.
It is in an area surrounded by huge lakes, ideal for taking a romantic ride on a pedalo or lazing on the banks.
On one of Lake Galvė’s 21 islands is a magnificent 14th-century castle and we spent an afternoon cruising around it on a boat.
Half an hour’s drive away is the luxurious Vytautas Mineral Spa in Birštonas, a town known for its mineral water sources.
This futuristic-looking complex, hidden in a nine-acre countryside setting, opened at the beginning of the year, and takes advantage of the water’s health-impro-ving properties.
Rounding off our trip, we took a ride with the Audenis Balloon club for 100 euros and toasted this cul-turally rich country with a glass of bubbly 2,000ft in the air.
