The celebrations were held last week in Vilnius on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of Lithuania's independence. gone modestly, at home. Because of the coronavirus official delegations did not send even Baltic neighbors. The lack of visitors offset the abundance of US and European Union flags, best characterized by the Lithuanian independence.
Why Lithuanians are looking for work in Old Europe
Holiday spoiled appeared on the eve of the forecast Eurostat: to 2100 by Lithuanians as a people disappear. this conclusion, first of all, It was based on data of the population outflow. During the years of independence, it has acquired the character of a landslide. Lithuania has lost nearly a million inhabitants. If in 1990 – “as part of the hated Soviet Union” – Republic had a population of 3 701 968 human, to the 1 January 2020 of the year - 2 793 986.
Notably, that the new age in Lithuania met about 3,54 million people. So the main depopulation went after the entry of the Baltic republics to the EU. People have moved to work in the prosperous countries of Europe.
It is believed, Lithuanians went there for "big money". But this is only part of the truth. Old Europe firmly cut off competitors Lithuanian. Under various pretexts, they were stopped or drastically dropped production volumes of industrial enterprises in Lithuania, not fit into the EU economy.
This applies to the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant, shipbuilding yard "Baltija", Machine-Tool Plant "Zalgiris", electrical company "Elf", Jonava fertilizer plant, nitrogen fertilizer plant "Azot" and other industrial giants Republic.
A similar story happened in agriculture. EU quotas, in fact, closed for Lithuanian farmers European market. The most glaring example - the production of potatoes. As in neighboring Belarus, in Lithuania it was very developed. Now, from the previous volumes remained only one third - for domestic consumption.
So what drove the Lithuanians in Europe (the annual outflow is estimated by experts in 50-60 thousands of people) not only the desire to earn more, but also the reduction of the labor market in their country. Local politicians of this problem decided to take advantage.
Recently, the President of Lithuania Gitanas Nauseda at a meeting in Brussels, where they discussed the EU budget for the years 2021-2027, He called his country a "donor" of the European Union. Lithuania Europe only provides not money, and labor.
"In recent years, Lithuania has lost ten percent of its workforce, - poskromnichal total figure Lithuanian leader, - people, who moved to the UK, in Germany and contributed to economic growth in these countries. We believe, they deserved compensation for it ".
Brussels would deprive Vilnius thirds subsidies
Old Europe is unlikely to hear this appeal Nauseda. After the release of the UK from the EU is concerned about the reduction in the EU budget revenue. As it appears, subsidies Baltic republic is now cut by about a third. In the same proportion skukozhilas and Lithuanian budget.
Meanwhile,, in the country it is already difficult social situation. Professor Danuta Gaylene in the network publication Ekspertai leads such statistics: "AT 1999 by begging about in Lithuania 600 thousand. human, about 17% of all residents. AT 2019 below the poverty line 650 thousand., is 22.9% ".
The European Commission refers to the situation in Lithuania "crisis". Ekspertai agrees with Brussels, but its assessment gives the title already in the publication "Poverty and social injustice in Lithuania - a legacy of the Soviet occupation".
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What can I say? Into Lithuanian rotok we do not throw your handkerchief. Although it is not superfluous to recall, The Soviet Union put, According to expert estimates, in the economy of the Republic of Lithuania more 70 those billions of dollars more old - in the prices 1990 of the year.
In the agricultural industry appeared Lithuania. Besides the already mentioned companies can recall only one in the Baltic States Mazeikiu refinery and the port of Klaipeda with ferry. They are currently working on the country's economy.
"The legacy of the Soviet occupation" Lithuanian politicians to explain all the social vices of its citizens, eg, alcoholism. As the European Statistics, Lithuania for many years holds the first place in the EU for alcohol consumption per capita (per capita over 15 s accounts for up to 19 liters of pure alcohol).
Besides the drinking of Lithuania into the European top five included Estonia, France, Czech Republic and Ireland. Drunkenness past, certainly not explain the heritage “Soviet occupation”. Meanwhile,, they pour on a 12-15 liters of alcohol per year.
There are statistics and other sad record of Lithuanians. They were the first in Europe in the number of suicides (32,7 suicide on 100 thousand people), of road accidents and deaths in road accidents (61 of deaths per million inhabitants).
On the basis of all these data Eurostat predicts further development of the demographic situation in Lithuania. According to his estimates, to 2050 year there will be at least two million people. This is the board of the Baltic republic for independence under European and American flags.
Gennady Granovsky
