Mindaugas Sinkevičius was elected LSDP chairman at the party congress in Vilnius today, immediately sharpening uncertainty over Lithuania’s coalition. The Labour Party leadership yesterday pushed its coalition decision onto the new Social Democrat leader, leaving open a broader reshuffle in parliament.
Alytus mayor Nerijus Cesiulis withdrew before the vote at the LSDP congress. Social Democrats are also weighing statute changes today, including extending the leader’s term from two years to four and giving mayors automatic seats on the party council. Coalition talk now goes beyond Remigijus Žemaitaitis and Nemuno aušra, with wider majority-reset scenarios circulating in Vilnius. Kazys Vilkauskas urged the LSDP to decide on the coalition quickly and said tolerating various violations was not useful.
From today, Lithuanian clinics can no longer charge extra fees for services covered by the compulsory health insurance fund. Patients may still pay more for pricier devices or non-medical comfort options if that choice is made in writing, and the State Patients’ Fund will enforce the rule.
Lithuania’s ice hockey team opens the World Championship Division I A tournament in Sosnowiec tomorrow against Kazakhstan, which dropped out of the top division. France, Ukraine, Japan and Poland are also in the group, and the opener will shape Lithuania’s fight to stay up and keep promotion hopes alive. In the past day, police cases also drew attention: a man in Klaipėda struck an officer with a baton and later died, while an officer who let nearly 3 million euros of contraband pass received a 3,000-euro fine.
Lithuania signed a cooperation agreement with a US defense industry giant. It was the most significant late development, with direct relevance for the country’s defense sector.