Schengen Area

On Thursday Lithuania's Interior Minister Saulius Skvernelis is attending the European Union's (EU) Justice and Home Affairs Council in Luxembourg. Responding to a recent refugee crisis, ministers of the EU member states will negotiate on external border control and on the future of return policies ...

Discussions about the refugee crisis and how to solve it has moved from the European Union to the United Nations General Assembly, where most national leaders spoke about settling the conflicts in Syria and Iraq and fighting international terrorism. Among the highlights were the speeches and meeting...

Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevičius says that Lithuania currently is not considering the option to close its borders due to the refugee crisis.

In case of a refugee influx, Lithuania would be ready to resume temporary border controls, says Interior Minister Saulius Skvernelis.

Lithuania's Foreign Minister Linas Linkevičius expressed hope that the border control introduced by Germany would not trigger "chain reactions" that would destroy the Schengen zone.

The Government of Lithuania on Wednesday raised the level of terrorism threat from lowest to low.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Linas Linkevičius does not agree that in an attempt to curb immigration people should be banned from entering the European Union.

There should be no restrictions on free movement of person in the Schengen Area following the recent terrorist attacks in Paris. However, some countries might in some cases step up control of their national borders, Lithuanian Permanent Representatives to the EU Raimundas Karoblis says.

Citizens of Russia and other third countries will be able to get short-term visas to the Schengen zone on the border of the area, including Lithuania, starting next year, the Lietuvos Žinios daily reports.

The Seimas of Lithuania on Thursday passed a bill, tightening requirements for foreigners who want to reside in Lithuania.