On 7-9 January, the European Citizens’ Panel on “Climate change, environment / health” will put forward its recommendations for the Conference on the Future of Europe.

Reflecting upon the main goals achieved in 2021, the Ministry of Transport and Communications highlights ten milestones with regard to making certain transport sector areas more transparent and reorganised. Palanga Airport reconstruction, Road Traffic Rules changes, 5G Memorandum, entry of Starlink, road financing system reorganisation and the launch of state-owned enterprises reorganisation are only part of the Ministry’s achievements in 2021.

From 1 January of the following year, the new amendments to the Road Traffic Rules (KET) entered into force. They establish the following new order of traffic organisation.

Changing the order of giving way to special vehicles: an emergency corridor will be created, parking order at electric vehicle charging points will be adjusted, a prohibition on parking at the intersection of the street and entrance to the territory will be established, clearer regulation and harmonisation of the procedure for turning around at traffic light regulated intersections will be established, establishing clearer traffic order in the common acceleration and deceleration lanes, more attention will be paid to the traffic of the vehicles of persons with individual needs, etc.

The principle of creating an emergency corridor will be introduced on the roads, according to which the drivers will be obliged:
• on roads with one lane in each direction the drivers will have to give way to special transport by moving to the right;
• on roads with more than one lane in each direction, the vehicles in the far left lane will move to the left and the vehicles in the right lane will move to the right (applicable when special vehicles come in the same direction).
The width of the emergency corridor should be at least 3 m, therefore, if there are two narrow lanes on the road in one direction and a sufficiently wide emergency corridor cannot be created, the drivers of special vehicles should choose other options for overcoming this section, such as opposite direction lanes. In all cases, the driver must give way to a special vehicle coming from the opposite direction.

Traffic order of motorless scooters
For the sake of clarity, the term 'scooter' used by the Road Traffic Rules (hereinafter the 'KET') shall be clarified: most electric scooters are classified as engine-powered bicycles (power up to 1 kW, maximum speed up to 25 km/h), and the requirements set by the KET for cyclists are also mandatory for engine-powered bicycles.

A person riding a motorless scooter is considered to be a pedestrian and is subject to the KET requirements applicable to pedestrians. In this context, paragraphs 37 and 48.7 of the KET make it clear that the provision applies to motorless scooters.

Traffic order at the cycling path and carriageway intersection
The amendment emphasises that at the intersection of a cycling path (or a common pedestrian and cycling path) and a carriageway, where there are priority road signs, the road users must follow the road signs (such as a 'Give way' road sign).

Cycling on the carriageway
In principle, the KET regulation for cycling on a carriageway has not changed: the option to cycle on a carriageway is not abolished. It may be used under the following conditions: the cyclist must first of all choose the dedicated infrastructure (cycling or pedestrian and cycling paths or bicycle lanes), if any; where such infrastructure is not available, the cyclists must ride on the shoulders with asphalt or concrete pavement.

When there is no dedicated infrastructure on the road, it is allowed to move on the sidewalk or in one row of the right-hand traffic lane of the carriageway, as close as possible to the right-hand edge. If the cycling path or other infrastructure suitable for cyclists ends or there is no suitable shoulder, the cyclist can choose to ride on the sidewalk or on the right-hand side of the carriageway.

Prohibition on the use of special lights by the driver of a school bus
There are cases where school buses run with the flashing orange warning lights on, although according to the KET provisions they should only be used during boarding of children. The amendments state that the lights can only be used during the boarding and disembarkation of children, and that the lights must be switched off when the school bus starts moving.

Traffic order in common acceleration and deceleration lanes
Discussions, misleading interpretations and differing views on traffic regulations in the common acceleration and deceleration lanes have made it necessary to clarify the KET requirements. The amendments to the KET more clearly regulate the traffic situation that arises for the driver intending to enter the traffic flow from the acceleration lane. According to Paragraph 112 of the KET, this driver must give way to a vehicle travelling in it or to a vehicle changing to the deceleration lane. If the driver of a vehicle travelling in the acceleration lane does not intend to change lanes, to enter the traffic in the adjacent traffic lane, and continues to move in the same lane that changes from the acceleration lane to the deceleration lane, the driver of the vehicle leaving the road and lining up in the deceleration lane shall give way.

Turning left and overtaking
Unlike Paragraph 157 of the KET, which stipulates that a driver turning left at an intersection must give way to overtaking vehicles, Paragraph 109 of the KET concerning a turn to the left outside an intersection did not have such a requirement for a turning driver. The amendments to the KET aim to establish a uniform regulation for intersections and non-intersections.

Under the new order, when turning left (turning around) at an intersection, the driver must give way not only to vehicles travelling in the opposite direction or to the right, but also to the overtaking vehicles when the turning driver has already changed to the opposite lane and is performing a turning manoeuvre, where such turning is permitted.

Driving speed on roads where the speed limit has been increased or decreased by appropriate road signs
Road users often wonder about the speed at which they can drive where the speed limit is increased by appropriate road signs. Paragraphs 129 and 131 of the KET determine the general cases for driving speeds in built-up areas and outside built-up areas, i.e., when the road signs do not indicate otherwise. Paragraph 133 of the KET sets out the case and conditions under which the speeds specified in the paragraphs 129 and 131 of the KET may be increased by appropriate road signs. On road sections where, at the discretion of the police and the road owner, the maximum speed limit is increased by the installation of appropriate road signs, drivers of vehicles must comply with the road sign requirements, but not exceed the maximum speed specified in Paragraph 131 of the KET set for the specific vehicle or its combination with a trailer.

For example, the reconstructed section of the A14 Vilnius–Utena road (16 km) is not a motorway or a highway, but it has a set speed limit of 110 km/h. In general, in the absence of road signs, buses on asphalt or concrete roads are allowed to drive at a maximum speed of 80 km/h. In accordance with the provisions of the amended KET paragraph, the bus may run on the section of the reconstructed A14 road at the maximum permitted speed set for this vehicle in the KET, i.e. , a speed limit of 100 km/h (generally applicable on motorways).

Overtaking
In 2020, 12 per cent of all fatalities in traffic accidents were due to the violations of the rules on overtaking, therefore, overtaking is considered one of the most dangerous manoeuvres. The supplementation of Paragraph 136 of the KET is aimed at drawing the drivers’ attention to the need to take additional precautions during the overtaking manoeuvre and to avoid unnecessary overtaking manoeuvres.

It is advisable to perform the overtaking manoeuvre when it is necessary, i. e. when catching up with slower vehicle and the overtaking can be performed without exceeding the speed limit and in compliance with the requirements set out in Paragraph 136 of the KET. Overtaking, when in the case of extremely heavy traffic the driver is “diving” through the flow, overtaking a convoy of vehicles, thus obstructing the traffic of all vehicles moving in it where everyone is forced to brake, or overtaking vehicles driving at the maximum permitted speed, etc., must be avoided.

Prohibition on parking at the intersection of the street and entrance to the territory (yard)
Vehicles parked at the intersection of the road and entrance to the adjacent territory restrict the visibility of the road, obstruct the traffic of special vehicles, service vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists, cause disputes between road users, etc.

Therefore, the KET is supplemented by a new paragraph, which prohibits stopping and parking at the intersection of the road and entrance to the adjacent area and at a distance of less than 5 m from it, except when parking is permitted by the road signs. It is important to remember that the prohibition applies to the side of the road where the entrance or exit from the adjacent area is provided.

Electric vehicle charging
The new amendments to the KET aim to reduce abuses where charging points for electric vehicles are used for parking instead of charging, which obliges the driver of the electric vehicle to move the vehicle from of the charging station as soon as possible after charging, unless otherwise indicated by the “Limited Parking” sign.

Turning around at regulated intersections
The aim is to simplify traffic procedures at a traffic light-controlled intersection, with one driver turning around and the other turning right. Often at smaller intersections, this situation is confusing due to the fact that the priority of driving at intersections varies and depends on the combinations of traffic lights used at the intersection. In some cases the driver who is turning around must give way, in other cases the way must be given by a driver turning right.

According to the KET supplementation, when turning around at an intersection where traffic is regulated by a traffic light, the driver must give way to road users moving from other directions according to the permitted traffic light signal.
Exception. A turning around driver will have priority in the only rare case: when turning to the right when a prohibiting red traffic light, to which a green arrow sign is affixed, is on. In this case, the driver turning right must give way to all road users whose travelling direction he is crossing.

Traffic at a level crossing
The existing KET paragraph prohibits pedestrians from slowing down or standing in the carriageway. A similar requirement is established for the level crossing in the KET Sub-paragraph 173.7, i.e., it will not be permitted to slow down or stand at the level crossing, nor to take any longer than necessary to cross it or drive across it.

Traffic of vehicle for persons with individual needs
In addition to the vehicles marked with the 'Disabled' distinguishing sign, the vehicles marked with a parking card for disabled persons will be allowed to enter the area marked with the signs 'No Entry' and 'Traffic Prohibited'.
Marking of vehicles driven by a deaf person with a special distinctive sign becomes optional. The 'Disabled' distinguishing sign is only required in order to benefit from certain exceptions provided for in the KET.

Carriage of passengers in trailers and prohibition of the carriage of passengers in the body of a truck

Carrying passengers in the body of a truck is unacceptable from a road safety point of view and will be abandoned. Carriage of passengers in the body of a truck is prohibited, except for passengers carried for the needs of the national defence system. Carriage of passengers in trailers is prohibited, with 2 exceptions: passengers carried in motorcycle sidecars or dedicated bicycle trailers.

Changing validity of road signs
The validity of some restrictive road signs is changing. It is important to note that the prohibition on the restrictive road signs with an application zone No 319, 325, 327, 329, 331-335 apply until the nearest intersection or junction, including the area of the intersection or junction. For example, the speed limit set by the 'Speed Limit' road sign in front of the intersection is valid in the direction of travelling until the end of the intersection, i.e., including the intersection area.
In order to reduce the number of road signs No 332–335 usually placed in cities and parking signs No 528 to 532, it is established that:
• the validity area shall apply not only to the restrictive road signs No 319, 325, 327, 329, and 331–335, but also regulation road signs No 528–532;
• the prohibition on the restrictive road signs No 332–335 shall also apply from the restrictive road sign to other restrictive road signs No 332–335 or regulating road signs No 528–532, and the parking order of the regulating road signs with a validity area No 528–532 shall also apply from the regulating road sign to the other regulating road signs No 528–532 or restrictive road signs No 332–335.

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Last week the U.S. Department of State finalized the notification to the U.S. Congress procedure concerning the Javelin mid-range anti-tank weaponry sale to Lithuania. The total worth of the transfer of arms – missiles, launchers and other components of the Javelin system – to Lithuania has been approved to be increased to USD 125 million. The Defence Material Agency under the MoND and the United States Government is set to sign the addition to the contract on the procurement of a part of that equipment in the nearest while.

State authorities and providers of electronic communications services have agreed on a model according to which embedded subscriber identification modules (eSIM) technology will be implemented in Lithuania. All the necessary steps were presented in a completed eSIM study. The Ministry of Transport and Communications considers eSIM technology and the new possibilities that will be introduced with its implementation to be very significant, promoting the development of new technologies.

“The year 2021 will undoubtedly go down in the history of Lithuanian energy as a turning point in the implementation of strategic projects to strengthen energy independence. This is also important in terms of national security, because energy is the last bastion we need to conquer on the road to achieving complete Lithuanian independence,” says Minister of Energy Dainius Kreivys, assessing his first year of work at the Ministry of Energy.

The Ministry of National Defence has sent a request to the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) to begin the procedure for acquirement of design services, as agreed by Lithuania and Germany to jointly develop new infrastructure for Lithuanian and allies troops.

In November 2021, more than 308 thousand passengers were served at Lithuanian Airports, while in the same period in 2020 the number of 43 thousand passengers served at the airports was recorded. According to aviation experts, Kaunas Airport is namely the airport at which an exclusively active period of recovery can be recently noticed.

In the new National Budget approved at the Seimas on December 14, national defence spending is set to increase by EUR 153 million in 2022, and correspondingly, appropriations from the Ministry of National Defence will amount to EUR 1201 million. The approved budget consolidates 2.05 percent of GDP defence spending.

MEPs want to strengthen current rules and market surveillance to ensure that all toys sold on the EU market, including from non-EU countries and online, are safe.