A new travel reality in times of the pandemic dictate changes in airport processes. Lithuanian Airports are preparing to enable passengers to have various types of coronavirus tests be conducted at the airports before or after flights. A call for tenders for coronavirus testing services to be provided in leased areas near or inside the airports has already been issued.

In preparation for the 2021 consultations with the Republic of Lithuania under Article IV of the Articles of Agreement of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), an IMF mission, led by Borja Gracia, will work remotely on 25-29 January.

In 2021, the Financial Market Supervision Service of the Bank of Lithuania plans to carry out inspections of 35 financial market participants to assess their compliance with legislative requirements. The higher number of inspections planned this year is a result of the rapid increase in the number of supervised entities.

the European Commission (EC) published the assessment of the 2021 Lithuanian Draft Budgetary Plan updated by the XVIII Government stating that Lithuania takes proper fiscal measures in response to an adverse COVID-19 pandemic impact on the national economy, people and health system, and the fiscal policy pursued is in line with the Recommendations to Lithuania published by the Council in July 2020.

The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Environment and the European Investment Bank (EIB) together invest the European Union (EU) assistance to a newly developed Investment Platform to increase financing volumes for renovation of multi-apartment buildings in Lithuania and to ensure sustainability of the investments in the long term.

On Tuesday, Parliament adopted new rules allowing the EU to use countermeasures in trade disputes when arbitration is blocked.

The Ministry of Finance, considering the provisions of the XVIII Government Programme related to more equitable and growth friendly tax system, calls the public to mobilise and by 10 February to submit specific proposals for a tax relief review.

The Irish low-cost airline "Ryanair" temporarily suspends all flights from Vilnius and Palanga due to the pandemic and travel restrictions. Over the next few months, the airline will only fly from Kaunas to Dublin.

On Wednesday, Marius Skuodis, Minister of Transport and Communications, spoke by telephone with Adina Valean, European Commissioner for Transport (EC), and discussed free movement of goods through transport corridors in Europe during the period of the ongoing pandemic, issues concerning implementation of the Rail Baltica Project and the Mobility Package.

Small companies have been hit hard by the Covid-19 crisis. MEPs believe the EU can help by easing requirements and supporting their resilience.