Coronavir crisis: highlights of Wednesday

Spread of the virus. In Lithuania, three people died of coronavirus last day: two neighborhoods of the Antaviliai pension and one patient from the Vilnius City Clinical Hospital, all of them of respectable age and comorbidities. During the day, six new cases of infection were confirmed, three of them related to the festival in Kernavė, Širvintos district: the children of the festival participants were infected. Cultural and sporting events were canceled in the Širvintos municipality for two weeks. Two more cases were announced Wednesday afternoon, to be included in Thursday’s statistics: the coronavirus was confirmed to a Lithuanian postal correspondent and to a former patient at Kartena Hospital.

Termination of quarantine. The government decided to end the quarantine starting June 17, but a statewide emergency persists. The government says the emergency is necessary to further ban the entry of countries where the disease is high, limit the number of people at mass events and ensure a level of preparedness. The opposition argues that this measure could be abused to increase public spending without reviewing the budget.

Relaxation of restrictions. The government allowed the resumption of regular passenger flights to Lithuania from Ireland, Spain, Italy, Greece, Croatia and Cyprus and increased the number of people who could participate in the events. From June 17 to 30, events can be organized and held in open spaces with up to 700 spectators or participants, and in closed spaces – up to 150. From July 1 to 16, open spaces will be open for up to 1,000 participants, in closed spaces – up to 200.

Risk evaluation. The government has approved a plan of action for a coronavirus management strategy. It establishes that the population at risk of coronavirus will be 65 years of age or older. So far, the 60-year limit has been named. Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis says the age of legal acts has changed after evaluating Lithuania’s morbidity and mortality statistics.

Economic plan. The government has approved 6.3 billion. euro economic stimulus plan. It is promised to spend around 6.3 billion by the end of 2021. Of these, new and additional investments will amount to 2.2 billion. 4.1 billion euros. Investments already planned have accelerated.

Scientists warnings. Experts from the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences say that although the pandemic has been suppressed in the Baltic states, the situation in other neighboring countries remains a cause for concern. In Poland, up to 500 new cases are recorded every day, the incidence rate in the Königsberg region is growing and already exceeds the Lithuanian indicators three times, and in Belarus the number of new cases is slowly decreasing. According to scientists, the population of the Baltic States is by no means exclusively genetically resistant to the virus, because in Belarus, whose population is genetically close to Lithuania, the incidence is very high.

GPM rate. The Seimas Budget and Finance Committee did not approve President Gitanas Nausėda’s proposal to reduce the personal income tax rate by five percentage points for six months. This further reduces the likelihood that the head of state’s proposal will receive parliamentary support. The president says that additional income for workers through consumption would boost the economy and mitigate the effects of the crisis. Governors say the measure is not socially just because it does not address social exclusion and poverty, and some critics see the risk that politicians may not have the will to restore tariffs to their current levels starting next year.

Media support. President Gitan Nauseda proposed state support for the media affected by the coronavirus crisis. Under the President’s proposal, support would be provided in the light of declining advertising revenue in the second quarter of this year and would amount to 6 million. euros

Tourism promotion. The Ministry of Economy has announced that for some foreign tourists in the fall it is considering compensating every three nights in Lithuania with state funds.

Economic fall. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development has announced that Lithuania’s GDP will drop 8.1% this year if the second wave of coronavirus is avoided. If there is a new outbreak in the second half of the year, the economy will shrink by 10.4 percent. Next year, a recovery is expected: Lithuania’s GDP forecast for 2021 will reach 3.4-6.4 percent.

FNTT study. The Financial Crime Investigation Service has announced that it has launched an investigation into the purchase of COVID-19 rapid tests. According to the study, which amounts to 6 million. The company was able to falsify documents and provide false information about the manufacturer of the rapid tests.

Rehabilitation of patients. The Ministry of Health announced that as of June 17, patients diagnosed with a mild form of coronavirus infection and who have no place to isolate themselves will be able to do so in a single medical rehabilitation institution: the Abromišk Rehabilitation Hospital, and not in six, as planned in early April.

Disinformation. The European Commission has accused Russia and China of targeted disinformation campaigns in the European Union about the coronavirus pandemic. The Commission, which issued a special communication, promises to step up the fight against misinformation, but Lithuanian diplomats lack a stronger position on how to work with online platforms to stem the flow of misleading information.

Allocations for officials. The government has allocated more than a million euros to the bonuses of officials for overtime and after-hours work in managing the coronavirus situation. The money is intended to pay for the job in April.

Foreign:

• In Latvia, the state of emergency, which had lasted almost three months, was lifted, but the legislation passed by parliament last week came into effect immediately, allowing the necessary restrictions to be maintained and providing support mechanisms for citizens and businesses during the coronavirus pandemic. The Football Federation announced that the Latvian football season will resume on June 15, and authorities announced that they have not raised 6% in five months. planned admissions Three new cases of infection were detected per day in Latvia and eleven in Estonia. In Russia, 8.4 thousand were recorded per day. new COVID-19 cases and 216 deaths, in Belarus 801 cases and six deaths.
• European Commission officials have said they will recommend that Member States open their external borders from July 1. At that time, the German government extended the travel ban to and from non-EU countries until August 31.

Important news not related to coronavir:

• Valdas Sutkus, suspected of corruption, resigned as President of the Lithuanian Business Confederation. Andrius Romanovskis, a lobbyist who recently held this position, has been elected a new president. V. Sutkus declares that he does not agree with the accusations made against him, but says that due to the situation, it is impossible for him to continue to hold the office of President of the LVK properly.