C U R R E N T  E V E N T S

Source: ELTA News Agency at www.elta.lt

POST-WAR PARTISANS AWARDED FOR ANTI-SOVIET RESISTANCE STRUGGLE

As Lithuania was marking a somber 50th Anniversary of the Great Deportation on Friday, President Valdas Adamkus decorated Vytis Cross Orders to a group of resistance participants, and those who had been awarded with the Freedom Struggle Crosses in 1949-1950, on May 22nd.

At the ceremony, Pres. Adamkus said the partisan struggle for Lithuanian independence, which broke out in 1944, could not be compared to any other event in terms of both scale and duration.

"Unsupported by anybody, the Lithuanian resistance fighters started a fight-to-the-death struggle for the freedom of their homeland which shows determination of the Lithuanian nation," Pres. Adamkus spoke thanking all partisans for their determination and sacrifice.

Vytis Cross 1st grade and 2nd grade orders were granted to nine partisans postmortem. The awards were handed to their relatives.

Vytis Cross 3rd grade orders were awarded to five freedom fighters, and eight orders were granted to partisans postmortem. One more, the 4th grade order, was given to Kazys Varkala.

During this session, The Chairman of LithuaniaÒ³ Seimas Vytautas Landsbergis proposed a draft resolution to announce mass deportations from Lithuania to the ex-Soviet Union as a "war crime". Landsbergis expressed belief that the Parliament (Seimas) would pass the resolution.

NEW LAW TO PROVIDE EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOCAL AND FOREIGN INVESTORS

The Lithuanian Economy Ministry College approved a new Investments Law draft, and plans to submit it to the government.

Up to now Lithuania had only a Foreign Investments Law, while a separate law did not regulate local investments. An Investments Law should provide equal opportunities for all investors despite origin of their capital, according to Virginijus Pasakarnis, Economy Ministry -- Economy Strategy Department. This draft retains the government's position on state investment regulation and would have the right to define priority fields to promote investments into them.

The law draft also proposes to increase total investments to no less than two percent of Gross Domestic Product.

LITHUANIAÒ“ URBAN RESIDENTS MORE SATISFIED WITH THEIR LIVING CONDITIONS

Lithuanian residents living in major cities said they could manage to live well if their revenues would reach 732.6 litas ($183.15) per family member a month. Rural residents said that 534.1 litas ($133.5) per person a month would be enough for them, this according to a Lithuanian Statistics Department survey.

The survey showed that 2.1% of urban residents consider themselves rich; while, among rural residents only 1.2% thought they are rich enough.

More than 70% of Lithuanians living both in cities and in the country consider themselves as middle class, while 24% of urban, and 25% of rural residents think they are poor. Twelve point five (12.5) percent of urban residents and 8.8% of those living in the country felt certain improvements in their living conditions during the year. On the other hand, more than 50% of town-dwellers, and almost 60% of rural residents stated their living conditions had not changed.

To make ends meet, a Lithuanian living in a major city needs at least 360.5 litas (about $90) per month. An individual living in the country needs 256.9 litas (about $64.2) per month.

FOOD PRODUCTS ACCOUNT FOR HALF OF LITHUANIAN EXPENDITURES

The Lithuanian Statistics Department survey of the first quarter household expenditures revealed that food still took the largest share of Lithuanians' household expenditures. According to the survey, food expenditures in the first quarter of this year accounted for a half of the total average expenditures per family member. Accommodation and utilities took about 15 %; while transport, clothes, and footwear made up six percent of the total family expenditures.

Lithuanians living in urban areas in the first quarter of this year spent 45.6 % of their family budget for food; those living in rural areas accounted for 60.8% of the total family expenditures. Accommodation, water, electricity, natural gas, and fuel expenditures accounted for 17.4% of the total family budget in towns, and for about 9.4% in rural areas. Other expenses included clothes, footwear, alcoholic drinks, tobacco, and leisure activities.

ESTONIA LEADS INFLATION

Estonia posted the largest inflation among the three Baltic States during the first four months of this year amounting to 5.2 percent. Lithuania and Latvia registered 2.5 percent inflation during January to April.

PRINCE ANDREW VISITS LITHUANIA

Prince Andrew, Duke of York, toured LithuaniaÒ³ Genocide Victims Museum and BritainÒ³ supported Language Center on June 2nd, 1998 .

The MuseumÒ³ employees told ELTA that Prince Andrew saw cells of the former prison, cellars, and the walking courtyards: reminders of the Lithuanian people's sufferings in this building. The guest took a special interest in the outhouse of the former prison, and the cell in which people were jailed prior to interrogation.

Prince Andrew signed the MuseumÒ³ visitorÒ³ book before leaving the Museum. Walking from the Genocide Victims Museum towards his car, the Duke of York waved to the more than hundred people flocking nearby.

Later, the Prince visited the state institutionÒ³ Languages Center, housed by a Vilnius-based educational house. The CenterÒ³ director, Egle Sleinotiene described the CenterÒ³ activities. Set up in late 1993, the institution was the result of a common program, which included the British embassy, the British Council and the UNDP. It is targeted at teaching the English language to officials of state institutions; providing training to nearly 7,000 civil servants.

After talking with the CenterÒ³ students and teachers for a while, Prince Andrew gave as a gift a computer-disc version of The Encyclopaedia Britannica --the disc was tested by the Duke himself as he searched for information about Lithuania. The Royal Family member also signed the CenterÒ³ honorary guest book.

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