President Gitanas Nausėda presented credentials to Lithuanian Ambassadors to Hungary and the United Arab Emirates.

Even though the numbers of school graduates are on the decrease, significantly more young people have been admitted to the General Jonas Žemaitis Military Academy of Lithuania. This year has seen the highest number of entrants since 2003 – 77 cadets, including 16 young women, have started the studies in the only higher education institution in Lithuania that provides officers for the Lithuanian Armed Forces. That makes almost double the number of young people that chose the path of an officer last year.

The Seimas has concluded its spring session. Since its beginning on 10 March 2019, a total of 57 plenary meetings were held and over 400 legal acts were adopted.

Prime Minister Saulius Svernelis has strongly condemned any manifestations of ethnic hatred and has called on everyone to refrain from inflammatory actions or statements in this regard.

On August 2 new Defence Attaché of Hungary Lt Col Lajos Szalavari was accredited to Lithuania and outgoing Defence Attaché Lt COl József Szabó farewelled at a ceremony at the Ministry of National Defence.

Ministers are outlining the priorities of the Finnish Presidency of the Council of the EU to parliamentary committees, in a series of meetings.

On August 1 change of command and rotations ceremony took place in the NATO enhanced Forward Presence Battalion Battle Group in Rukla. Representative of the German Army Lieutenant Colonel Peer Papenbroock will hand over the command to his fellow German representative Lieutenant Colonel Rouven Habel after having been in charge of the NATO eFP Battalion Battle Group Lithuania since February. Lt Col Rouven Habel is the commander of the 391st Mechanised Infantry Battalion of the Bundeswehr.

The Office of the Government has seen today the signature of an unprecedented agreement in the Lithuanian communications market: the Government and the four Lithuanian communications associations have agreed to pool their efforts to rethink Lithuania’s global image. The Lithuanian Association of Public Relations Agencies (RSVA), the Lithuanian Marketing Association (LiMA), the Lithuanian Communications Association (LTKA) and the Lithuanian Association of Communications Agencies (KOMAA) are ready to contribute to the development of a 2020-2030 Government Strategy for Brand Lithuania. Under the agreement, all the four communications associations will each delegate a member to the jury for the selection of the best bid and nominate one member to the Brand Lithuania Strategic Council, which is an advisory body to the Office of the Government.

On July 25 new Chief of Defence of Lithuania Major General Valdemaras Rupšys was inaugurated at a ceremony in Vilnius. President of the Republic of Lithuania and Commander-in-Chief Gitanas Nausėda passed on the flag of the Lithuanian Armed Forces from the outgoing to the incoming Chief of Defence in front of the all colours of the Lithuanian Armed Forces and Brigades parade in the Cathedral Square.