The Ministry of the Economy and Innovation has already received more than 800 applications from businesses, institutions and organisations willing to benefit from the €1 billion financial instruments planned for strengthening the Lithuanian economy.

In the first half of this year, the number of passengers at the Lithuanian airports grew by one-fifth compared to the same period last year, and the three airports of the country served a total of 2.5% more flights. In addition, compared to last year, higher passenger traffic resulted in a much better load factor.

The Government approved the amendments to the laws, which change the regulatory model of property and business valuation – the bureaucratic regulation and supervision of the valuation profession is abandoned. The new direction aims for greater transparency, data traceability and reliability of evaluation reports, promoting market self-control.

The Government approved the draft resolution submitted by the Ministry of Finance, by which still this year EUR 276.72 million would be allocated to the Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Transport and Communications for military infrastructure projects, ensuring the prompt reception of NATO allies in Lithuania and the implementation of military mobility and dual-use (military and civilian) projects on national roads. In total, almost EUR 540 million are expected to be allocated to military infrastructure and military mobility projects in 2023-2025, of which the funds of the temporary solidarity contribution will amount to EUR 380 million. In 2023, EUR 279.72 million are allocated to the projects, in 2024 it is planned to allocate EUR 220 million, and in 2025 – EUR 40 million.

“The successful auction for the right to develop an offshore wind farm is an important commitment to Lithuania’s energy independence and security, which will also bring benefits to the economy and consumers. It marks the beginning of a new phase in Lithuania’s energy history, with the development of a new type of offshore wind energy in the Lithuanian energy sector,” Dainius Kreivys, Minister of Energy, comments on today’s auction for the right to develop a 700 MW offshore wind farm in Lithuanian territorial waters in the Baltic Sea.

Out of the almost EUR 1 billion of financial support foreseen to strengthen the Lithuanian economy by the end of this year, the Ministry of the Economy and Innovation has already launched calls worth EUR 517.19 million. This represents more than half of the total amount envisaged.

• EIB loan to be used to finance Lithuania’s national contribution to EU-funded priority projects.
• This €300 million is the first tranche of a co-financing agreement set to facilitate projects worth €7.7 billion to support competitiveness, job creation and innovation.
• Lithuania to benefit from the EIB’s attractive lending terms at a time of persistent inflation, rising interest rates and tightening financing conditions.

To speed up the construction of the European-gauge railway Rail Baltica route from Jiesia (Kaunas) to the Polish border, 154 plots of land and the objects present on them, such as engineering networks and structures, are planned to be purchased from private owners as soon as possible, i.e., prior to the approval of the special plan and start of the procedure for taking them over for public needs. This was approved by the Government at the meeting that took place this Wednesday.

Lithuanian airports have completed the announced international competition for the selection of the operator of the parking lots - the contract was signed with the company Stova, which manages the uniPark brand. For the next ten years, the new operator will manage more than 3,300 parking spaces (current and planned in the future) at three airports - Vilnius, Kaunas and Palanga. The management of the parking spaces will be transferred to the company in stages from the autumn of this year until the autumn of next year.

In Brussels Minister of Finance Gintarė Skaistė had a meeting with Minister for the Economy and Digitalisation of Spain, which took over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, Nadia Calviño. During the meeting Minister G. Skaistė noted the need to find sufficient funds for investment in military mobility projects in the ongoing revision of the EU’s financial perspective for 2021-2027.