2023 in Lithuania

← 2022 2021 2020 2023 in Lithuania → 2024 2025 2026
Decades:	2000s 2010s 2020s
See also:	Other events of 2023

Incumbents

• President: Gitanas Nausėda
• Prime Minister: Ingrida Šimonytė

Events

Ongoing: 2021–2023 Belarus–European Union border crisis, COVID-19 pandemic in Lithuania

• 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]

Military

• May 12: new naval military squad established and dislocated at Nida.^[56]

Sports

• February 5–12 : 2023 Vitas Gerulaitis Cup
• February 15: Lazdynai Swimming Pool officially opened in Vilnius, Lithuania. Upon completion it is the biggest swimming sports arena in Lithuania and the Baltic states.^[57]
• March 19–25: 2023 FAI F3P World Championships^[58]
• May 19–21: 2023 EuroLeague Final Four
• June 1–9: 2023 Modern Pentathlon Youth European Championships
• August 4 – 12: 2023 European U17 Badminton Championships
• 27 August – 3 September: 2023 470 Junior World Championships
• 12–17 September: 2023 World Junior Modern Pentathlon Championships

Deaths

• January 16 – Vladas Česiūnas, 82, sprint canoeist, Olympic champion (1972).^[59]
• January 18 – Marius Zibolis, 48, goalball player, Paralympic silver medallist (2000, 2008).^[60]
• January 20 – Grigorijus Kanovičius, 93, writer^[61]
• February 15 – Algimantas Žižiūnas, 83, photographer.^[62]
• May 21 – Alma Adamkienė, 96, philologist and philanthropist, wife of the president of Lithuania, Valdas Adamkus, and served as First Lady during his two terms (1998–2003 and 2004–2009).^[63]

References