There was record growth in demand during the first quarter of 2021 for the new VIP Terminal at Vilnius Airport that was opened back in 2020. During the first three months of 2021, 777 private passengers travelled through the VIP Terminal. This is nearly three times more passengers than in the equivalent period of last year (261 passengers) and twice more than in the same period of 2019 (319 passengers), which in itself was a record-breaking year for aviation.

A proposal from the Ministry of the Economy and Innovation to legitimise the so-called Freedom ID has been submitted to the Government. This ID will help to free up many businesses and bring some people back to activities that are paralysed due to the quarantine restrictions.

Sustainable mobility, alternative fuel infrastructure and digitalisation are on the priority list of the Ministry of Transport and Communications in developing the 2021–2026 Recovery and Resilience Facility plan for the European Commission. Preliminary estimates show that the implementation of this plan of the Ministry by 2026 is to require EUR 320 million in investment.

Minister of Finance Gintarė Skaistė presenting the integrated draft plan “New Generation Lithuania” prepared by the Government said that the intensively prepared document will ensure the country’s breakthrough towards a more equitable, smarter and high added value generating country.

On 8 April, the Bank of Lithuania transferred €16.63 million to the state budget from its 2020 profit. This is the largest amount allocated by the central bank since 2012.

Minister of Transport and Communications Marius Skuodis initiates discussions on the connection of the Rail Baltica European railway link with Vilnius and Kaunas. Options to connect Vilnius and Kaunas airports with Rail Baltica were discussed during the Minister’s meeting with mayors of both cities and representatives of Lithuanian Railways and airports.

Due to a complicated pandemic situation in the world, during the first quarter of this year, Lithuanian Airports recorded less flights, lower passengers flows and a reduced number of cargo transported by air compared to the last quarter of 2020. The stagnation recorded by Lithuanian Airports at the beginning of the first quarter of this year began to shrink already at the beginning of March – growth in both flights and passenger traffic was recorded.

As of Monday, 12 April, tighter self-isolation requirements will apply for arrivals from Croatia and Turkey, and arrivals from Italy and Moldova will continue subject to the usual self-isolation requirements. The updated list of affected countries includes corrections in the requirements for carriers, travellers with past COVID-19 infection, service personnel in diplomatic missions and those arriving for humanitarian purposes.

In response to a request from the Environmental Protection Department of Lithuania’s Ministry of the Environment, EMSA is providing the country with Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) services to assist in monitoring ship emissions, protect the marine environment and improve maritime safety.

Minister of Transport and Communications Marius Skuodis and transport ministers of eight European Union Member States appealed to European Commissioner for Transport Adina-Ioana Vălean with an official letter encouraging to resume discussions regarding the Mobility Package provisions. By this joint action the ministers responded to the Mobility Package impact assessment performed in late February this year and approved of its conclusions.