The Board of the Bank of Lithuania decided to issue an insurance business licence for the private limited liability insurance undertaking Compensa Vienna Insurance Group, UADB in the process of foundation, which entitles to engage in the activities of insurance classes within the non-life insurance branch and of compulsory insurance.

The European Commission approved on July 31st the new restrictions for areas infected with the African swine fever; one of the Baltic States largest pig farms Ekseko in Viiratsi parish, Viljandi County was left out of the toughest restricted zone.

Literacy, women's rights and free movement in the EU were the most liked topics on the Parliament's Facebook page this year between January and June with Sakharov Prize laureates Malala Yousafzai and Hauwa Ibrahim's messages on equal access to education and women's rights proving to be the most popular.

The Lithuanian Film Centre has granted EUR 390,378 of state funding for 14 national film projects. 9 projects – including one interactive project – were granted financial assistance for development, and 5 film projects – two features, one documentary, one short animation, and one short fiction film – received support for the production.

The European Commission has adopted today a legal act to create a simpler, more modern and integrated EU customs system to support cross-border trade and provide for more EU-wide cooperation in customs matters. It builds on the Union Customs Code adopted in 2013, which sets out detailed rules for twenty-first century customs processes.

A young Lithuanian woman has died during a trip to Kyrgyzstan's mountains. According to media reports, another mountaineer was injured.

The national airline airBaltic is currently in talks with two prospective investors – aviation companies, the possibility to involve all three Baltic countries in airBaltic is also under consideration, Transport Minister Anrijs Matiss (Unity) told LNT television this morning.

As the LNG terminal was opened in Klaipeda, the idea of shale gas extraction in Lithuania has lost its significance, although the Government does not give up plans to announce a new tender for investors in October 2015.

The Order of Malta Relief Organisation providing the transportation service for the disabled "Let's go" has also started its activities in the area of Vilnius Airport. Therefore, it will be even easier for persons with reduced mobility to travel abroad.

The Ministry of Transport and Communications has announced that Lithuanian Shipping Company's (LSC) vessel Deltuva is returning to Lithuania. It was impouneded in Gdansk, but will soon dock in Klaipeda port.

"19 people are returning to shore. We are doing our best to solve the issue of the return of other LSC vessels," said Deputy Transport and Communications Minister Saulius Girdauskas.

According to the Ministry, funds have been transferred to ensure that the impounded ships have fuel and other provisions.

After a meeting with President Dalia Grybauskaite on Wednesday, Minister of Transport and Communications Rimantas Sinkevicius said that bankruptcy proceedings would be initiated against LSC. The company's financial situation is complicated and its ships were impouneded in foreign ports.

Approximately 100 seamen work in ships that were impounded in five ports abroad. LSC debt for employee wages is EUR 1.5 million, whereas the total debt is EUR 20 million.

www.baltic-course.com