2023 in Lithuania
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Events
- January 18 – Lithuanian government renounced the agreement signed with Belarus on the principles of cross-border cooperation. The bill terminated the agreement signed by the governments of Lithuania and Belarus in Vilnius on June 1, 2006, to set out areas of cross-border cooperation between the two neighbouring countries, as a response to 2021–2023 Belarus–European Union border crisis.[1]
- March 31 – Embassy of India opened in Vilnius, instating first direct diplomatic mission of India in Lithuania.[2]
- April 20 – Lithuanian parliament Seimas finalised and approved sanctions to all Russian and Belarusian citizens as a response to Russian invasion of Ukraine. From 1 May 2023, citizens of both countries are illegible to obtain Lithuanian visas, e-resident status or exchange Ukrainian hryvnia. In addition, Russian citizens are also illegible to submit request for permanent stay in Lithuania or purchase property within Lithuanian territory.[3]
- April 22 – Lithuania concluded a trial in operating outside of IPS/UPS BRELL circle in preparation to disconnect from Russian led synchronous transmission grid and joining Synchronous grid of Continental Europe no later than February 2025.[4]
- June 27 – Vilnius become a first European city that implemented driverless delivery robots on public roads.[5]
- June 11 – start of 2023 Vilnius NATO summit.
Disasters and accidents
- January 13: 2023 Lithuania–Latvia pipeline explosion: an explosion in Lithuania–Latvia Interconnection pipeline system by Pasvalio Vienkiemiai village, Pasvalys District Municipality.[6] As a precaution the entire village of Valakėliai was evacuated.[6][7][8]
- January 31: bridge partially collapsed in Kėdainiai downtown over Nevėžis river. Bridge connected the city with main intercity roads.[9][10]
- February 14: a bridge construction that is part of A1 highway in Kaunas collapsed. No casualties reported.[11]
- May 13: LY-BCD type sailplane crashed to the ground near Naukaimis II village. Pilot of the plane died during the crash.[12]
- May 26: autogyro crashed to the ground in the territory of Bistrampolis Manor in Kučiai village, Panevėžys District Municipality. Pilot of the plane died during the crash.[13]
National anniversaries
Lithuanian parliament Seimas released the statement confirming the celebratory of following three national anniversaries in 2023:[14]
- 700 years anniversary of establishment of Vilnius
- 100 years anniversary of reunification with Klaipėda
- 400 years anniversary of Josaphat Kuntsevych's sacrifice.
Transport
- January 2 – Lithuanian Railways stopped 3 direct train services Šiauliai–Panevėžys, Radviliškis–Mažeikiai and Radviliškis–Šiauliai. All 3 routes were replaced by Panevėžys–Šiauliai–Mažeikiai route, coursing 8 times a day and combining Radviliškis–Daugavpils Railway and Libau–Romny Railway infrastructure.[15]
- February 16 – Lithuania stopped any cargo trade with Belarus via railway border point Stasylos-Bieniakoni, leaving only one railway cargo link between two countries in Kena-Hudahaj railway link point.[16]
- February 20 – LTG Cargo (part of Lithuanian Railways group) decreased transit numbers of goods moving between Russia's mainland and Kaliningrad Oblast through Lithuania by 7%, limiting Russia to 2.89 tonnes of goods in 2023.[17]
- February 26 – Lithuanian customs reinstated third party cargo check points at the Lithuania–Poland border, due increased cargo freight from non-EU countries via Poland and Lithuania to Belarus.[18]
- August 18 – due ongoing political tension and Wagner Group placement in Belarus, Lithuania closed two out of six road border crossings with Belarus near Tverečius and Šumskas.[19]
- December 27 – after 16 years the direct train link renewed between Vilnius and Riga.[20]
Environment
- January 1 – new record set for warmest new year day in Lithuanian history with temperature rising to 14.9 C in Druskininkai municipality.[21]
- January 5 – Minija river broke through flood wall and flooded Stragnai II village.[22]
- January 14 – a sinkhole formed that was 17.2m in diameter in Užubaliai, Biržai District Municipality. It was the biggest sinkhole to appear in Lithuania within the last two decades.[23]
- January 22 – oil spill from discontinued railway factory polluted Nemunas river in Kaunas. Pollution stopped the following day.[24]
- January 30 – Nevėžis river flooded Justinava village.[25]
- March 4 – due strong winds record breaking 717 MW of wind electricity generated in Lithuania at the same time, setting a new record.[26]
- June 11 – Bradeliškės hillfort located in Vilnius District Municipality, enlisted to national register as protected area with national significance.[27]
- July 1 – oil spill near Ariogala and Butkiškė village resulted in extreme environmental alert issued in the Raseiniai District Municipality and pollution of Dubysa river.[28]
- July 1 – ban of free plastic bags come in action with supermarkets having to charge for use of plastic bags.[29]
- July 18 – strong storm breaks the oldest tree in city of Vilnius - over 300 years old tilia in Sapieha Palace, Vilnius.[30]
- August 17 – new heath record set in Birštonas, where weather reached 34.6 C degrees, the new highest temperature for 17 August ever recorded in Lithuania.[31]
- September 1 – Oil spillage in Danė and Neris rivers in Klaipėda polluted 3 km of internal waters in Lithuania.[32]
- November 8 – rising Akmena river flooded town of Kretinga.[33]
Law and crime
- January 1 – new restriction come into action preventing minors under 18 years old to participate in any form of lottery.[34] Minors caught buying a lottery ticket would be issued with the fine up to 440 euros, while service provider selling lottery tickets to minors could be issued with up to 3000 euros fine.
- January 1 – changes in maternity and paternity time-off law came into action. The time off law was changed from 12 to 24 months to 18–24 months, the government pay-outs changed to direct pays of 100.54% based on parent's direct salary, single parents gained increased pay-outs.[35]
- January 31 – three homemade bombs was detected in Vilnius Levas Karsavinas school. All students and teachers evacuated, while special forces inspected the bombs.[36]
- April 28 – an active wartime 81mm landmine discovered in Rumpiškėnai, Rokiškis District Municipality. Explosive was detonated and destroyed by special forces.[37]
- July 1 – increase in national benefit payments for childcare, sick pay and unemployment benefits.[38]
- September 15 – Lithuania's president Gitanas Nausėda signed a decree stripping Margarita Drobiazko of her Lithuanian citizenship due to her "public support for the Russian Federation during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine".[39][40][41][42]
- September 21 - Lithuanian parliament Seimas adopted a law banning fur farming by 2027.[43][44]
- December 2 – an active wartime 76mm mine discovered in Meiliūnai, Vilkaviškis District Municipality. Explosive was detonated and destroyed by special forces.[45]
- December 29 – regional courts of Skuodas, Akmenė, Lazdijai, Pakruojis and Pasvalys closed and functions move to neighboring districts.[46]
Administrative changes
- January 1 – Žaliūkės village transferred from Šiauliai District Municipality to Šiauliai City municipality.[47][48]
Politics
- January 13: Freedom Award by Seimas awarded to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, presentation held in National Parliament.[49]
- January 23: Kristijonas Bartoševičius withdrew his membership in the national parliament Seimas.[50] On February 1, the official investigation started for allegations of paedophilia against Bartoševičius.[51]
- February 7: National Freedom Scholarship awarded to philosopher Vilius Bartninkas.[52]
- March 2: Political party of Russian Alliance in Lithuania was disestablished due rules violation after party failed to present list of party members three rounds in a row.[53] In addition 3 other parties was disestablished by submitting official request: Party of Political Prisoners, Nations Solidarity Union, Order and Justice.
- March 5: 2023 Lithuanian municipal elections took place in Lithuania with Social Democratic Party of Lithuania and Homeland Union winning the most seats in local municipalities.[54]
- March 30: Mykolas Majauskas submitted a request to stop his membership in a national parliament Seimas.[55]
