Rampant inflation!

The Baltic Course reports that from March public bus tickets (if pre-purchased) will rise to 2 litas per bus journey (if your journey involves more than 1 bus, you pay it for each bus). Only in December 2008 the cost had increased from 1.10 LT to 1.80 LT, after several years at that level. Shocking or what?

Meanwhile the same paper tells us that the government is now looking at establishing a new airline, in place of flyLAL which went bankrupt in January, with the state holding a share in it. At the moment the situation is rather chronic, with folk having to hop via all sorts of places to get to major capitals. I hope they get it up, soon - as long as the state does not take too much of a financial hit. Does not look like we could afford that!

Landsbergis for President??

Story in Lietuvos Rytas today about some idea that Vytautas Landsbergis (76) should run for president at the next election later this year.  I don't think so!

He was a hero in 1990/1991 when he led Lithuania to freedom, but now he seems like a frail old man, who has in the past had some serious health problems.

Time to let the young ones at the job.

Imbrasas is out!

The Vilnius city Mayor, Juozas Imbrasas, who I never cared for that much, has finally been voted out, in a vote of no confidence, it says here. Thank goodness for that. He was kind of unknown before he became mayor and people saw him as Rolandas Paksas' puppet (Paksas was the president who was impeached a few years ago). The vote of no confidence was based on the suggestion that Imbrasas managed the city in the interests of his political party.

But, in true old Soviet fashion, he is going to appeal to the courts over this; meanwhile it seems he has no intention of vacating his seat. Not sure what the courts have to do with a democratic process.....