today announces the opening of Mercure Palanga Vanagupe Resort following an extensive renovation project the largest and most popular seaside resort in Lithuania the 98-key-hotel will offer easy access to the city's pristine beaches and sand dunes Mercure has been dedicated to unveiling the treasures surrounding each address creating a truly local experience for guests Mercure ensures guests are immersed in a locally inspired atmosphere The brand recently reached a historic milestone Mercure Palanga Vanagupe Resort joins a growing portfolio of six Accor hotels across other key destinations in Lithuania The new hotel will be the third property under the Mercure brand in the country Mercure Palanga Vanagupe Resort boasts 98 stylish rooms and suites which have been designed to reflect the hotel's tranquil surroundings The hotel features a varied food and beverage offering including a spacious restaurant for up to 165 guests serving carefully crafted local specialities as well as an outdoor terrace and a pool bar Guests staying at Mercure Palanga Vanagupe Resort will be able to unwind at the on-site Golden SPA from pampering massages to Thai and Ayurvedic therapies and even a jet massage pool and the elegant Princess pool made of white marble with tropical rain Other leisure amenities include an 18-metre outdoor summer pool as well as a fully equipped fitness centre Mercure Palanga Vanagupe Resort is Palanga's largest hotel conference centre featuring six versatile rooms suitable for events of all sizes - from intimate business meetings to conferences for up to 500 delegates The hotel also provides ample parking space with charging stations for electric vehicles and an airport transfer service Located close to Palanga's vibrant city centre and only five kilometres from its international airport the new hotel will stand out for its unmatched convenience while travelling locally or visiting from abroad Mercure Hotels & Resorts offers 1,000 hotels in 65+ countries with over 200 additional hotels under development Mercure boasts the largest development pipeline in Accor's portfolio continuing to deliver high-quality standards infused with a deep sense of locality a lifestyle loyalty programme providing access to a wide variety of rewards For more information about the hotel visit: https://all.accor.com/ssr/app/accor/rates/C108/index.en.shtml Hotel website Brand OwnerAccor Baltic announces a new charter flight route from Palanga Airport to Antalya Turkey for the most demanded travel periods in Spring and Autumn of 2025 It is the second historic destination Join UP following the recent unveiling of historically first charter flights to Egypt Sharm El Sheikh from September 2025 throughout the Winter season.  Antalya in Turkey is one of the most popular holiday spots for Baltic vacationers known for its stunning beaches Flights to Antalya will be available every Monday from April 21 to May 5 commented: “By launching the Antalya route from Palanga we are responding to the growing demand for access to one of the most sought-after destinations we have had to add extra flights from the Baltic capital cities to Antalya due to high demand and this new route is a direct response to the needs of our travelers This move is also in line with our strategy to provide more convenient and accessible travel options for the broader Baltic market.” Baltic’s strategic long-term plans focus on further expansion within the Baltic States providing travelers with diverse and convenient travel options and helping them discover new destinations closer to home „The new charter flights from Palanga Airport to Turkey are an exciting development for travelers in Western Lithuania and highlights the airport’s growing importance as a hub for holiday travel in the region This addition broadens the range of holiday destinations especially following the recent announcement of charter flights to Egypt The strong growth in Palanga Airport’s holiday travel offerings is a trend we view positively as it enhances both accessibility and convenience for our passengers,“ said Tomas Zitikis Head of Route Development Department at Lithuanian Airports Baltic has been operating in the Baltics since April 2022 and in more than two years of operation has achieved a leading position in the Baltic tourism market serving more than 100 000 clients per year Baltic provides a variety of options for travellers – from new hotels and year-round trips to Egypt the tour operator will offer its record-number of destinations in Lithuania including new additions such as Albania and Bulgaria to its growing portfolio.  International tour operator Join UP!™ it has served more than 6,2 million tourists The Join UP!™ portfolio internationally includes more than 40 destinations with major traffic to Turkey A subscription to The Baltic Times is a cost-effective way of staying in touch with the latest Baltic news and views enabling you full access from anywhere with an Internet connection. Subscribe Now! 2025 © The Baltic Times /Cookies Policy Privacy Policy According to Ukrinform, this was reported on Tuesday by the LRT broadcaster.  Šimonytė talked to Ukrainian children attended an educational excursion to the Amber Museum and took part in an art therapy session for children at the Art Museum of the famous Lithuanian sculptor Antanas Montis which allows Ukrainian children to spend a peaceful summer on the shores of the Baltic Sea has been organized for two years for children aged 7 to 17 who have suffered from Russia's war against Ukraine These are children who have lost one of their parents or children from socially vulnerable and large families The camp is funded by the Palanga municipality with the support of the Lithuanian Red Cross a total of four shifts of camp participants have already visited or will visit Palanga The children spend nine days at sea and two more days on the road Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė also visited the Rehabilitation Hospital in Palanga where she familiarized herself with the conditions and capabilities of the facility the wife of the Ukrainian ambassador to Lithuania and the wife of the British ambassador to Lithuania visited Ukrainian children from the Odesa Specialized Children's Home which was evacuated to Lithuania due to the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine While citing and using any materials on the Internet links to the website ukrinform.net not lower than the first paragraph are mandatory citing the translated materials of foreign media outlets is possible only if there is a link to the website ukrinform.net and the website of a foreign media outlet Materials marked as "Advertisement" or with a disclaimer reading "The material has been posted in accordance with Part 3 of Article 9 of the Law of Ukraine "On Advertising" No 1996 and the Law of Ukraine "On the Media" No 2023 and on the basis of an agreement/invoice Online media entity; Media identifier - R40-01421 where you can taste variously prepared stints and other fish dishes the town’s main Basanavičiaus Street is turned into “the longest open-air fish restaurant” which every year invites you to an exceptional event – the Smelt Festival [...] We will invite everyone not only to get into the fishing spirit but also to enjoy the most delicious tastes and festive music,” said Nerijus Stasiulis Palanga is also hosting a folk art and culinary heritage fair a schlager and dance court on Central Square with traditional folk games on Kurhaus Square fishers will be competing in the smelt fishing competition the official start of the festival will be announced with the inauguration of the new members of the Order of Smelt Photo: Sarunas Vaitkus is the Mayor of Palanga Photo: The quay in Sventoji ort has been landscaped and extended Sventoji port is set to become a popular leisure destination for water sports lovers Lithuania's gem resort on the Baltic coast has undergone a major transformation under the leadership of current Mayor Sarunas Vaitkus who kindly agreed to answer questions for The Baltic Times Magazine "We are implementing approximately 60 projects this year which is quite a lot," Vaitkus emphasized Palanga is emerging as a haven from climate-change-induced droughts affecting much of Europe “Most of the foreigners visiting Palanga come from neighbouring countries we also received visitors from distant markets like South Africa even Australia and New Zealand,” the Mayor of Palanga said How was the last summer season for Palanga we have seen a joyful change – Palanga has gained the reputation and status of an international resort Palanga is truly a popular Lithuanian resort and we were surprised by the number of Germans who came to Palanga in their own cars.  It was nice to see so many cars with German licence plates on the city streets and to meet young German-speaking families with children.  It is great to see that summer in Palanga has been going on since April – already in the spring we have been blessed with good weather and the cultural events taking place in the resort have attracted a very large number of guests.  The European Brass Band Championship held in May was a particular highlight attracting huge interest not only from Lithuanians we attracted more than half a thousand Swiss people alone who were visiting not only Palanga but also Lithuania for the first time Palanga is rapidly gaining popularity not only as a place to relax but also as a place for remote working and conferences Our city offers a well-suited infrastructure for remote working and This also increases the number of visitors to the resort.  the so-called Pillow Tax collected during the three months of the summer amounted to nearly 1,2 million euros as accommodation providers will declare the data for August and pay the tax throughout September.  the municipality collected slightly over 1.6 million euros local parking fees on the city's streets which is approximately 12 percent more than during the whole of last year's active resort season 1.079 million euros was collected for permits to sell and provide services in public places designated by the Municipal Council and put out to tender.  Are the efforts of Klaipeda region municipalities to promote the region effective and always coordinated without trying to show themselves more than their neighbours  I am glad that thanks to the professionalism and sincere efforts of all Palanga residents Palanga has become a truly international resort over the last decade There is a tendency that the number of foreign guests in the resort is increasing Guests have discovered and appreciated not only the professional catering the wonderful nature and the pine-scented air.  I am glad that the municipalities of Western Lithuania gathered in the association "Klaipeda Region" are working in unity and pursuing common goals We all understand that we are strong when we work together and not alone.  To concentrate the joint efforts of the members of the association in the field of tourism in order to increase the number of tourists in the Klaipeda region to shape the image of a united tourist region and to increase its competitiveness in the national and international level coordinating the joint activities of the municipalities this is one of the goals of the association "Klaipeda Region" The united work of the Association's members yields positive results Palanga Airport has been expanding the geography of flights and the association Klaipeda Region and all seven municipalities of Western Lithuania belonging to the association have been contributing to it to a significant extent continuing the tradition of increasing the region's accessibility The decision to allocate funds for the marketing of new flights relevant to Klaipeda Region has yielded the expected results Palanga Airport now offers flights to London and one of Europe's most important transport hubs.  One of the most striking examples of united work is the cooperation agreement signed in early September to promote new flights from Palanga Airport and improve accessibility to the Klaipeda region the municipalities of Western Lithuania and the Ministries of Transport and Communications and the Ministry of Economy and Innovation will open up new opportunities to attract more international flights to the Western Lithuania region which will not only strengthen the region's international accessibility but also help to grow tourism and business relations The reconstruction of Sventoji Seaport is ongoing the Fisheries Infrastructure Development Project has been completed for a total cost of 5.9 million euros The European Union contributed 1.7 million euros the Lithuanian Road Administration contributed 535,000 euros and other funds were raised from the municipal budget The project phase started in October 2021 and was completed in 2023 The work phase of the fishing infrastructure development has included the installation of all the infrastructure needed by fishermen the construction of engineering networks and the landscaping of the port area During the two years of implementation of this project the quay in Sventoji port has been landscaped and extended a slipway has been built to help fishermen launch their boats and a winch has been installed for unloading catches A building for storing fishermen’s boats and fishing gear has also been built and access to it has been provided.  The Prieplaukos Street leading to Sventoji Port was also reconstructed and a parking lot was built where fishermen will be able to keep their cars comfortably The old car parking lot has also been renovated and part of it has been converted for the fish trade.  There have been installed disabled access ramps a multi-purpose solar-powered public space service station and a refurbished public toilet.  piers as well as breakwaters of the Sventoji Port are currently being designed with an expected height of 3 metres above the water The northern breakwater is planned to be made of boulders while the southern breakwater could be used not only as a breakwater and yacht marina the concrete walking section will be 200 metres long (up to the end of the marina) but there will be a possibility to extend it in the future up to the end of the breakwater Other yachts will be able to moor at the harbor berths Lithuania’s seaside resort on the coast of the Baltic Sea The news was announced Wednesday by Palanga Mayor Šarūnas Vaitkus “I would like to congratulate my hometown Palanga and all of us on yet another great news – our resort has been recognised as promising in the European and global tourism market by one more world known hotel network He added that Hilton operates in 140 countries and the latest move is a sign of appreciation of accomplishments and efforts of the city’s community and businesspeople This is the third international hotel network to have entered Palanga market Public broadcaster LRT reported that Hotel Gabija has joined the Hilton network by signing a franchise agreement In summer of 2026 it will completely change its image and will operate under the name Doubletree by Hilton Palanga Gabija Hotel & Spa Best in Travel is here! Discover 2025’s destinations The 30 best countries, cities and regions to visit in 2025 Plan your trip with Elsewhere, by Lonely Planet See where a Lonely Planet Membership takes you Subscribe to our weekly newsletters to get the latest travel news, expert advice, and insider recommendations Explore the world with our detailed, insightful guidebooks Stay ahead of the curve with our guidebooks Uncover exciting new ways to explore iconic destinations Every month, we release new books into the wild Search Search Close search menu Explore Best in Travel 2024 Africa Close menu Countries Antarctica Antarctica Close menu Regions Asia Asia Close menu Countries Australia & the Pacific Australia & the Pacific Close menu Countries The Caribbean The Caribbean Close menu Countries Central America Central America Close menu Countries Europe Europe Close menu Countries Middle East Middle East Close menu Countries North America North America Close menu Countries South America South America Close menu Countries Any visit to Lithuania should include a stroll through Vilnius’ enchanting Old Town Lithuania is the unsung star of the Baltics. With a wealth of baroque and art deco architecture, sobering relics of a Soviet past, a thriving, ever-evolving dining scene and ample natural attractions, the country delivers something for every traveler Lithuania is one of the best countries to visit next year. See our full list of Best in Travel 2025 winners Its rich history goes back millennia – and in spite its ever-changing borders over the years including by its forcible incorporation into the USSR Lithuania has always managed to hold true to its language where crops are still gathered by hand and artisans practice crafts honed over centuries Lithuania’s dense forests attract numerous foragers while the Baltic Sea draws sun worshippers to the amber-speckled coast The following advice from a veteran visitor will help you turn your trip to Lithuania into an unforgettable one witches and other mythological figures along a woodland sculpture trail Practical tip: Rent a bicycle from one of several outlets in Nida or Juodkrantė. Local buses connecting the villages have bicycle racks. A wonderful alternative way to explore the spit is by walking the long-distance Baltic Coastal Trail Rural tradition runs strong through the very south of the country locals still harvest their crops with scythes and practice elaborate wood carving and basket weaving To delve into this traditional way of life Explore Dzūkija either by walking or cycling the designated hiking trails in the national park and interacting with pottery masters along the 12km(7.5-mile)-long Secrets of the Black Clay trail that connects Merkinė to other villages that practice this ancient ceramic art Planning tip: Join locals in foraging for mushrooms between August and November, and attend the mushroom festival in Varėna in September A mesmerizing sight greets you 10km (6 miles) north of Šiauliai: a small hill covered in thousands of crosses of various styles and scales Rosary beads adorn some; others are fine examples of ironwork mingling with Lithuanian koplytstulpis (wooden sculptures of a figure topped with a little roof) and magnificent sculptures of the Sorrowful Christ (Rūpintojėlis) Crosses have been placed here since the 14th century – and began reappearing as symbols of hope and defiance in Soviet times when planting a cross was an arrestable offense the devout come from all over Lithuania and beyond Planning tip: Come here early in the morning for some quiet contemplation and take your time wandering past the rows of crosses and around the hill’s base blue-and-yellow ribbons in memory of civilians who have perished in Russia’s war on Ukraine and a cross fashioned from bicycle gears During these intimate tours of apartments that still boast their original period furnishings you’ll sip sparkling wine while listening to the life stories of their former owners Practical tip: Visits to the private Art Deco Museum and Amsterdam School of Architecture museums must be booked in advance – and are worth planning your entire visit to Kanaus around Practical tip: The town of Ignalina has the biggest range of accommodation and dining, while Palūšė is the main water-sports center. LitWild offers active tailor-made guided tours of the national park where you get to witness the process from malting milling and mashing up through to fermentation and bottling The visit also includes a tasting of six types of unfiltered beer from the black ale and porter to the pale ale Planning tip: Try to find yourself in Biržai during the exuberant two-day fiesta in August when all of the town’s breweries offer their wares on the street a former Soviet prison turned funky arts venue Detour: Take a day trip by bus or train to scenic Trakai, home of Lithuania’s most impressive castle Paddle around it in rented watercraft and sample kybinai (meat-filled pastries) – the signature dish of the local Karaite ethnic minority – at lakeside restaurants or stay in one of the spa-hotels and partake in treatments ranging from mud baths and salt-room sessions to deep-tissue massage and oxygen therapy Detour: Commune with Lenin and Stalin statues and other salvaged communist monuments and memorabilia at Grūto Parkas a bird-ringing station on the path of a busy bird-migration route that stretches from the Arctic to East Africa geese and other migratory birds passing overhead in early autumn and in spring Practical tip: Bring birding binoculars to spot great crested grebes and white-winged black terns paddling on the lagoon explore the reconstructed headquarters of the bunker commander interact with the multimedia displays – and marvel at how close the world came to nuclear Armageddon Practical tip/detour: To explore the rest of the national park, rent a bicycle in Plateliai, the region’s main town. While you’re there, swing by Plateliai Manor to check out an incredible collection of traditional Shrove Tuesday masks with over 15,000 examples of Baltic gold on show inside a neoclassical palace Expect everything from ancient insects trapped in a golden tomb to striking contemporary jewelry by present-day amber masters Detour: The LitWild team will bring you into a simulator INPP control room near Visaginas, where the plant staff used to receive training on how to handle emergencies. The European Commission organises the 2nd edition of the Our Baltic Conference in Palanga (Lithuania) on 29 September 2023 This high-level event brings together ministers from the 8 EU countries surrounding the Baltic Sea (Denmark Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries Virginijus Sinkevičius and ministers are looking at what has been achieved since the first Our Baltic Conference in 2020 There is a special focus on unexploded munitions from World Wars Some 300 000 tonnes of unexploded munitions still lie at the bottom of the Baltic Sea causing pollution and preventing the development of economic activities at sea This conference is an opportunity to discuss collaborate and agree on a joint action to address the current challenges News: Healthy seas: Commission leads common efforts to improve state of Baltic Sea (29/09/2023) List of commitments made to address the issue of unexploded munitions Progress report on the commitments from 2020  Our Baltic Conference - questions and answers News: Our Baltic conference: Commissioner Sinkevičius gathers ministers in September to improve the situation of the Baltic Sea (24/07/2023) at the instigation of Virginijus Sinkevičius the first Our Baltic Conference took place fisheries and environment from all the Baltic States signed a declaration and committed to step up efforts to improve the environmental status of the Baltic Sea and building up a sustainable blue economy.  The Our Baltic Declaration included 25 commitments addressing the main pressures and their impacts on the Baltic Sea These commitments cover five thematic objectives: The declaration also contained a list of 20 voluntary measures to be implemented at national implementation of Our Baltic declaration is advancing well Most of the commitments aimed at improving the status of marine biodiversity and reducing marine pollution are at an advanced level of implementation more efforts are still needed to achieve sustainable fisheries and enhance funding for sustainable blue economy with several commitments related to these issues still at an early stage of advancement See the first progress report on commitments Implementation of the commitments is progressing well thanks to initiatives adopted under the European Green Deal Implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive the common fisheries policy and the recently adopted marine action plan are also having a beneficial effect to reduce pressures from marine litter underwater noise and seabed loss and avoid degradation of the marine environment notably by setting new limits in those areas See the EU implementation monitoring table The updated Baltic Sea action plan of the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission (HELCOM)  at the ministerial meeting of the Helsinki Convention in October 2021 is helping advance several commitments included in the Our Baltic Declaration in a coordinated way The plan directly addresses issues such as pollution from nutrients and the completion of marine protected areas See the Helcom implementation monitoring table Member States have complemented the EU and regional efforts with several national initiatives aimed at implementing the Our Baltic commitments by reducing nutrient losses Many efforts have also been made to safeguard biodiversity notably by enhancing the designation of nationally protected areas in the Baltic Sea area See the National implementation monitoring tables: the Baltic Sea has not yet reached good environmental status Persistent negative trends threaten populations habitats and the functioning of the ecosystem whereas pressures from hazardous substances While this may be partly explained by the time required for the effects of the initiatives to be measured it also indicates the need for further efforts from all actors across the Baltic Sea including at EU and regional level The event in Palanga will run through 28 February 2025 “This time art enthusiasts get a unique opportunity to see Chagall’s lesser-known yet no less magnetic work in ceramics and textile revealing yet another facet of his creativity The varied selection of ceramic pieces celebrating the incredible the powers of fantasy and the refined tapestry introduce to the audience his experiments in form Just as his legendary paintings and prints these works invite us to enter his dream universe where folklore mythologies and personal experience have been woven into a fantastic cloth of images and emotion,” Dr Arūnas Gelūnas introduces the landmark event.      A unique opportunity for coastal Lithuanians and vacationers  Over 34,000 local and visiting art devotees came to see the exhibition at the Applied Arts and Design Museum of the LNMA in Vilnius those living in coastal Lithuania and its visitors are offered the art of the legendary artist Marc Chagall on display closer to their home at The Amber Museum in Palanga.  The exhibition Marc Chagall Ceramics and Tapestry brings an inspiring artistic experience: a cultural tour of the artist’s world perception and his relationship with his past and his birth place.  The exhibition at Palanga Amber Museum of the LNMA features eighteen ceramic works as well as three tapestries based on Chagall’s paintings and executed in the workshop of master weaver Yvette Cauquil-Prince.  The artist has nostalgic memories of his childhood and his native town where he grew surrounded by the Jewish traditions and Yiddish culture and of marriage recur in Chagall’s art in complex multilayered images and lure the viewer to step into his world of phantasies and recollections.    “In our life there is a single color which provides the meaning of our life and art It is the color of love,” the painter Marc Chagall once said.  Primeval symbolism in Chagall’s ceramic art  Born in Vitebsk (the former Russian Empire The Nazi occupation made his family leave France for the USA He returned to France after the end of World War II and a sudden death of his beloved wife and muse Bella where the tradition of ancient ceramics was kept alive the artist tried his hand and discovered himself in one of the old kinds of art At the Madoura pottery workshop in Vallauris he encountered the Spanish art celebrity Pablo Picasso Both artists experimented in a variety of techniques searching for unexpected combinations of burned glazes Chagall and Picasso grasped the power of the primeval symbolism of ceramic medium and imbues it with new shapes and meanings.   Chagall met master weaver Yvette Cauquil-Prince their creative collaboration was to last for over two decades Cauquil-Prince applied her knowledge and skills to rendering the work by Chagall Max Ernst and other artists in tapestry medium The exhibition features one of the first tapestries Creation woven based on Chagall’s cartoon (1971) After Chagall’s death in 1985 Cauquil-Prince continued weaving tapestries based on his works,” exhibition curator Dr Vilma Gradinskaitė tells the story of the creative collaboration.  The exhibition opening at Wednesday 9 October 5 pm at the LNMD Palanga Amber Museum will be graced by the presence of the art historian and curator Ambre Gauthier the son of master-weaver Yvette Cauquil-Prince as well as ceramics conservators Sandrine and Benoit Coignard.   Curator: Vilma Gradinskaitė Coordinators: Sigita Bagužaitė-Talačkienė Regina Makauskienė Graphic designer: Dovilė Valužytė All artworks on display in this exhibition belong to Estate Ida Chagall / Michel Brodsky’s collection and The Estate of Yvette Cauquil-Prince.  Mrs Bella Meyer and Mr Darius Hecq-Cauquil for kindly loaning the ceramic artworks and tapestries.  Red flags prohibiting swimming were raised on the beaches of Klaipėda people continued entering the dangerous waters “We had so much work to do that we were all running around sweating,” Jonas Pirožnikas Six people were issued police protocols for violating rules – swimming when it is prohibited may result in a fine because it is treated as a public order offence “It is difficult for me to talk about it,” Pirožnikas said Despite driving along the beach and informing people via a loudspeaker about the dangers beachgoers continued going for a swim and later needed rescuing a mother was standing on the shore and watching over her 6 or 7-year-old child swimming in the sea and they laugh and that’s it,” said Pirožnikas “I was so angry – I haven’t seen so many fools in one weekend in 17 years,” he added a dead person was pulled from the sea near Palanga the cause of death is still being investigated a call was received that a fire had broken out in one of the apartments the fire had already spread,” said Aurelija Maslauskienė chief specialist of the Klaipėda Fire Rescue Board “The investigation established that the fire was possibly caused by an electric scooter which was being charged the investigation is ongoing and new circumstances may emerge but this is the initial version,” she added there were people in the apartment at the time of the explosion The fire has caused serious damage to the apartment and the building “Electrical wiring or improper use of electrical appliances is one of the most common causes of fires and the lithium battery is not properly charged We recommend that people contact the service staff and listen to their recommendations,” she added spells out the goal of having at least two more destinations reachable from the country’s third airport “Our common goal is to mobilise funding for the supply of flights and The recently renovated Palanga International Airport has great potential and we can expect at least two additional strategically important destinations here,” Communications Minister Marius Skuodis said in a statement Economy Minister Aušrinė Armonaitė said that the agreement was important for promoting inbound tourism “We have set an ambitious target to increase the share of value added in tourism to 4.5 percent by 2030 and we are actively looking for new destinations and partnerships to ensure the growth of this sector,” she said The agreement states that ministries should seek public funding to promote flights to Palanga They would also commit to adding two new destinations It was also agreed that Klaipėda region municipalities will be able to decide which route is most needed Lithuanian Airports (LTOU) undertook to draw up a plan for the development and expansion of Palanga International Airport for the next three years including measures to attract new airlines and to create a system of discounts on airport charges The Klaipėda Region Association has committed to promote the visibility of Palanga Airport and Klaipėda County Klaipėda City Municipality approved the agreement at the end of July told BNS that the region’s businesses need connections to German cities such as Hamburg and Frankfurt Palanga currently offers connections to Amsterdam Palanga Senoji Gimnazija (Palanga Old Gymnasium) a respected and well-known institution for its teachers and students' achievements throughout Lithuania It is also the school of several generations of Palanga residents Many of today's students' parents or grandparents were once students at Palanga Senoji Gimnazija; therefore there is a strong sense of community and parents' attention to the school Numerous renowned Lithuanian artists and scientists finished Palanga Senoji Gimnazija.   The prehistory of Palanga Senoji Gimnazija dates back to the 19th century Count Juozapas Tiskevicius (1835–1891) founded Palanga pro-gymnasium on the former town primary school site where young Lithuanians gathered during the ban on the Lithuanian press and developed national self-awareness through secret organizations Palanga belonged to the governorate of the Curonian Spit Although all subjects at pro-gymnasium were taught in Russian Lithuanians brought their children here to study not only from Zemaitija Lithuania’s ethnographic region in northwest the other two major Lithuanian ethnographic regions Many prominent members of the proclaimed independent Lithuania‘s society and top military commanders such as Antanas Smetona the future president of independent Lithuania brothers  Kazimieras and  Jurgis Šauliai as well as  Steponas Kairy studied at Palanga pro-gymnasium All of them were signatories of the Act of Independence of Lithuania in 1918 the future Governor of the Bank of Lithuania the founder of the Vytautas the Great War Museum and the composer Juozas Tallat-Kelpsa were also students at the school Palanga pro-gymnasium was granted the status of a gymnasium the teachers and students of the gymnasium evacuated to Russia so the name of the gymnasium in Palanga disappeared.  After the reestablishment of Lithuania's independence, in 1921, Palanga was connected to Lithuania as a result of successful negotiations with Latvia and the local intelligentsia came up with the idea of restoring the school in Palanga the elementary school department of the Ministry of Education of Lithuania granted permission to establish a "secondary school with a special science subject" in Palanga It is worth pointing out that in this school who had previously worked in Thomas Alva Edison's laboratory.  Jonas Ciurlionis (composer K Ciurlionis‘ brother) and graphic designer Vytautas Jurkūnas also worked at the gymnasium The gymnasium was completed and operated during the 1940–1941 academic year but due to the Soviet and Nazi occupations the gymnasium lost many of its students and teachers Some teachers' families were exiled to Siberia were transferred to ghettos and shot during the Nazi occupation The mass terror and deportations that began with the second Soviet occupation did not bypass the gymnasium either was arrested by the NKVD and sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment was also arrested and sentenced to 10 years in prison.  The current director of the gymnasium and the author of the article is the child of a family of deportees.  many gymnasium students participated in the activities of youth organizations and armed partisan resistance and were arrested and imprisoned for a long time in Siberian camps This illustrates that the pre-and post-war gymnasium in Palanga instilled strong patriotic values in young people.  the gymnasium was relocated to new premises the civic spirit that came from families was secretly supported at school and prevailed among the students and a significant part of the teachers of Palanga Senoji Gimnazija the teacher of the Lithuanian language and literature is the most prominent figure of that period He encouraged students to identify themselves as Lithuanians and taught them to take responsibility for their actions Many well-known people have finished the gymnasium including Rimvyda Valatka and Virginijus Pikturna the signatories of Lithuania’s Independence Restoration Act in 1990 also Rolandas Rastauskas and Laimonas Tapinas the writers; Vladas Zulkus and Vytautas Jonas Stauskis Palanga Senoji Gimnazija has undergone extensive changes due to the distinctive opportunities provided for each student to develop personally the school stands out among other Lithuanian institutions of secondary education Today's school administration lives by the motto "A good teacher is an asset to the school." The administration of the gymnasium shows how much they value the teachers' professionalism by providing them with modern educational resources It is believed that only by investing in teachers and providing them with high-quality modern educational tools can help realize their talents and competencies and achieve the desired results A cutting-edge biotechnology laboratory has been established in the gymnasium High-quality teaching tools and equipment are available in natural science laboratories It is also said that life is not fully fledged without art so there are some rooms designed for students to engage in artistic endeavours Not only are the spaces decorated with student artworks but there is also an art gallery where professional art exhibitions are displayed created a unique collection of portraits of Lithuanian writers that are displayed in the Lithuanian language and literature classrooms.  the opportunity to gain experience by participating in international and national projects exploring the hometown and visiting other countries excellent conditions for realizing learners‘ abilities in sports and creative pursuits and discover—all these attributes have become commonplace in the gymnasium which is celebrating its 100th anniversary In addition to fostering a sense of well-being among students and a growing sense of belonging to the gymnasium the harmony of educational subjects and real-world experiences has led to an excellent performance in the state Maturity examination session 136 graduates have scored 100 points in different examinations students from Palanga Senoji Gimnazija have won 40 national science Olympiads graduate Muza Svetickaite represented Lithuania in the World Geography Olympiad and won a silver medal while our school student Tomas Jakubauskas won a bronze medal in the Baltic Geography Olympiad.  Palanga Senoji Gimnazija claims that everything must be done to ensure that Lithuania does not lose a single talented child in Palanga It is also obvious that the ultimate efforts of the school are worthless if students who experience learning difficulties are not taken care of academic achievements and educational opportunities testify that this institution is on the right path.  All the planned works have been completed: the runway and taxiway have been upgraded and the engineering and lighting systems have been renewed the airport will resume operations after a 45-day shut-down and will welcome its first scheduled flights The renovation of Palanga Airport in accordance with the latest international standards will ensure the safety of airport operations and faster aircraft servicing as well as the safe movement of aircraft and savings in fuel costs The reconstruction has made the airport more environmentally friendly thanks to the introduction of eco-friendly solutions The opening ceremony was attended by Marius Skuodis the Managing Director of Latvian construction company “A.B.C” aviation is perhaps the most affected area by the pandemic and it was therefore necessary to ensure investment in the renewal of the infrastructure of the airports to speed up their recovery “I am delighted that this strategically important project has been able to secure funding and be implemented successfully and very quickly at a time when the aviation sector is still in the early stages of recovery Convenient air transport services are crucial to Lithuania’s economic development Airports operations need to be improved to ensure safe and smooth flights We will continue to focus on the reconstruction of Vilnius Airport’s passenger terminals,” says M the renewal of the infrastructure will ensure the successful development of flights at the seaside air gateway “We thank our colleagues and partners for their professional project management and expeditious work – Palanga Airport is ready to resume full operations We are pleased that in the context of recovering aviation Palanga Airport will be ready to expand air traffic without having to worry about the state of the infrastructure We have no doubt that the reconstruction will bring long-term benefits both to the Western region itself and direct benefits to the national economy,” said M a modern airport in the region will make a significant contribution to the growth of flight supply which is of great importance for the whole region of Western Lithuania will become even more attractive and safer for aircraft movements I have no doubt that the modern airport infrastructure which complies with the latest international standards will become one of the factors that will help to attract new flights to Palanga and expand the geography of flights in Western Lithuania,” he said the Managing Director of the Latvian company “A.C.B.” which carried out the main contractual works at the airport thanked for the trust it had placed in his company during the reconstruction of a strategically important state facility “We are grateful to Lithuanian Airports for the trust they have placed in us and we are delighted with the successful cooperation on the second facility of strategic importance to Lithuanian aviation We can confirm that the entire project has been implemented exactly as planned in terms of work and time The project involved a team of more than 300 people who worked like clockwork and in addition to delivering everything on time and to a high standard managed to ensure a sustainable project that was friendly to nature and people We thank the residents of Palanga and the surrounding districts for their patience and understanding throughout the reconstruction and wish them good flights,” said A One of the most important works carried out during the reconstruction of Palanga Airport is the renewal of the runway which is almost 2.3 kilometres long and 45 metres wide Replacement of the top layers of asphalt and deeper levelling layers more than 200,000 square metres of old asphalt were replaced The signal light system has been redesigned to be more efficient and environmentally friendly by replacing the old lamps with energy-saving LED lights The work involved the installation of around 100 kilometres of cabling and more than 600 new lights These solutions should reduce electricity consumption by around 20% for the runway lighting alone after the reconstruction The issue of reducing CO2 emissions during the reconstruction has been addressed on the apron itself by installing specialised aircraft Ground Power Unit (GPU) in certain aircraft aprons Palanga Airport will no longer need diesel power equipment in most cases In the last week before the opening of Palanga Airport various aviation safety and security tests have been carried out which are important for aircraft traffic after the opening of the airport an inspection procedure was carried out – a detailed inspection of the entire airport area Lithuanian Airports reminds that the remaining reconstruction works will be carried out until 1 December 2021 – the processes will take place at the existing airport and normal procedures will not be interfered with More news – Lithuanian Airports website Communicate on Twitter or Linkedin Home - News - Palanga International Airport by Lisium Released for MSFS Palanga Airport in Lithuania is now available for MSFS Developer Lisium has released Palanga International Airport (EYPA) for Microsoft Flight Simulator The airprot itself is an important transportation hub located in the coastal town of Palanga despite its smaller size compared to some of the country’s other facilities has flights to several international destinations by airlines such as AirBaltic This makes it a significant gateway for tourism in the region especially given Palanga’s status as a popular seaside resort parallax interiors and accurately modelled night lighting Some of the models in the airport and surrounding area also feature interior modelling the airport product was built using the latest data for an up-to-date layout even with the latest on-going construction at the airport GSX and AREX is also compatible with the airport You can buy Palanga International Airport from SIMMARKET for €17.77 (excluding taxes). ' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + ' " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + " " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + " When sauntering in the lush greenery-full and pine-aroma wafting Palanga Lithuania’s gem resort on the Baltic coast celebrating next week the 100th anniversary of its return to Lithuania the town was embroiled in a major spat between Lithuania and Latvia which both had just become independent and which both claimed Palanga as their own «The row between the two states stemmed from the wording of their 1918 Independence Acts The Lithuanian signatories of the 1918 Independence Proclamation Act forgot to add an appendix to the Act stating what the country’s borders were at the signing so the bone of contention was evident,» Vygantas Vareikis a Lithuanian historian and author of the monographies «History of Palanga» the-then governments of Latvia and Lithuania invited James Young Simpson professor of Natural Science in New College to chair an Arbitration Commission tasked with settling the dispute between the two newly‐independent states Having examined all the documentation submitted to him by the countries and having returned to Edinburgh in May 1921 compiled the report with his conclusions with the Royal Scottish Geographical Society The voting on the future of Palanga in the Arbitration Commission was truly a nail-biter: Simpson’s vote was decisive and the scholar stated that Palanga should be part of Lithuania Latvia had held Palanga from the WWI until March 30 when the Latvians troops handed over the resort town to the Lithuanian troops Does the whole story of Palanga return to Lithuania not sound like a serendipity a little but I am sure few heard that Simpson suggested to survey the 1920’s Palanga dwellers asking them themselves if they see their future with Latvia or Lithuania But the two countries rejected the proposal and decided to sort out things on their own the results and the destiny of Palanga could have been different,» Vareikis noted Read also: Latvia plans to restore transit flights and flights to and from third countries soon He says the relations between the three Baltic states Some other historians not only agree with the notion but also mention «the younger-older brother syndrome» which has also played a role in Latvia’s handing over of Palanga to Lithuania as the close union of three new countries separating from Russia – Latvia Lithuania and Estonia – seemed self-evident the new countries needed safe borders and allies each of the new countries also had their own narrow pragmatic interests that brought serious cracks in their original unity In the relations between Latvia and Lithuania in 1920 the biggest stumbling block was the question of Latvia’s position in the conflict between Lithuania and Poland Latvia’s decision was complicated due to several considerations and one of the most important was the recent struggles for freedom: Latvia whose army with the support of Polish army in January 1920 fought off the Red Army and released Latgale could not suddenly turn its back to recent ally Other interested countries did not hesitate to use this uncertainty in the position of Latvia and one example of this was the German radio news about the Latvian-Polish secret agreement which referred to the division of Lithuania when a message about transferring Polish-Soviet Russian peace talks to Riga was made at the beginning of September 1920 Lithuania took a radical decision and launched the mass expulsion of Latvian citizens from Lithuania the Latvian Foreign minister sent a Note to the Lithuanian Foreign Minister warning about potential Latvian counter-steps a researcher of the Institute of Latvian History at the University of Latvia who has written about the aforementioned developments in his monography says however that it was Latvia that took the first steps and showed more activity in the direction of rapprochement with Lithuania «An explanation can be sought in a number of circumstances,» he said Latvia’s choice to get closer with Lithuania could be at least partially explained as a friendship when others were worse: Estonians’ smugness and their separate peace talks with Soviet Russia repelled Latvia,» he explained in his research we can find a guardian or older brother syndrome in Latvia’s position there was also something irrational in this choice of Latvia which cannot be explained by pragmatic considerations This irrationalism was most prominent in the idea of the Baltic Kingdom which was completely foreign to both Latvian history and Latvian perception but found its supporters in Latvian society Perhaps this irrationalism – the consciousness of common ethnic and historical roots – was the key to explain Latvia’s approach to Lithuania in the 1920s» after three years of debating the Palanga issue the Latvian troops withdrew from Palanga and the Lithuanian troops came in «We were planning a big fest to mark the 100th anniversary but the coronavirus pandemic wreaked havoc in our plans All the celebratory events will be virtual as the result we will broadcast live the ceremony of hoisting a huge-size flag of Palanga But the lion’s share of the celebrations will take place in summer when the travelling restrictions will hopefully be lifted We plan to also invite Latvian officials to the events,» Robertas Trautmanas head of the Culture Department at the Palanga municipality said that the decision by Simpson was «truly historic» one of the Palanga streets are named after him we will set up an memorial with an artistic feature on Simpsonas street,» Vaitkus told BNN «I really cannot imagine Lithuania without Palanga it would have lost much more: the wider access to the Baltic sea most of whom were Lithuanians and who lived here for centuries,» Vaitkus underscored there were 152 dwellers of Latvian descent in Palanga in 2011 ShareSaveCommentBETAThis is a BETA experience. opt-out hereLifestyleTravelWhy Lithuania’s Seaside Is The Place To Be This SummerByJ.Q. Louise Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights drink and travel to and from all over the world.Jul 28 10:56pm EDTShareSaveCommentThis article is more than 3 years old.Europe has no shortage of summer destinations—the French Riviera Capri—these are probably the places that come to mind when you think of a summer in Europe Lithuania is home to stretches of sandy beaches Keep reading to find out why you need to visit Lithuania’s seaside this summer the easiest route is via Lufthansa through Frankfurt and then onto Vilnius hot food is being served in their Frankfurt hub and in-flight service is nearly back to normal upgraded food options and attentive service The best part is since they are a part of the Star Alliance SWISS and a number of other popular airlines if you aren’t a frequent traveler on Lufthansa One challenge about visiting the Lithuanian seaside is that there are lots of options they aren’t swarmed like their Mediterranean counterparts LITHUANIA - The spa at the Palanga Life Balance Hotel & Spa is located in this earthen .. When you fly into Vilnius rent a car at the airport and then drive 3 hours West to Palanga This resort city is the most sensible starting point From there you can head further West to the Curonian Spit This peninsula is accessible via an affordable car ferry that runs every 15 minutes a short distance from Palanga Nida is quickly becoming the Tulum of Eastern Europe—complete with stylish beach clubs LITHUANIA - View of the Kupolas Beach Club in Nida In Palanga, the most luxurious place to stay is the Palanga Life Balance Hotel & Spa There are two buildings “Design” & “Luxury”—both are worthy of a stay but the Design building is much newer so choose a room here if it is available there is a great onsite restaurant in the Luxury building be sure to book a dinner here and check out the breakfast buffet for lots of modern interpretations of Lithuanian favorites LITHUANIA - An octopus entree at the Palanga Life Balance Hotel & Spa accommodations are more difficult to come by so book a room at the Spa Nida as far in advance as you can because it tends to book up on the weekends The beach is over 11 miles long so you will never feel crowded RĄŽĖ and Basanova are where you will find the cool kids after the sun (eventually) goes down—which in the middle of the summer isn’t until 10 or 11pm LITHUANIA - View from the top of the Grey Dunes in Nida It feels reminiscent of Cape Cod in that once you get off the ferry from Klaipėda you’ll notice a whole different set of flora Driving through the forests on the way down the Curonian Spit is such a beautiful way to start this next part of your trip you’ll surely breathe a sigh of relief because it truly feels like something out of a fairytale Some of the must-dos are: hike up the Grey Sand Dunes take a boat out to Šturmų Švyturys across the lagoon for dinner check out the Narushi pop up in the harbor and spend a day or night at Kupolas Beach Club LITHUANIA - View of the Kupolas Beach Club just after sunset in the summertime The best part about visiting the Lithuanian seaside You’re only ever 3-4 hours from Vilnius so it is completely reasonable to get in some beach tine alongside your cosmopolitan adventure in the nation’s capital treacherous Baltic Sea is always on the prowl for its next victim the veteran chief of lifeguard services in the Lithuanian resort of Palanga is about to give a sigh of relief: for the third consecutive year his men have managed to keep safe the millions of holidaymakers who have visited the resort’s 16-kilometre teeming strip of sand Now Piroznikas is packing up for his farm in the Lithuanian hinterland Until the next season,” he admitted to The Baltic Times unusual in terms of providing lifeguard services Palanga is the largest Baltic resort and its size puts an additional strain on us stretching from Nemirseta (a beach on the outskirts of Palanga is known for its nudist beach-L.J) to Sventoji (a settlement near the Lithuanian-Latvian border-L.J.) How many sunbathers Palanga beach attracts tells this fact best: it packs them in four months here as many as the Klaipeda beach in five years Imagine the work we have to do to handle this army of people are from different cultures and often are inhibitions-free on the beach the latter makes the lifeguards’ job harder every year The average lifeguard’s pay is around the minimum wage but each lifeguard must have a good command of foreign languages be courteous - even though this is very hard with rowdy vacationers trying to impose their rules - and I am not so familiar with Estonian lifeguard service but at an event organised by the European Union I talked recently to some lifeguards from the Latvian resort of Ventspils From what I learnt the Latvian resort doesn’t come close to Palanga in terms either of its size or the number of people that the lifeguards have to handle Lifeguarding seems to be pretty easy there - just because the Baltic waters are very shallow there and one can walk far into the sea without fear of being engulfed by the current the Baltic Sea off the coast of Palanga is very treacherous The Latvians seemed to be quite surprised to hear my stories about the tricky underwater currents in Palanga How do you get prepared for your job each year Do you keep a keen eye on what is going at the most popular beaches worldwide I spend quite a lot of time browsing the Internet searching for good practice elsewhere and catching up with what’s new Some of the things I’ve learnt throughout the years of observation and I’ve come up with some conclusions and rules that just cannot be copy-pasted most instances of drowning in Palanga occurs when people are about to end their vacation I call them “last dip sinking.” At that time people get more excited which often leads to the horrible disaster of loss of life the time after 4 o’clock is when the largest number of emergencies happen who are the hardest to handle on the beach Western Europeans are perhaps the easiest to deal with – they are respectful and abide by the rules Russians tend to be lawbreakers most often Through we had quite few Russian tourists this summer- a result of the ruble troubles –but many of those I had to encounter were tough and mean Most of the standoffs arose from the lifeguards’ warnings not to wade into the sea with the red flag hoisted To many I had to explain patiently myself why there were supposed to get out of the water because of the very strong underwater currents especially when they are blowing from north or south-west are very precarious as they are able to churn up swelling waves; the currents become extremely tricky then but the ever-changing currents still do their evil work Few know that even though the wind has changed direction the currents might keep going in the opposite direction for another day or so we never raise the green flag to indicate that the sea does not pose danger I’ve decided to stick with the policy after learning that relatives of a drowned man in Germany sued and won a hefty settlement from a local lifeguard service The man had drowned while the green flag was raised and though the lifeguards argued in court the tragedy happened because of the swimmer’s behavior the judges held the lifeguard service responsible for the death I ordered that the green flag should not be used on Palanga beach How has the lifeguard service changed in Palanga over the nine years that you have been in charge of it What are the main changes that you have implemented on the beach I worked for the police before taking over the Palanga lifeguard service so being organized and responsible has always been part of my character I established a water motorcycle club which started offering services for a fee which had been cash-strapped until that point and became able to obtain more necessary lifeguard equipment and master skills every year As a former three-time water motorcycle champion I came up  later with an idea of organising local and even regional water motorcycle competition which would also draw much-needed attention to the lifeguard mission saying that I knew each wave here so well that I ought to be disqualified from the competition the more time I spent in Palanga the better acquainted I got with the sea the shoreline and my duty as chief lifeguard the technical and human capabilities have changed enormously over the years we’ve just sent up a surveillance drone we are the first in the Baltic region to have started using the equipment for the purpose I talked after the launch with a German lifeguard service and they showered us with praise over the introduction It appears we’ve outstripped even the Germans How has the treatment of lifeguards evolved over the years Speaking of people’s approach towards the life-savers I have seen some pretty significant changes people would have no respect to the guards whatsoever Some of the nastiest ones would curse in their face or even get physical so I came up with an idea of cam-recording all the dealings we had on the beach I fixed the cam right on the tip of my lifeguard helmet I’d warn him from far that our conversation was being recorded the other lifeguards started using cam-recorders too And this innovation has worked wonders: it made beachgoers more obedient and also more responsible for their actions Video-recording is still an important part of our job today yet in the pre-dawn of the Emergency Response Center vacationers would call the police number (02) but the line would be terribly busy most of the time Then it occurred to me to create our own emergency number which would be accessible and easy to get through to most of the people know the lifeguard service number but after being swamped with prank calls to send a pizza or a sex worker to the caller we decided to ask the phone service providers charge a fee for the calls It worked – the abundance of the phoney calls has dropped significantly the lifeguards would tend to a drowning man in the water without paying much attention to what had preceded [the incident] inebriated persons could freely wade into the sea without receiving a warning from the lifeguard After we decided to ramp up the prevention work and clamp down on vacationers’ misbehaviour on the beach before their feet got wet,  drowning rates have dropped considerably Alcohol has always been the main culprit for tragedies in the water I’ve heard that you’ve lobbied for higher fines for misbehaviour on the beach When a person violates public order on the beach such people tend to go in the sea even though the red flag prohibits it every buzzed person tends to offend others the violators would get away with a very symbolic fine of three euros I’ve talked to some of the Lithuanian parliamentarians and I’m intending to ask the mayor of Palanga to try to significantly increase the fine – up to 300 euro It hurts me to see violators disdaining and mocking us over the ridiculously low fines How often do you get to see reckless behaviour on the beach Can such behaviour be blamed on alcohol alone most of the people are buzzed or heavily inebriated there’s a vivid saying in Lithuania about drunken persons: “(For them) the sea is up to their knees.” I’ve asked the same question thousands of times to wasted people: “why are you risking your life Is it worth it?”  They would accost me in a rude manner insisting they wanted to refresh themselves in water and that I cannot meddle with their life most would pay little attention to the warning they might end up in a morgue if they continue misbehaving.  Some of the chaps on the beach would sometimes seek to show off their manliness and bravery to others a single step into the sea might be the line between life and death have many incredible beach stories to tell I’ve witnessed plenty of moments of joy after successful rescue operations and I still cannot forget a case that happened casual voice as if talking about a weekly fishing trip his behavior also seemed very out of the ordinary We’d learned from others there she was mentally disabled the father showed no emotions whatsoever seeing his daughter lifeless He is perhaps the only parent I’ve ever seen throughout the career who took a tragedy in such a inappropriate way.  Perhaps because of his behavior the police later started a criminal investigation into the circumstances of the drowning but the thought it might have been a malicious crime has never left me you’re coming off with a clean sheet for the third year in a row - this season so I’d rather keep working than start bragging About us | Advertise with us | Contact us Palanga Airport will undertake necessary works to reconstruct and renew its runway Palanga Airport (PLQ) has begun preparation for important reconstruction works scheduled for autumn 2021 with the airport runway set to be reconstructed and other works including the renewal of the taxiway and other parts of the apron The search for a contractor for these works will be announced in September 2020 and the contract will be signed with a selected partner in the second quarter of 2021 Reconstruction works are scheduled to start in September 2021 during which time the airport will be suspended for the shortest necessary period – a total of 45 days The service life of all airport infrastructure is 10-15 years The runway of Palanga Airport was last reconstructed in 2007 According to Laura Joffė, Executive Director of Lithuanian Airports – the operator of Palanga Airport – the renewal of the infrastructure of this airport is necessary to ensure safety at the aerodrome to observe environmental requirements and to avoid flight restrictions in the future if such works are not performed the work of the airport will be suspended for a minimum period of 45 days and the duration of the works will cover September to October 2021 which will be specified after signing the contract Consideration of the best time to carry out the work took into account both the most suitable meteorological conditions and the likely minimum loss of passengers The airlines operating at Palanga Airport have already been warned about the planned works, meaning that the flights and their schedules will be adjusted accordingly. Business partners operating at the airport, regional municipalities and relevant institutions have also been informed Joffė said: “If the reconstruction is completed in time we expect a smaller number of passengers than we would in later years Palanga Airport was the fastest growing airport in the country also exceeding the averages of many European airports so we need to think about the future and create conditions for the further development of the seaside airport which is not possible without proper infrastructure.” , , , By No comments yet All subscriptions include online membership giving you access to the journal and exclusive content By Comment *document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id" "aed7e9196c39caa52bde984417123778" );document.getElementById("d6337c1004").setAttribute( "id" Write for us | Advertise with us International Airport Review is published by: Russell Publishing Ltd.Court LodgeHogtrough HillBrasted © Russell Publishing Limited, 2010-2025. All rights reserved. Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy Website design and development by e-Motive Media Limited Videh Kumar Jaipuriar has been nominated for his exemplary leadership in managing and navigating Delhi International Airport (DEL) during the COVID-19 pandemic He led multiple initiatives to ensure business continuity at DEL which included passenger safety and convenience and care for environment and employee safety He proactively engaged with the government stakeholders and supported them in safeguarding aviation through strong confidence building measures for travellers such as developing several indigenous technology solutions like air circulation with six changes per hour and a combination of UV and plasma disinfection systems to provide safest journey experience to their passengers DEL has been forefront of implementing safety measures which was later adopted across the country Jaipuriar ensured that DEL was operational for rescue missions and transporting medical essentials to various parts of the country He further led the Vande Bharat Mission flights of Government of India (a rescue mission to get Indians back to India) as well as rescue flights by other international governments His outstanding leadership across all areas across the stakeholders in the aviation ecosystem and going beyond the call of duty in managing and navigating this crisis for a national capital airport having national importance makes him the apt choice for the Person of the Year Award Adnan Saggaf continues to demonstrate strong leadership skills throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and brought out of the box ideas in attracting traffic and to support his team during this difficult time With new innovative ideas in balancing cash flow the facilities were kept maintained and the personal were kept employed Saggaf has protected the financial stability of his staff income shown excellent performance of crisis management and exceptional negotiation skills shown with authority regarding agreement restructuring and receivable payments To handle the loss of Umrah traffic to the airport to use the terminal with attractive offers and more reliable services He built a new strategy by diversifying the airport offers He prepared the facilities by deploying new technology and working on enhancing passenger experience Saggaf also initiated a capacity building programme for the airside team by drafting SOPS as well as initiating dedicated workshops to discuss ideas and to deploy new initiatives and this is exactly what Saggaf showed and why he deserves to be awarded as the Person of the year 2021 Peter has been with the Sangster International Airport for over 25 years operations and now oversees the security function and is also the Chief Operations Officer Peter has been instrumental in co-ordinating the preparation and implementation of a COVID-19 response plan for not just MBJ but to guide the operation of all agencies operating on airport The aim of this plan was to ensure a safe environment for staff and the travelling public; therefore this plan was instrumental to establish consumer/travellers/public confidence and provided information and guidelines on the new protocols implemented at the airport Peter is well known for his expertise in investigation and aviation security His co-operation with law enforcement stakeholders has been unrelenting in assuring the security of the airport and stakeholders alike While Peter is known as a firm individual that displays the outmost professionalism and integrity he operates on the basis of equity and fairness in all matters relating to staff Robson Freitas has developed and led the BH Airport plan for the resumption of airport operations post-COVID-19 as well as being responsible for leading the group of Directors and Managers at the airport defining the three main pillars of recovery: Health and Safety of People Institutional and Integrated Communication and Institutional Partners These central pillars include ensuring hygiene and health and social distances measures for passengers in addition to participating in strategic committees involving the public sectors to comply with regulatory rules Freitas developed the COVID guardians programme who were responsible in monitoring and following up on the measures already implemented for COVID-19 and advising users employees and other people on compliance with distancing hygiene and health measures recommended by health authorities He also developed a COVID booklet with information and guidance for the airport community regarding good hygiene and health practices and led the beginning of the publication of a monthly newsletter with passenger curve information allowing the planning of reopening and rehiring by commercial stores Freitas also supported the reduction of OPEX by planning the temporary closure of areas toilets and equipment in common use and internalising some activities Raghunath worked closely with all the aero concessionaires and cargo operators to minimise disruption and provide financial relief to them The airline marketing team helped launch a historic first route to the U.S West Coast and the cargo team at BIAL also achieved record numbers over this period with the airport becoming India’s leading airport for the export of perishables Raghunath has led a digital transformation and expansion at BIAL airport with new initiatives and the deployment of the fully biometric-based self-boarding solution for seamless passenger flow and travel experiences and a process automation and analytics platform meant that the airport won ACI World’s ‘Voice of the Customer’ initiative which recognised BIAL airports efforts to prioritise their customers during COVID-19 Raghunath has remained a staunch and resilient leader during such an uncertain time and is very much appreciated by his team Alicia Prince has played a critical role in leading and navigating Cairns Airport through the COVID-19 pandemic Prince implemented a functional plan to ensure business continuity and staff welfare segregating front-line operational staff into work teams to avoid interaction between groups She ensured that the $55 million domestic Terminal upgrade continued safely despite the unprecedented COVID-19 crisis She also deployed the COVIDSafe Operation Plan for Cairns Airport which was endorsed and later commended by Queensland Chief Health Officer As part of this plan Alicia developed an airport layout to provide physical separation of low risk and high-risk arrivals and initiated increased hygiene and sanitisation protocols The health and safety of the airport community was paramount to maintaining operations and in response to this Alicia initiated a COVIDSafe training program for the entire airport community and worked closely with her team to deliver As a result of the great work Prince has done to ensure COVID-19 best practices Cairns Airport was one of the first Australian Airports to be awarded an ACI Global Health Accreditation Alicia also led the terminal optimisation project which assessed and implemented terminal downscales due to the crisis Significant savings (both financial and environmental) were achieved by reducing the operational footprint of the airport Whilst maintaining operations throughout the pandemic was a priority Alicia ensured her team were kept well informed and engaged Cairns Airport has a team of 33 volunteers which form part of Alicia’s wider team To ensure they remained connected and cared for Alicia and her team created care packages including home-made cakes and personally delivered to each of the volunteers’ houses in a COVIDSafe manner Alicia demonstrated great leadership throughout the pandemic and continues to do so today Her clear and transparent communication and collaboration with other Australian Airports and key agencies to ensure best practice and alignment contributed greatly to business continuity all the above was managed whilst working remotely and juggling home schooling with her two young boys Balram Bheodari leads Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport as North America’s most efficient airport due to his vast knowledge of and astute attention to efficiency in aviation which has allowed the airport to thrive in the most difficult of markets and selflessness to provide a quality of leadership throughout Atlanta Airport He oversees all facets of airport governance including operations and a multi-billion-dollar capital improvement programme designed to pave the way for Atlanta’s growth over the next 20 years Bheodari developed a comprehensive resumption of operations playbook that served to support ATL’s recovery efforts With guidance from the Federal Aviation Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) amid evolving health and safety guidelines Bheodari steadfastly encouraged collaboration among stakeholders he participated in daily calls with Airports Council International and other large-hub airports to share best practices as well as information from Washington He aimed to restore customer confidence and ensure the airport was a healthy facility using COVID-19 safe protocols the airport achieved Airport of the Year by the Airport Minority Advisory Council (AMAC) Bheodari was the most ardent supporter of our mission-critical employees Having worked his way up through the ranks he fully appreciates the oftentimes thankless jobs these employees perform that keep the Airport safe and running optimally at all times Morale never flagged because Bheodari made sure those employees felt valued through hazard pay His actions and his directives all reflect his commitment to the three key focus areas of our organisation’s strategic plan: people Jonas Abrahamsson has shown the strength to steer the company towards its long-term sustainable goals Abrahamsson has ensured that Swedavia achieved its net zero target for all ten of the airports in 2020 and has continued to support strategic development and innovation to further the cause of sustainable air travel when passenger numbers where down over 90 per cent and a lot of investments were paused he decided that investments in the company’s net zero target should proceed allowing Swedavia to become the first net zero airport group by the end of 2020 Chris Dinsdale has worked at Budapest Airport since 2015 where he was nominated for the position as CEO fought relentlessly to make sure that the company survived the crisis and worked with great commitment to secure the funding of the airport a voluntary salary cut for the executives and the founding of the Budapest Airport Foundation which supports blue collar workers who lost their job during the COVID-19 pandemic After being nominated to CEO position in March 2021 Dinsdale continues to work closely with the executive team to create a clear COVID-19 recovery strategy for Budapest Airport This will also mean that we come out stronger of the pandemic and have a clear focus Dinsdale is an inspiring true leader who helped us all to cope with the very difficult times of the pandemic and I am convinced that he truly deserves this award Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website These cookies do not store any personal information CookieDescriptioncookielawinfo-checkbox-advertising-targetingThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Advertising & Targeting".cookielawinfo-checkbox-analyticsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent WordPress Plugin The cookie is used to remember the user consent for the cookies under the category "Analytics".cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessaryThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".cookielawinfo-checkbox-performanceThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent WordPress Plugin The cookie is used to remember the user consent for the cookies under the category "Performance".PHPSESSIDThis cookie is native to PHP applications The cookie is used to store and identify a users' unique session ID for the purpose of managing user session on the website The cookie is a session cookies and is deleted when all the browser windows are closed.viewed_cookie_policyThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies It does not store any personal data.zmember_loggedThis session cookie is served by our membership/subscription system and controls whether you are able to see content which is only available to logged in users Cheatham County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested three men accused of credit card skimming in Middle Tennessee and other states in what appears to be an organized retail crime ring George Zica and Madalin Palanga — all of whom have Nashville addresses according to booking documents — are charged with organized retail crime Shannon Heflin said the trio appeared to be involved in card skimming incidents in Middle Tennessee including North Carolina and South Carolina They also apparently wired money to Romania A deputy caught the three men during a traffic stop Dec 12 as they were en route to an Interstate 40 westbound ramp The deputy noticed the 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer parked at the Shell gas station as he observed traffic on Luyben Hills Road in Kingston Springs and noted that the vehicle’s temporary tag was not well-displayed in the tinted windshield “was very talkative and continued mentioning his family was in law enforcement” as he showed the officer paperwork for the car and a Mississippi ID showed a Czech Republic ID and a Romanian passport Cheatham County Dispatch confirmed Beard’s Mississippi license was suspended The officer could not verify Zica’s and Palanga’s personal information enough to check for warrants The officer asked Beard to speak with him in front of his patrol car where he asked Beard who his passengers were and how he knew them Beard identified one passenger as “Mike,” whom he apparently met at a house party four months before He reported knowing the other passenger for only a couple of weeks Beard insisted there was nothing illegal in the Trailblazer The officer asked both passengers to get out of the car One of them also stated that there was nothing illegal in the vehicle and the other did not speak English and was not questioned The search yielded a “large amount” of money two backpacks — one containing clothing and the other with two laptops — credit card skimmers Another search of the vehicle also located travel paperwork for one of the men in the vehicle and receipts for money wired overseas During an interview with Beard in the Cheatham County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigative Division interview room Secret Service was notified of the incident Secret Service and Sheriff’s Office officials determined it was necessary to seize the money all three of the men’s cellphones and Beard’s vehicle Beard also was charged with driving on a suspended license and was cited for improper display All three are held in the Cheatham County Jail without bond Heflin encouraged the public to thoroughly inspect and be aware of point of sale systems He also said to use a chip reader and run transactions with a credit card rather than a debit card when possible.  More scams: Tennessee consumers lose nearly $1M to gift card scammers. Here's how not to be a victim can be reached at KPFisher@gannett.com or 615-801-3866 and on Twitter at @KellyPFisher The EC investment aid will upgrade Palanga Airport connections and support regional development Palanga Airport (PLQ) in Lithuania has secured the European Commission’s (EC) investment aid of $12.1m (€10.25m) to upgrade the airport infrastructure The funding has been approved by the EC under EU State aid rules as a public support measure EC’s aid will be used to rebuild the runway southern and northern aircraft aprons as well as overhaul engineering systems The Commission found that the investment would improve connections to and from Palanga and support the development of the region It also assessed that the investment in Palanga Airport would not create a negative impact on the situation of other airports in the same catchment area The EC said that it has evaluated the measure under EU State aid rules especially under the 2014 Guidelines on State Aid to Airports and Airlines Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis Lithuanian Airports announced that the public procurement for the reconstruction of the runway at Palanga Airport was won by Latvian company ACB which carried out similar runway reconstruction works at Vilnius Airport (VNO) in 2017 A.C.B has agreed to execute all the planned works at Palanga Airport for $16.1m (€13.6m) The remaining reconstruction investment will be provided by the Nordic Investment Bank The main reconstruction phase is slated to begin on 6 September 2021 activities at the Palanga Airport will be halted The upgrade of essential infrastructure is said to be necessary to ensure safety and improve environmental solutions Lithuanian Airports Operations and Infrastructure Department head Dainius Čiuplys said: “The runway at Palanga Airport was last reconstructed in 2007 which means that its life cycle is already towards its end and investment in refurbishment is needed “We are confident that a strategically important airport in the Lithuanian coastal region will be popular as the aviation market recovers and the demand to travel through will certainly remain as evidenced by the double-digit increase in passenger numbers at this airport “Our main task in the context of this project is to ensure that the recovery of aviation takes place in a secure infrastructure and generates added value for the whole region.” Nominations are now open for the prestigious Airport Technology Excellence Awards - one of the industry's most recognised programmes celebrating innovation This is your chance to showcase your achievements Don't miss the opportunity to be honoured among the best - submit your nomination today Give your business an edge with our leading industry insights View all newsletters from across the GlobalData Media network Palanga Airport operations will be suspended for 45 days due to modernisation construction work beginning under the requirements of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) During the modernisation of Palanga Airport an LED signal system will be installed; runway taxiway and platform surfaces will be renovated; upgrades to utilities; energy-efficient and sustainable solutions as well as systems of platform illumination collection and purification of surface waste waters will further be installed Head of Operations and Infrastructure Department at Lithuanian Airports said: “Infrastructure of an airport is cyclical and its depreciated parts must be modernised every 10 to 15 years to meet aviation safety and environmental requirements Palanga Airport was last modernised in 2007 “A renovated runway and taxiway will ensure safer movement of airplanes and will also save fuel consumption collection and purification of surface waste waters will also be improved meanwhile the installed LED signal system will reduce costs of consumed electricity of the whole airport.” “Modernisation of the infrastructure of Palanga Airport according to the newest international standards will give an opportunity to ensure safe airport operation and faster servicing of airplanes It will also improve the environmental situation and contribute to creation of additional value in the whole Region of West Lithuania,” added Čiuplys these investments were approved by the European Commission is financed using the Nordic Investment Bank loan for Lithuanian airports said: “The company has similar experience in modernising the runway at Vilnius Airport in 2017 the contractor is ready to take on challenges to modernise Palanga Airport “We will implement the most active stage of this project within the shortest possible period Modernisation of Palanga Airport is planned in a way that it will not harm the environment communities and will ensure a friendly environment for its neighbors The plan for environmental effects is specifically prepared for this project with foreseen necessary measures to reduce noise and dust: banks of earth regular coverage of bulk materials with water and others.” , , , , No comments yet "aa8f027abd40de56ded7d4ff0c44a0d0" );document.getElementById("d6337c1004").setAttribute( "id" Palanga continues to actively expand its infrastructure and cherish its historical heritage The Mayor of Palanga informed the public that the design work of the Melna Trail has begun it will be a new recreational and educational space designed to commemorate the 1422 Melna Peace Treaty which granted Lithuania access to the Baltic Sea planned to commemorate this extremely important historical event We will mark the Peace of Melnos with an educational and recreational trail that will stretch from the beginning of Vytautas Street to the dunes of the Baltic Sea An observation deck is also planned to be installed on this trail," says Palanga Mayor Šarūnas Vaitkus between the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (LDK) It formed one of the longest continuous borders in Europe – this territorial division remained unchanged for almost 500 years "This treaty not only ensured the territorial connection of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania with the Baltic Sea but also severed the strategic connection between the Teutonic and Livonian Orders which later led to significant geopolitical changes," - the mayor emphasizes The section of the border of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania established by the Treaty of Melno in 2009 was entered into the Register of Cultural Properties The construction of the Black Trail is not only the commemoration of a historical event "I am glad that this important historical event will soon be commemorated in Palanga. In the future, various events could be organized here." events and scientific research that will help better reveal the importance of this agreement," says the Mayor of Palanga Palanga City Municipality hopes that the new trail will become another attraction attracting both local residents and city guests no information is provided on when the project will be completed Prepared based on the information message of the Mayor of Palanga The sanctions have been introduced with regard to the real estate owned by Sheynin and his wife in Lithuania: an apartment with a floor area of over 100 square meters in the Lithuanian resort Palanga worth nearly 60,000 euros according to a 2014 estimate the current value of the apartment may be much higher In early March, the real estate of another Russian propagandist, TV presented Vladimir Solovyov, was arrested in Italy The real estate consists of two villas owned by Solovyov on Lake Como it was reported that the European Commission was setting up a special task force to search for assets of Russian citizens and companies under sanctions All the assets discovered by the task force will be frozen We really need your help! 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Сделано в Charmer устарел и не позволяет корректно отображать сайт Palanga International Airport PHOTO: Company photo The Ministries of Transport and Communications, Economy and Innovation, the Association Klaipėda Region and seven member municipalities have agreed to work together to attract new flight destinations to Palanga International Airport The institutions signed an agreement on Thursday to stimulate demand for flights that are important for business and inbound tourism in the Klaipėda region the Ministry of Transport and Communications said Two new routes have recently been launched from Palanga Airport – to Amsterdam and Copenhagen and an additional route to Hamburg has been set out The institutions will also aim to to secure public funding to increase the number of flights from the airport „We keep mobilising the capacities of different authorities for focused work together to ensure convenient air transport to/from strategic flight destinations Our common goal is to pool funding for the supply of flights and and we can expect at least 2 additional strategically important destinations here,“ said Marius Skuodis The Ministry of Transport and Communications allocates more than EUR 1 million each year to ensure the availability of the existing routes from Palanga Airport six cities are accessible from Palanga Airport: Amsterdam The Lithuanian National Museum of Art dedicates this Friday Palanga Amber Museum opens an exhibition Amber Runs in Our Veins – an ironic deconstruction of 20th-century-myth of the bond between amber and the national Lithuanian spirit Visitors will see unexpected contemporary pieces of amber and will be invited to consider the political aspect of amber and the use of it in the shaping of Lithuanian identity The exhibition will conclude the scientific conference Amber in Modern Lithuania: Heritage and the Present organized by the Palanga Amber Museum and Palanga Resort Museum Amber encapsulating the Lithuanian character ‘Lithuanians tend to think of amber as ‘our own’ mineral have been for a while wondering when and why amber came to be identified with what is essentially Lithuanian,’ comments on the emergence of the exhibition the curator Dr Jurgita Ludavičienė ‘The journey of amber during the 20th century turned out very exciting: we find the role of literature in the shaping of the image of amber the artefacts of amber represented Lithuania under different political systems The variety of shapes the worked amber took ranges from too-familiar amber strings mosaics – nearly a fixture in every home – to pieces by professional artists created during Independence years This exhibition therefore is another attempt to redefine the significance of amber and its connotations.’  the use of amber experienced numerous transformations shows that for over a half of the Lithuanians amber retains pride of place among things representing Lithuania.    Three images of amber in 20th-century Lithuania  The exhibition Amber Runs in Our Veins is in three parts and each deal with a different image of amber Part one is the beginning of the narrative in the early 20th century – the time of formation of a romantic perception Part two introduces a turn of fate in the period of soviet occupation when amber was put to service as raw material for souvenirs and mosaics Part three reflects an ironical take on amber by the Lithuanian artists in independent Lithuania and its use to interpret recent political events.   The exhibition curator explains how the exhibition traces the changing ‘political mission’ of amber as political fortunes change:  ‘The exhibition revisits the enthusiasm of the national romanticism referencing the renowned poem by Maironis Jūratė and Kastytis and the devotion to duchess Birute It recounts how the amber came to represent the young state of Lithuania Turned into a Lithuanian-identity symbol between the two wars amber was highjacked by the soviets as the ‘gold’ of the entire Soviet Union Conceptualised as ‘the national treasure’ it circulated also in the soviet discourse of a ‘little homeland’ Amber was compared to Lithuania – a small fragile thing the mosaics and amber figurines produced during this period flooded shopwindows all over the Soviet Union and for a reason Eduardas Mieželaitis in the 60s wrote of ‘amber running in our veins’ the romantic image of ‘Lithuanians with amber eyes’ waned the public came to associate amber mostly with those trite souvenirs and amber strings which no one longer wanted to wear,’ says the curator.     the amber-Lithuanian identity bond found a new soil: it was started to interpret ironically One can read events of the recent history in Lithuania and abroad into the amber artefacts on display The running for presidency campaign by Rolandas Paksas the victory of the Peasants and Greens at the election the competition of Miss Lithuania and the still-raging Russian war against Ukraine are examples.   Palanga Amber Museum is open year-round  The Palanga Amber Museum of LNMA is open year-round Its visitors are invited to see not only the most recent exhibition Amber Runs in Our Veins but also the permanent display From the Formation of Amber to the Unique Amber Articles of the Present Exhibition Amber Runs in Our Veins opens at 16.45 pm Friday 22 September at the Palanga Amber Museum of LNMA (Vytauto St 17).  Exhibition is on through 28 April 2024  Project financed by the Lithuanian Council for Culture  marvellous sunsets and retro seaside resorts – Lithuania’s wild west coast has it all the region’s ‘orange gold’ Dunes in the Nagliai Nature Reserve (Kirsten Henton) separates the Baltic Sea from the Curonian Lagoon with 52 kilometres in Lithuania and the rest in Russia’s Kaliningrad region to the south The slender spit is a natural playground for all of its resident mammals: keep an eye out for seals and passing dolphins on the Baltic side the dashing racoon dog are just some of the locals you may spot roaming this remote sandscape Look up for bats by night and birds such as sea eagles by day This historic fishing village-cum-resort makes a good base from which you can cycle It’s also well located for dune-scaling at the Nagliai Nature Reserve and Parnidis Dune – both essential to gain perspective and a windswept feel for the spit’s wild side Amber hunting with Igoris Osnac (Klaipeda Tourist Information Centre) The Baltic is home to the world’s largest known deposit of amber The warming glow of the fossilised tree resin is a familiar sight across Lithuania As well as the stalls and markets that dot the coast selling jewellery and ornaments the Palanga Amber Museum is full of everything you never knew you needed to know about this natural gemstone What’s more, in Karkle’s Seaside Regional Park, you can try ‘fishing’ for this Lithuanian gold yourself: this involves dragging a large dipping net around in just the right spot of the shallows under the watchful eye of an experienced and all-amber-knowing guide, such as the charismatic Igoris Osnac Amber is churned up from beneath the seabed is typically the best time to scoop a piece or two Top tip: Embark on your own Amber Journeywith the help of this dedicated planner which shares the history and highlights of the region’s key ‘gintaro’ (amber) attractions Coastal Palanga is a holiday favourite thanks to its long sandy beach and well-equipped town that leans towards the vintage and niche attractions (such as the Dog Museum and the Insectarium) all coated with the sweet scent of candy floss It’s also where you’ll find the expertly curated Old Villas of Palanga Trail a route linking 27 of the town’s signature residences constructed between the 19th and 20th centuries It’s ideal for the culturally curious: you’ll traverse neighbourhoods and see different interpretations of the traditional wooden style all the while learning about Palanga’s architectural heritage as it developed into a popular seaside resort Top tip: Pop inside the Old Pharmacy of Palanga a villa dating from 1827 that still doles out medicines from behind its wooden counter as was) is a vital port and Lithuania’s third largest city from its medieval roots to being part of Prussia and the German Empire before briefly gaining independence then falling under Nazi followed by Soviet rule It has seen it all and is now emerging as a cultural hub on Lithuania’s west coast cosy bars and a thriving university combine to give Klaipeda a fresh modern feel that can easily be tackled on foot with a map and will for exploration where you can take a brief tour to see the giant mash tuns at work and whimsically-named beers (fancy a bottle of Naked Seal?) before settling down to a taste-test to find your favourite Top tip: Take the ferry to the Lithuanian Maritime Museum in the Nerija Fort (do walk around the impressive ramparts) for a dose of history architecture and penguins (courtesy of the onsite aquarium) rolled into one Sculpture on Witches’ Hill (Kirsten Henton) where myth and legend can be found hiding in its landscapes fronts one such woodland walk over Witches’ Hill which was forested in a bid to curb erosion its path is lined with an ever-growing selection of handcrafted wooden and ironwork sculptures Pass ornate columns and neatly carved creatures as you ascend the wide and bright ‘light side’ before coming face-to-face with the devil numerous demons and evil witches as you descend the narrower Sure to terrify young children – and some adults for that matter – a walk over Witches’ Hill is one to remember especially if talk of dancing witches is to be believed Sign up to our newsletter for free with the Wanderlust Club has won the tender to reconstruct the runway at Palanga Airport in Lithuania The runway reconstruction project will include the taxiway and some parts of the apron Airport operations are likely to be suspended while the work is undertaken later this year (September and October 2021) for a period of around 45 days will carry out the work for €13.6 million and Lithuanian Airports expects to sign a contract with the Latvian construction firm once all the necessary procedures and verification processes have been carried  out The airport operator hopes to confirm the contract in April Head of Operations and Infrastructure Department  at Lithuanian Airports “The runway of Palanga Airport was last reconstructed in 2007 This means that its life cycle is already nearing the end and investment in renovation is required with the recovery of the aviation industry the strategically important airport of Lithuania’s coastal region will be popular and the demand to travel through it will definitely remain This is evidenced by double-digit growth in the number of passengers handled by the airport before the pandemic Our main task in the context of this project is to ensure that the recovery of aviation would take place with safe infrastructure and would generate added value for the whole region.” While Lithuanian Airports had originally planned to finance the infrastructure works using its own funds the impact of the pandemic on passenger traffic and revenue streams has meant that it is now working alongside the Ministry of Transport and Communications to seek an alternative funding source and website in this browser for the next time I comment Lithuanian Airports aims to develop a competitive model for its airports, improve efficiency and clearly map out the infrastructure development steps needed for Vilnius, Kaunas, and Palanga airports to handle 17 million passengers a year According to the Minister of Transport and Communications for the first time Lithuania is assessing in depth the potential of the aviation market which is an important development for Lithuanian airports we are going to see a significant breakthrough – comprehensive changes in the network of Lithuanian airports that will significantly increase the role of air gateways in the country's transport system improve Lithuania's accessibility and passenger experience “Some of the projects are now well underway and are progressing rapidly to significantly improve the competitive position of our airports in the region in the near future it is important to keep the momentum going and to anticipate now what we will do next whether in a few years or a decade or two,” Skuodis said International consultants Royal HaskoningDHV (NACO) prepared the long-term master plan Its team analysed data in different areas throughout 2023 modelled various possible scenarios for the development of Lithuanian airports and assessed their strengths and weaknesses The master plan covers in particular the near-term work that needs to be done by 2030 to address the challenges of cramped infrastructure and to ensure an annual capacity of 10 million passengers across the network it includes solutions to expand capacity at all three airports to serve 17 million passengers The construction of the new Departures Terminal at Vilnius Airport is underway When it opens in the first quarter of 2025 it will not only drive the reconstruction of the old terminals but the construction of another important project – the new arrivals terminal (T5) This solution will allow a 7-8 million-passenger capacity not only in Departures but also in Arrivals This solution will ensure convenient baggage pick-up as well as reducing the excessive movement of passengers between the terminal floors The design of the arrivals terminal in Vilnius should follow the modular development logic that has been applied to the new departures terminal It is envisaged that the existing terminal infrastructure will be developed parallel to the apron and runway This year the company will launch an architectural tender for the integration of the oldest arrival terminal with a view to starting the reconstruction work in 2025 The plan is to stop using this building for arrivals but to expand the service and retail areas and make the infrastructure more passenger-friendly The master plan not only sets out a roadmap for adapting the current infrastructure to meet growing passenger numbers but also provides suggestions on how the infrastructure can be made more efficient all three airports have areas earmarked for the development of solar farms Both Vilnius Airport and Kaunas Airport are planning to develop areas on the other side of the runway from the terminals for freight and aircraft repair and maintenance services the development of commercial and general aviation areas is planned parallel to the runway Master plans for Lithuanian airports have been closely coordinated with other strategic transport projects in the country, one of the most important being the Rail Baltica railway line Vilnius Airport terminals will be connected to this project by an underground railway which means that a rail stop at the capital's airport is also planned to be built underground The Lithuanian Airports team actively engaged with other stakeholders during the development and approval of the strategic master plan and the municipalities of the coastal region were also involved in the process Representatives of the municipalities were consulted on how the airport development projects fit in with their future plans This was one of the priorities in the preparation of this strategic master plan to ensure that the development of urban infrastructure and airports go hand in hand and bring the best possible economic and social returns following completion of the departures terminal in Vilnius investments of around €180m will be made in the reconstruction of the existing terminals and the construction of new terminals before 2052 on completion of the forthcoming terminal expansion further investment in new terminals will be undertaken between 2025 and 2052 Investments in the terminals at Palanga Airport over the same period could amount to around €20m Are you an airport industry decision maker Register today for your complimentary subscription to Airports International magazine plus digital access to all previous issues the newly independent nation's only access to the Baltic Sea was a 20-kilometre window around the resort town of Palanga it took intense negotiations with Latvia and an international arbitration headed by a Scottish professor Today marks the 100th anniversary since the talks bore fruit the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea was mostly commanded by Germans who built the Medieval fortresses of Riga Königsberg and Memel (present-day Lithuania's Klaipėda) The grand dukes of Lithuania were more focused on lands in the east and in the 13–15 centuries Palanga and the nearby port of Šventoji were their only window to the Baltic Sea they developed into prosperous harbours and centres of trade with British merchants setting up enterprises in the late 17th century the Great Northern War with Sweden left Palanga and Šventoji ravaged and the harbour was blocked with rocks in 1701 Palanga once again started gaining prominence in the 19th century after it was purchased by Count Michał Tyszkiewicz His grandson built a pier to transport passengers and bricks to the nearby Latvian port of Liepaja built himself a splendid residence by the coast – the Tyszkiewicz Palace which currently houses the Amber Museum – and had the French landscape architect Édouard André design a park around it which remains to this day one of the town's main attractions it hosted a pagan shrine where the beautiful virgin priestess Birutė caught the eye of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Kęstutis Kęstutis kidnapped Birutė and brought her to his castle in Trakai Birutė is said to have returned to Palanga and was buried in the hill named after her is now a landmark in the Tyszkiewicz Park and is topped with a (Christian) shrine a plaque on the shrine reads: “On March 31 the land alive with the spirit of Birutė and Kęstutis was returned to Lithuania.” When Lithuania became an independent country in the wake of World War One it was far from clear that Palanga would be part of it the town had been in the predominantly Latvian Courland Governorate within the Russian Empire instead of the Kovno Governorate which covered most of Lithuanian lands So even though Palanga was predominantly Lithuanian – a 1919 census recorded that of the 1,438 residents in the town 39 German and 39 Polish – Latvians would not give it up so easily The compensation Latvia wanted was the town of Mažeikiai in Lithuania's north an important railway hub and the only connection between the port of Liepaja and the capital Riga The tsar's government had built infrastructure “to serve the empire according to Vilnius University historian Zenonas Butkus Another disputed area was Kalkuonė in Alukšta District also an important railway hub further east Lithuanians and Latvians tried to negotiate their border in Paris in 1919 and in Jelgava in 1920 There were even suggestions to settle the issue by plebiscites but both governments were hesitant to rely on local national sentiments was enmeshed in another territorial dispute over its predominantly Polish-speaking capital the parties agreed to international arbitration The commission was to include equal delegations from Lithuania and Latvia a professor from the University of Edinburgh he had developed an interest in Russia thanks to his friendship with Prince Nikolai Galitsyn Simpson was invited to work for the British intelligence as an expert of the Russian Empire and was entrusted with the file of Finland According to the historian Charlotte Alston Simpson had initially aligned himself with Russian liberals who were not too keen on dividing the empire but eventually became sympathetic to the cause of the newly independent republics While arbitrating for Lithuanians and Latvians he wanted to alleviate the “birth pains of the young states” The arbitration commission held meetings from December 1920 to March 1921 Simpson himself visited Palanga on January 6–10 “Latvia was arguing that it was vital for Palanga to maintain connection to Latvian territories to Liepaja,” says Vilnius University historian Butkus “Meanwhile [head of the Lithuanian delegation Antanas] Smetona insisted that the town would be better off within Lithuania that it would be choked ‘at the end of a salt bag’ if it were left in Latvia.” Simpson cast the decisive vote to give Palanga to Lithuania in addition to around 20 kilometres of the Baltic coast up to the River Šventoji and beyond even though the territory was inhabited by Latvians “The historical and ethnographical considerations on the whole favoured the Lithuanian claim at any rate,” Simpson wrote in his report “while the State-political claims in connection with her access to the sea called for considerable elbow room [...] Whatever tends to make for the economic development of Lithuania cannot harm Latvia as the economic interests of these sister States are not contrary but supplemental.” while the linguistically mixed Alukšta District was given to Latvia Simpson also pushed Lithuanians and Latvians to sign a convention on joint railway use and military cooperation but the Latvian delegation refused to negotiate anything beyond the border settlement Simpson's ruling was not immediately accepted A new Latvian foreign minister and his Peasant Union accused the Scotsman of succumbing to Lithuanian pressure and threatened with protest rallies Simpson stood firm and threatened to move the arbitration commission's meetings from Riga to Kaunas The Latvians backed down and called off the protests the two countries signed a border treaty and Latvian forces left Palanga the town held celebrations of its incorporation into Lithuania it was a firm and lasting agreement that prevented any further disagreements between Lithuania and Latvia after the two countries regained independence from the Soviet Union Palanga is a beloved resort town known for its promenades and a long pier protruding into the Baltic Sea industrial and trade development was concentrated around the port of Klaipėda some 25 kilometres south that Lithuania annexed several years later Some 600 children from socially vulnerable families from all over Lithuania swarmed Palanga in July Palanga mayor Sarunas Vaitkus is happy: “The endeavor has been fulfilled!” Most of us melt from the happy laugh of a child but many underprivileged children in Lithuania can barely squeeze a smile amid the families’ daily struggle to eke out a living every fifth family in the country gets by in poverty — making 259 euros has invited 600 children from socially vulnerable families from all over the country to the seaside this summer. For free and nourishment have been provided by benevolent partners of the social project Behind it stands the exuberant mayor of the resort a father of three who has vowed to turn Palanga into a family-friendly destination A lot has been done in that regard already so when Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite voiced an initiative “For a safe Lithuania!” to the country’s 60 mayors at the Presidential Palace earlier the year Vaitkus saw that the chance to make many children’s lives merrier had come “Despite the fact that Lithuania is a marine state there are hundreds of children who have never seen the Baltic Sea so the idea — get them here — popped up in my mind in the meeting with the president who emphasised the urgency of issues facing social risk families,” the Palanga mayor told The Baltic Times Forty municipalities swiftly responded to the seaside municipality’s call to submit lists of children between 3 and 16 and their chaperons qualifying for the free Baltic Sea trip.  Needless to say the children’s ever first encounter with the sea was full of tizz and joy. Along the way to the sea the throngs of children had to make their way through the Kingdom of Bubbles Some of the littlest were unable to resist the desire to join the bubble blowers settled along Meile Alley the children were herded to the Jurate and Kastytis Square and asked to make a wish which certainly will come true as most of the wishes pan out to the Baltic Sea “The sea is really wonderful — so vast and it seems as if it is very far away from where we live It feels amazing to experience its beauty and prowess first-hand,” the mothers said feeling excited with their offspring splashing in the waters attentively guarded by Palanga Beach lifeguards. Swarmed by a dozen greeters Especially since the local community has vigorously extended its support for it.” And here is another reason for many families to start planning a journey to Palanga cherishing the name as a family-friendly resort it added a Lithuanian Fairytale Park to a set of children-oriented activities in the town. Some of the fairytale heroes in the amusement park have incarnated into mesmerising state-of-the art structures — all of which can be tapped and otherwise figured out by the young and curious visitors. The park is situated in the pine forest at Birute Park and takes up two hectares The open-air children’s amusement place will be inviting all year round and Palanga hints it is about to craft some new projects for children according to a press release by the State Border Guard Service (VSAT) The service received a notification about the plane making an emergency landing at the airport in western Lithuania at around midnight from Thursday to Friday The reason was a huge amount of smoke in the cabin the Lithuanian man was smoking in his seat other passengers around him thought something was burning and informed the crew The Flight Control Centre operator was informed that the man who had endangered the flight and the safety of other passengers VSAT officers were requested to assist in apprehending the smoker border guards detained the passenger on the tarmac By the time ABBA quietly disbanded in 1982 due to rising interpersonal tensions, they had already secured a legendary spot for themselves in the history of popular music and were set to remain a fixture in global pop culture at large British synth-pop group Erasure covered four of ABBA’s greatest hits (“Lay All Your Love on Me,” “S.O.S.,” “Take a Chance on Me,” and “Voulez Vouz”) and released them in an EP playfully titled ABBA-esque in June 1992 While reconfigured to suit the musical eccentricities of Erasure and its particular genre of pop the songs were still recognizably in tribute to ABBA and the EP charted throughout Europe and in the United States it peaked at the number-one spot on the Official UK Top 40 Chart and Swedish Charts for several consecutive weeks The positive reception of ABBA-esque signalled the lasting appeal of ABBA’s music even 10 years after the release of their last album and breakup This global momentum of renewed appreciation for the Swedish pop sensation was sustained in the same year by the release of the compilation album ABBA Gold: Greatest Hits the timeless anthem “Dancing Queen”—back onto the listening charts Critical reception has unwaveringly lauded the album as a well-curated album unto itself and it has been re-released multiple times since 1992 to accompany anniversaries or the release of the film version of Mamma Mia Produced by group members Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus Gold is a remarkable example of the power of a compilation album: distilling the group’s discography to its greatest hits reminds veteran listeners of what they loved while capturing new fans with the group’s essential musical profile Many have attempted to dissect the infectious popularity of ABBA but a listen through the track list of Gold suggests that ABBA’s mastery may simply lie in its lyrical and sonic accessibility Listeners never have to work through overly convoluted lyrics; ABBA’s songs are self-explanatory storytelling wrapped up in captivating melodramatic arrangements The music and influence of ABBA continued to infiltrate other realms of popular culture in the 1990s Two successful Australian films released in 1994 prominently feature ABBA songs on their soundtracks The tail end of the decade saw the catalyst for a new wave of ABBA love: the debut of the stage musical Mamma Mia in London’s West End in 1999. Produced in collaboration with Andersson and Ulvaeus was an original musical whose narrative centered around some of ABBA’s most popular songs proved to be such a popular musical around the world—mirroring the global draw of ABBA itself—that it spawned a 2008 film adaptation the film was panned by critics for its camp aesthetic and questionably cast actors but that criticism did not deter fans from seeing it and making it a high-grossing box-office hit The monetary wins yielded by the film adaptation encouraged Universal Studios to move ahead with a sequel Here We Go Again was released 10 years later It showcased a wider breadth of ABBA’s catalogue than the original stage and film musical this musical sequel written exclusively for the screen surpassed its predecessor by gaining the favor of both critics and fans—a testament to the enduring relevance of ABBA but a new sense of musical optimism and organisational detente could well inform the green or red light decision of EBBA In late May the European Brass Band Association will make a decision that could well have significant consequences for both its future and that of the long term development of a brass banding culture across the whole of Europe.  It will follow a visit to Lithuania by a representative group that 4BR understands will headed by EBBA President Ulf Rosenberg accompanied by General Secretary Kor Niehof EEBA Music Commission member Frode Rydland and independent advisor And whilst the stakes have not been quite as high as those of the Cuban Missile Crisis it has taken the considerable diplomatic skills of both parties over the last few months to draw a line under the slightly ludicrous levels of rhetorical posturing that was seemingly heading towards potentially destructive legal ramifications a huge amount of credit goes to both EBBA and Lithuanian representatives for seeking a pathway to what is hoped will be a mutually beneficial outcome.   The key is Palanga Concert Hall - a brand new construction completed in 2015 based on the foundation footprint left by the old open air auditorium from the Soviet Union days of brutalism architecture It won its designer Algirdas Stripinis a prestigious World Architecture Award Situated in the heart of the major hotel accommodation district (the majority within a 400 meter radius) it’s a fine example of sensible functionality all with excellent sight lines when the performance apron is extended at the front of its huge stage.  It also has all the facilities required to accommodate performers (including warm up room) as well as listeners (with high speed wi-fi to be installed later this year) And although the communal thoroughfares are narrow the organisers have made arrangements to provide a high quality tented village for traders and bands to display and store equipment if the Championships are held here.   More significantly however has been the major investment (and we are talking tens of thousands of Euros) made to meet EBBA’s concerns over its acoustic suitability.  Keen to show just how effective the remedial work has been (which included extensive acoustic tiling at the back and surrounding the stage as well as the provision of that significantly extended stage apron) the organisers of the Lithuanian Wind and Brass Band Championships invited Filton Concert Band (2017 Albert Hall National Finalists) to perform at the event’s Gala Concert (and this is a personal view only after listening to over 7 hours of performances) it is more than good enough for any event let alone the European Championships.   The addition of an acoustic shell to surround the back of the band on stage will add even more focus to the projection of the sound – one that with the band sat ahead of the stage opening fills the hall with clean and clear immediacy whilst it may not share the same characteristics as say the Stravinski Auditorium in Montreux or Symphony Hall in Birmingham neither does it come close to the inherent faults of the recent EBBC venues at the Kursaal in Ostende Le Nouvelle Siecle in Lille or the Konzerthaus in Frieburg (which EBBA hosted).   Not even the Norwegians mention that one.    Speaking to the likes of the experienced conductor and Lithuanian EBBA delegate Remigijus Vily the composer and respected music journalist Kazys Daugela and Netherlands EBBA delegate Jappie Dijkstra there is a reserved sense of confidence that the local organisers have done as much as they can to enable the EBBA delegation to make an informed decision There will be no need for any artificial sound and I hope the EBBA delegates will see and hear what we have done.” Kazys added: “It is my experience that no two countries work the same to reach the same goal but I believe we have now overcome any misunderstandings to work towards hosting the European Championships in 2020 in Palanga.   The investment in the event has already been large but everyone is determined to carry on that work further so we will do everything to make it happen.” the added bonus would be the sheer enthusiasm of an emerging banding nation to embrace what the Championships has to offer  “The appetite for brass banding is huge here,” he said “It is youthful and vibrant with so much eagerness to learn and develop It also offers a big market place for traders - something which could benefit EBBA’s sponsors too.” ​Those with a sweet tooth or two may want to indulge in chocolate and bubble gum falafels.   Travel arrangements to Palanga aren’t a problem and the small but efficient airport is just 20 minutes from the concert hall spotlessly clean with welcoming staff (the wi-fi is super fast and free) The food is good and the beer cheap.   And whilst there are still little things to do - some double doors need to be installed to insulate the hall from all outside noise for example with a potential two years to go before the event could be staged here the Lithuanians have done a remarkable job in getting things done to meet the appropriately stringent EBBA standards as one of the players from Filton Concert Band said after they had enjoyed a standing ovation following their Gala Concert performance; “I wish you could bottle this enthusiasm for brass banding and take it home with us.” and if EBBAs delegation are equally impressed that sense of enthusiasm coupled with a renewed proactive partnership with Palanga could be shared by the whole of European banding for years to come.  It won’t be for the lack of endeavour on behalf of the most welcoming of hosts.  Saturday 10 May • Winter Gardens Complex May 5 • Ocean Brass are inviting applications for our Principal Cornet position as we prepare for an exciting schedule of concerts and contests in the second section through 2025 and beyond May 4 • Following a successful start to our 2025 contest season Rode Hall Band are looking for a good FRONT ROW CORNET player to join this enthusiastic friendly and progressive 3rd section band based on the Cheshire/Staffordshire border Rode Hall Band are looking for a good SOPRANO CORNET player to join this enthusiastic Routes is part of the Informa Markets Division of Informa PLC The newest WIZZ service twice a week connects the Lithuanian city with Dortmund in Germany Seats on the route can be booked on wizzair.com or via the WIZZ mobile app from EUR 9.99* which includes a free carry-on luggage allowance of up to 40x30x20cm dimensions Germany's eighth largest city Dortmund offers a picture full of contrasts With a long and rich history that goes back over 1,100 years it offers lots of things to see around town: starting with historic buildings like Altes Stadthaus concrete constructions with Romanesque churches like the Reinoldikirche and the near-complete destruction of Dortmund's city centre during World War II (98%) it offers extraordinary architectural landscape Located in the centre of Europe the city is a perfect example where the industrial meets old age charm Wizz Air’s first Palanga flight took of 2016 connecting Lithuania’s “summer capital” with London Luton During that time WIZZ carried almost 200,000 passengers on its low fare routes to and from Palanga Overall the airline offers a total of 26 low-fare routes to 15 countries from its three Lithuanian airports providing affordable access for both business and leisure travellers across the Europe Corporate Communications Manager at Wizz Air said: “We are delighted to add a new service from Palanga to Dortmund operating on Wednesdays and Sundays that will provide convenient affordable travel option for both business and leisure travellers We are confident that our customers will appreciate this low-fare connection to Dortmund and this route will be as popular as the other 25 in our Lithuanian network We will continue to further expand our network footprint and provide truly affordable prices as well as stimulate the local economy of the communities we serve.” The Lithuanian network of airports includes three airports in Vilnius they served 6.3 million passengers and 61 thousand flights 14 airline companies organize flights in 86 directions to 67 cities in 27 countries Based on data of the Airports Council International (ACI Europe) Lithuanian airports contribute to the Lithuania’s GDP by 2.5 percent When dozens of Lithuanian municipalities are under a state of emergency due to the lasting drought there is one municipality on the Baltic coast than cannot be any happier about the rainless months The scorching sun and the sweltering temperatures have worked wonders for it so far bump upward in tourist numbers in May and June and the sunny weather forecasts stoke even more optimism for the upcoming summer months «The unseasonably hot weather in May and June has sent hordes of visitors to Palanga Coupled with the new exciting local infrastructure the start of this high summer season is excellent,» Rasa Kmitienė director of Palanga Tourism Information Centre local businesses offer a bigger than usually variety of leisure and amusement forms for all this summer «Palanga has done a lot in diverting the crowd from its main Basanavičius promenade to the adjacent streets and hot spots,» she remarked Palanga would be enticing to rowdy and raucous youngsters who would come here to carouse from the neighbouring provincial towns the visitors of the kind have nearly petered out «Palanga offers a good variety of services and prices Those with a thicker wallet can stay in a posh 150-something-a-night hotel and those less well-to-do can pick a 5-euro-a-night accommodation in the modest-looking guest houses,» the Centre director said Weary and wary of the bad last summer season Palanga hotel and cafe owners hope plenty of sunshine will not leave them any time soon «I would say May and June of the year made up what we lost last year due to the incessant rains,» said Adelina Sabaliauskaitė an organisation uniting the resort‘s private sector accommodation providers are set to edge up from July 1 as the high summer season kicks in due to the larger throngs of people bound to the coast president of the association of Palanga Hotels and Restaurants also noted to BNN that the prolonged waves of unusual heat in May and June have been a big game-changer this season «All registered higher attendance rates,» she said On top of the Palanga visitor chart sits Lithuanians who make up can 60-70 percent of all the visitors the foreigners plan their trip to Palanga well in advance,» she noted Around 70 hotels in the resort can accommodate over 15 thousand people at the same time an increase of 107 thousand from the previous year the resort of Druskinininkai in southern Lithuania did not feel any heat-related surge in tourist numbers we always do better when the sun hides behind the clouds the lakes and the rivers or go to the Baltic coastline,» Rimantas Palionis director of the Druskinininkai Tourism Information Centre has brought in some record tourist flows to Druskininkai the resort welcomes around 330 thousand visitors every year Asked to discern any peculiarities of this season Palionis noted a significant increase of Jewish guests «It is a result of the new direct flight between Vilnius and Tel Aviv,» he underscored Before the Jews would arrive in summer only Druskininkai has also registered a 16 per cent hike in Slavic tourists this year «That the Belarusians come in big numbers is not a surprise as we have a Belarusian company-run sanatorium over here the year-on-year increase of 16 per cent in Russian tourists in the first quarter of the year is a nice surprise,» he remarked There was also a considerable growth of Estonian visitors the most rapidly growing Lithuanian resort has seemingly also benefited from high temperatures «We had some really big flows here in May and June Many of the visitors told us they sought refuge here from the heatwaves in their urbanized town and cities nearby,» Ramunė Glatkauskaitė a representative of the Birštonas Tourism Information Centre Birštonas sits on the bank of the river Nemunas thence the good selection of water activities in the balneological resort the statistics of Lithuania‘s Tourism Department show a significant increase in inbound tourism this year most visitors arrived from Russia – 43 thousand (a 14.9 per cent increase From 20 to 30 thousand tourists arrived from Latvia About 10 thousand Estonians and Brits arrived while there were about six thousand visitors from both Sweden and Norway Lithuania is also increasingly visited by tourists from other foreign countries The inflow from China increased by 23 per cent from Japan by 15 per cent and from Israel by 5.7 per cent When it comes to the capital city of Vilnius it was visited by 7.5 per cent more people than last year in the same period About 77 per cent of all visitors of the city were foreign tourists – almost 161 thousand people Vilnius hotels received more than 209 thousand guests Lithuania went blue – a blue hexagram on a white background between two horizontal blue stripes is depicted on the Israeli flag – in a sign of solidarization with the brutally stricken country “Israeli flags adorned our Palanga bridge – we solidarize with Israel,” reads a social media post by Palangos mayor Šarūnas Vaitkus Be it the building of Lithuanian Seimas (Parliament) or even some of the state-of-the art towering private business-run buildings in Vilnius the flags raised on them symbolize the pain being shared by most Lithuanians the topic of Israel has been on the lips of many local politicians and  Lithuanian europarliamentarians a Homeland Union- LCD member working as part of the European People’s Party in the European Parliament said: “In the context of the ongoing war in Ukraine with Iran rallying behind Russia in it and considering that Iran has a history of supporting the military organisations which executed the atrocious attack against Israel I believe the fallout from it will be far reaching and perhaps unpredictable now.” Israel’s relations with the Palestinians have always been complicated beheading old Israelis and taking dozen hostages is just beyond comprehension.” any attempt to justify the attack is tantamount to justification of Holocaust I will not be surprised to learn soon that not only Iran which name was mentioned in communiques to europarliamentarians will soon emerge as the participants behind the attack” she accentuated regardless of the nature of terrorism – be it from a terrorist organisation like Hamas or a state it is obvious that it poses an increasingly bigger risk to security not in the easily inflammable region but internationally too such (terrorist) organisations would execute relatively low-scale ambushes with limited consequences But now they match or even surpass special military operations being craftily prepared by countries’ defence ministries It is evident that terrorism is obtaining a new shape much more menacing and dangerous with far reaching consequences and an impact on the geopolitics globally,” the MEP underscored to BNN the situation is particularly tense on the border with Gaza as well as in the Golan Heights in the north of Israel and on the border with Lebanon and in the Jenin the Lithuanian Seimas began its plenary session by paying tribute to the victims of the attacks by the terrorist group Hamas in Israel the outpouring sympathy and solidarization with Israel in Lithuania was soured by MP Remigijus Žemaitaitis who posted audacious remarks on the internet alleging that “few cared when the Israelis tore down a Palestinian school recently.” for our journalists and local Lithuanian Jews the demolition of schools in Palestine is yet another pastime? Putin is having fun in Ukraine with the local schoolchildren and their future,” his post said Israel has said the building did not have the necessary permits After the Seimas speaker asked all MPs to stand up for a symbolic minute of silence in the Seimas the controversial MP stood up and walked out from the sitting hall “After a minute’s silence was announced in the Seimas hall to honour those killed in Israel Remigijus Žemaitaitis demonstratively left the hall The patient is anti-Semitic,” Tomas Raskevičius after a minute’s silence was announced derogatory form to refer to Jews and also called Jews Druzhinniki – a term used for volunteer police in the former Soviet Union The Seimas seeks to impeach him for the antisemitic remarks analysts say the lawmaker is seeking to galvanise his supporters There are rumours the MP is establishing his own political party to participate in the 2024 Seimas elections has also said it is “monitoring” limited antisemitic rhetoric on various social medias With Lithuanian nationals stranded in Israel from Israel landed in Vilnius on Wednesday from Tel Aviv was delayed again last night after having been postponed twice Skyllence CEO Vilma Vaitiekūnaitė told LRT Radio that “141 people and a baby” were aboard the plane including 97 Lithuanian citizens and 27 Israeli citizens The passengers included a group of around 40 pilgrims who were in the Israeli-occupied West Bank during Hamas’ weekend attacks on Israel The Lithuanian Armed Forces’ Spartan aircraft evacuated another group of 29 Lithuanian citizens from Israel to Turkey on Wednesday evening According to information provided by Lithuanian authorities over the weekend around 7 000 Lithuanian citizens live in Israel and about 450 others were temporarily visiting the country The Lithuanian Foreign Ministry has issued recommendations not to travel to Israel and the Palestinian territories