The government yesterday congratulated Lithuania for completing its most recent election, in which the opposition Social Democratic Party on Sunday won the most seats of any party in its parliament.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement extended its sincere congratulations to Lithuania “on the successful completion of the election.”
“Taiwan looks forward to working with Lithuania’s new government and political parties ... to continue to enhance bilateral relations, uphold the rules-based international order, and promote peace, stability and prosperity in Europe and the Indo-Pacific region,” it said.
Photo: Reuters
The Social Democrats won 52 seats in the 141-member assembly, a gain of 39 seats from the previous parliament, Lithuanian election data showed.
The ruling Homeland Union party was second with 28 seats.
The leader of the Social Democrats, Vilija Blinkeviciute, told reporters that she believed her party would be able to form a majority in parliament along with its likely coalition partners, the Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union and the Union of Democrats “For Lithuania.”
Homeland Union leader Gabrielius Landsbergis conceded defeat and congratulated the Social Democrats.
Despite the change of administration, Lithuania would continue its hardline approach toward Russia and keep its pro-Western foreign policy, Politico Europe reported, citing Mazvydas Jastramskis, an associate professor at the Vilnius University Institute of International Relations and Political Science.
Relations between Taiwan and Lithuania have blossomed in the past few years, with the two sides in July 2021 signing an agreement to open reciprocal representative offices.
Taiwan opened its office in Vilnius on Nov. 18, 2021, while the Lithuanian Trade Representative Office officially opened in Taipei on Nov. 7, 2022.
WANG RELEASED: A police investigation showed that an organized crime group allegedly taught their clients how to pretend to be sick during medical exams Actor Darren Wang (王大陸) and 11 others were released on bail yesterday, after being questioned for allegedly dodging compulsory military service or forging documents to help others avoid serving. Wang, 33, was catapulted into stardom for his role in the coming-of-age film Our Times (我的少女時代). Lately, he has been focusing on developing his entertainment career in China. The New Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office last month began investigating an organized crime group that is allegedly helping men dodge compulsory military service using falsified documents. Police in New Taipei City Yonghe Precinct at the end of last month arrested the main suspect,
A cat named Mikan (蜜柑) has brought in revenue of more than NT$10 million (US$305,390) for the Kaohsiung MRT last year. Mikan, born on April 4, 2020, was a stray cat before being adopted by personnel of Kaohsiung MRT’s Ciaotou Sugar Refinery Station. Mikan was named after a Japanese term for mandarin orange due to his color and because he looks like an orange when curled up. He was named “station master” of Ciaotou Sugar Refinery Station in September 2020, and has since become famous. With Kaohsiung MRT’s branding, along with the release of a set of cultural and creative products, station master Mikan
RISING TOURISM: A survey showed that tourist visits increased by 35 percent last year, while newly created attractions contributed almost half of the growth Changhua County’s Lukang Old Street (鹿港老街) and its surrounding historical area clinched first place among Taiwan’s most successful tourist attractions last year, while no location in eastern Taiwan achieved a spot in the top 20 list, the Tourism Administration said. The listing was created by the Tourism Administration’s Forward-looking Tourism Policy Research office. Last year, the Lukang Old Street and its surrounding area had 17.3 million visitors, more than the 16 million visitors for the Wenhua Road Night Market (文化路夜市) in Chiayi City and 14.5 million visitors at Tainan’s Anping (安平) historical area, it said. The Taipei 101 skyscraper and its environs —
Taiwan on Friday said a New Zealand hamburger restaurant has apologized for a racist remark to a Taiwanese customer after reports that it had first apologized to China sparked outrage in Taiwan. An image posted on Threads by a Taiwanese who ate at Fergburger in Queenstown showed that their receipt dated Sunday last week included the words “Ching Chang,” a racial slur. The Chinese Consulate-General in Christchurch in a statement on Thursday said it had received and accepted an apology from the restaurant over the incident. The comment triggered an online furor among Taiwanese who saw it as an insult to the
RSS