The autumn session was focused on the issues of finance, reduction of social exclusion, reinforcement of the economy, national defence and security, as well as on matters pertaining to energy, public administration, law and order, environmental protection, health, education, science, and culture.
The main document adopted in the autumn session was the Law on the Approval of Financial Indicators of the State Budget and Municipal Budgets for 2016. The approved state budget is aimed at boosting the economy, increasing the funds for the creation of wellbeing, and more funding for national defence and public security, without violating the fiscal discipline requirements.
During the session, the Seimas agreed with the proposal by the Speaker of the Seimas to extend by one more consecutive year the period of cuts on representation costs and reduced funding of parliamentary activities. The basic salary (the amount for the calculation of salaries) for state politicians, judges, public officials and civil servants was set at EUR 130.5, remaining at the same level as it was in 2015.
The adopted amendments to the Law on Excise Duty will lead to a steady increase in excise duty rates for all alcoholic beverages and ethyl alcohol for a period of three years starting from 1 March 2016. The Seimas also increased the tax rates for amber and other natural resources, including clay, peat, sand and gravel, and imposed a lower tax rate for surface waters used for the operation of the LNG terminal. In addition, only fuel blends and biofuels of higher concentration (E 85 and B 100) that comply with the EU standards will be eligible to excise duty relief.
In the energy sector, amendments to the Law on the LNG Terminal were adopted, establishing the minimum quantity of gas needed for the operation of the terminal. The costs of procurement of the minimal amount or part of the minimal amount of gas necessary for the operation of the LNG terminal are considered to be substantiated expenses of the acquisition of fuel by energy producers and are priced according to the applicable state-regulated energy pricing.
During the autumn session, the Seimas embarked on a debate on the new social model consisting of seven draft framework laws and 27 documents of accompanying draft legislation, aimed at stimulating employment, improving regulation of labour relations and bringing more sustainability into the realm of social security insurance. The reading of the said drafts is envisaged to continue in the Seimas spring session.
In the area of economy, the Seimas introduced more stringent rules regulating the issue of consumer credit with effect from 1 February 2016. The amendments are aimed at regulating the consumer credit market and ensuring more responsible lending by creditors and more responsible borrowing by consumer credit recipients.
As regards national defence, the Seimas envisaged that up to 130 troops and civilian personnel of the National Defence System will take part in international operations in 2016 and 2017.
The Parliament improved the existing asylum procedures, simplified the rules on civil registration through information systems, and established regulations on the consumer rights information system.
The Parliament waived the amendment to Article 56 of the Constitution, which proposed that candidates should not stand for election to the Seimas if they had been found to had seriously breached the Constitution or an oath, had been removed from their post through an impeachment procedure, or had their MP mandate annulled, unless more than 10 years have passed since the person's removal from office or the annulment of the mandate of a Member of the Seimas.
During the autumn session, the Seimas also adopted relevant decisions on public health, education, science and culture, environmental protection, human rights, and foreign affairs.
The Parliament decided to request the Government to submit a proposal to the European Commission by 30 April 2016 at the latest, thereby proposing that each Member State of the European Union could be allowed to decide independently on the summer time implementation on its territory.
During the autumn session, the Seimas adopted relevant amendments to the Law on Citizenship, according to which persons could have dual citizenship if they are eligible by birth to both Lithuanian citizenship and a citizenship of another country. The Seimas also decided to allow Lithuanian citizens to have the nationality of another State, where the citizen has outstanding merit to the state of Lithuania.
The Parliament also adopted a resolution stating that atrocities committed against the Christians and other groups, targeted in Iraq and Syria on specifically religious reasons, amounted to genocide and, under the resolution, they were considered to be a crime of genocide in accordance with international law.
