Lithuania has entered 2022: with fewer fireworks and hopes for crises
Although this year, unlike last year, the new ones are not being quarantined, due to the risk of the virus, some Lithuanian cities have taken measures to prevent crowds from gathering.
A special video projection illuminated on the bell tower of the cathedral in Vilnius on Friday evening. The capital’s authorities have refused to organize fireworks, citing human health and animal welfare.
Celebrating people at midnight, the city center really gathered less than in the pre-pandemic year. In various parts of the city, however, the skies were, as usual, illuminated by fireworks allowed by the residents.
Alytus, Birštonas and Neringa did not order fireworks this year either.
Kaunas city dwellers planned to delight with fireworks in seven wide places, but the last part of such plans was abandoned due to rain and fog.
Palanga also decided to accept fireworks in the evening due to the extremely thick fog.
A year of crisis
In 2021, Lithuania dealt with an unprecedented crisis on the border with Belarus, tensions in relations with China over the opening of a Taiwanese office, a pandemic exacerbated tensions in society, which illustrated the riots near the Seimas, and a record rise in prices at the end of the year.
“I want to thank and thank those who have encouraged each other during this trying period, mobilized communities, and made a sincere effort to help another person who is really unfamiliar. Each and everyone together we are once again showing the power of Lithuania, ”said President Gitanas Nausėda.
the start of vaccination has been given a ray of hope for the elderly in the elderly, but a new strain of omicrons and relatively sluggish vaccination of vulnerable groups is still forbidden to predict the end of the pandemic.
As we entered the new ones, discussions gradually began to engage as to whether Lithuania had managed to avoid a new wave of the virus being observed in Western Europe in the coming months. Governments do not rule out the possibility of strict but brief quarantine in the coming months.
On the other hand, preliminary data on a milder, highly ill omis strain suggest that this may be the beginning of the end of a pandemic.
The general state of the Lithuanian economy is also not bad – economic growth could reach almost 5 percent this year, and between 3 and 4 percent next year, mostly wages and pensions.
However, when welcoming the new ones, people are also anxiously watching rising prices – annual inflation was announced to have exceeded 10 percent a few days ago. This is mainly due to housing, water, electricity prices, food prices and food prices.
On the road to trouble and the maneuvers of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The next month is probably a parody of whether its mobilized Russian troops will attack Ukraine or withdraw if Moscow demands talks with the United States.