Press release, 18 May 2020

On 15 May, the President of the Republic of Lithuania has signed the proposed amendment to the Law on Employment. One of the amendment proposals, presented by Virginija Vingrienė and Tomas Tomilinas, members of the Lithuanian parliament, provides an increase in employee wage subsidies granted to employers who conduct their business in line with the European Green Deal policy, whose activities are geared towards technological progress, who participate in social discourse, and provide knowledge-intensive services.

According to the initiator of the amendment, Virginija Vingrienė, the European Green Deal is a new strategy for Europe’s economic growth, which intends to create a just and prosperous society within the European Union, one characterized by a modern, resource-efficient and competitive economy. “The policy includes measures for a sustainable, zero-waste economy, based on reusing recycled materials, and meant to prevent (and eventually stop) the process of climate change”, noted V. Vingrienė.

“As we begin to deal with the challenges and consequences of the quarantine, the European Green Deal must become our primary guideline for reinvigorating Lithuanian business”, she added. “It is my opinion, and that of many other experts, that an industry which operates in accordance with the Green Deal, together with governmental support and close coordination with other EU member states, is the surest and the most prospective of scenarios for a post-pandemic future.”

V. Vingrienė notes that the arguments in support of Green Deal’s utility and long-term gain have been expressed by several high-ranking EU politicians, including Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, and Angela Merkel, the Chancelor of Germany. They have repeatedly stressed the importance of the Green Deal to the economic rejuvenation of the EU. According to them, the Green Deal has the potential to turn this catastrophic pandemic into an unprecedented opportunity to rapidly establish a new, technologically innovative economy, which would prove much more durable against similar crises in the future.

„It must be made clear that the successful implementation of this policy depends on how consistently its goals and milestones will be met. We must not miss this invaluable opportunity for economic growth. Therefore, it would be most beneficial to gear financial aid and other means of support towards a working, creative, open-minded and prospective businesses in our country.”