Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite has signed the new version of the Law on Referendum, defining referendum organization procedures and allowing more polling places abroad, into law, said the presidential press service.

On December 20 the Parliament of the Republic of Lithuania approved the new 10-year Plan for National Defence System Development which will be in force instead of the one approved in 2014 and made completely irrelevant by the changed regional security environment and increased defence budget. The new program not only sets out the goals, objectives, and priorities for the National Defence System, defines key means to achieve the said objectives, but also sets out deadlines concerning the objectives, the desired results, and their assessment criteria.

During a visit to Brussels on December 18 Vice Minister of National Defence Edvinas Kerza discussed European Union initiatives in cyber security area with Director General of the Directorate General of Communication, Networks, Content and Technology (DG CONNECT) at the European Commission. It was the second meeting of Vice Minister and DG CONNECT representatives in the time span of the past several months.

The Seimas ratified the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Lithuania and the Government of the United States of America for Cooperation in Science, Technology and Innovation, which was signed in Vilnius on 25 June 2018.

The Seimas adopted amendments to the Referendum Law (draft No XIIIP-2559(2)), specifying the provisions for the procedure for organising a referendum, a referendum campaign, and vote counting; increasing the number of polling stations abroad; and providing for payment of salaries to members of voting commissions. According to the amended Law, the services of the public enterprise Lietuvos paštas (Lithuanian Post) will no longer be used and the postal functions will instead be entrusted to members of voting commissions and courier companies.

Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis says that he appreciates the efforts by the intelligence services with a view to ensuring security and stability in the country.

Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis has met with President of the Spanish Council of State María Teresa Fernández de la Vega and has discussed prospects for further cooperation.

Single-use plastic items such as plates, cutlery, straws and cotton buds, will be banned in the EU under plans provisionally agreed between Parliament and Council, on Wednesday.

On December 13 Vice Minister of National Vytautas Umbrasas took part in the “Defence Hybrid Warfare in the Black Sea: Romania, Europe, and NATO Collective Responses” Conference organised by the German Marshall Fund of the United States and Romania’s Ministry of National Defence.