Stasys Jakeliūnas EN

With discussions on imposing a cap on cash payments in Lithuania going on for years, politicians now say that a law setting the limit at 3,000 euros may be passed this year and come into effect next year, the business daily Verslo Žinios reported on Tuesday.

Lithuania should prepare for a possibly drastic decline in European financial aid in the new European Union (EU) budget after 2020, says MP Stasys Jakeliūnas, chairman of the parliamentary Committee for Budget and Finance.

Twelve Lithuanian parliamentarians have drafted a resolution to express support to Poland and recommend objecting possible sanctions against the neighboring state.

Lithuania's government is this week opening debates into the 2018 budget draft, with the document to be presented to ministers on Monday before being discussed at the government's meeting on Wednesday.

Lithuania's President Dalia Grybauskaitė says that the government-proposed tax changes should ensure more social justice, while the current proposals will raise heating prices and the new ceiling on social insurance payments will further increase the income of those making the highest salaries.

Prior to the Seimas elections Stasys Jakeliūnas was viewed as the most likely candidate for the post of Minister of Finance. Surprisingly, however, he replaced the already confirmed Seimas Budget and Finance Committee chairman, while the PM chose Vilius Šapoka as a candidate for the post of Minister...

The preliminary line-up of candidates for minister posts only partially reflected predictions. Some “Peasant” candidates who have been discussed for months were left in the shadow with Saulius Skvernelis unveiling of the final list of names which was presented for presidential review.

The former “Peasant” shadow cabinet can turn into smoke. Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis cheerfully noted to LRT.lt that “shadows dissipate eventually”. So who is going to lay claim to minister posts?

Seimas accepted Saulius Skvernelis‘ appointment as PM on Tuesday. The first tasks awaiting the new Prime Minister over the next couple of weeks are to form a new cabinet and prepare a government programme. S. Skvernelis spoke on these issues in the show Dėmesio Centre on LRT.