Įvykių Vilniuje dalyvis

 

Andrew Eiva yra gynybos politikos ekspertas, buvęs JAV armijos specialiųjų pajėgų (žaliųjų berečių) karininkas ir lobistas, žinomas dėl reikšmingos įtakos JAV užsienio politikai vėlyvojo Šaltojo karo metu.

 

 

Biografija ir karinė karjera

 

 

Andrius Linas Eitavičius gimė 1948 m. pabėgėlių stovykloje Bonoje, Vakarų Vokietijoje, ir yra kilęs iš Lietuvos.

 

 

1972 m. jis baigė Vest Pointo universitetą ir tarnavo žaliųjų berečių kapitonu, galiausiai palikdamas kariuomenę, siekdamas savarankiškų geopolitinių tikslų.

 

 

Pagrindiniai indėliai

 

 

Afganų mudžahedų apginklavimas: Eiva buvo pagrindinis JAV pagalbos Afganistano pasipriešinimo kovotojams atnaujinimo šalininkas Sovietų Sąjungos ir Afganistano karo metu. Jis įkūrė Amerikos Afganistano veiksmų federaciją (FAAA), kad dirbtų lobistais dėl veiksmingesnių ginklų, ypač priešlėktuvinės raketos „Stinger“, teigdamas, kad pradinė CŽV politika suteikė tik tiek, kad pakaktų „kovoti ir mirti“.

 

 

Lietuviškos nepriklausomybės: Vedamas savo paveldo ir senelio, kaip Lietuvos generolo, istorijos, Eiva aktyviai rėmė Lietuvos nepriklausomybę nuo Sovietų Sąjungos.

 

1991 m. „Sausio įvykių“ metu Vilniuje jis patarė Lietuvos vyriausybei dėl Aukščiausiosios Tarybos pastato gynimo nuo sovietų pajėgų.

 

Advokacija ir žmogaus teisės: Už Afganistano ir Lietuvos ribų jis dirbo su įvairiais žmogaus teisių ir gynybos klausimais, įskaitant lobizmą, siekiant apginkluoti Bosniją ir Kosovą nuo etninio valymo 10-ajame dešimtmetyje.

 

Apdovanojimai

 

Vyčio Kryžiaus ordinas: Šis aukštas Lietuvos valstybės apdovanojimas jam buvo suteiktas už indėlį, atkuriant šalies nepriklausomybę.

Participant of Events in Vilnius

Andrew Eiva is a defense policy expert, former U.S. Army Special Forces (Green Beret) officer, and lobbyist known for his significant influence on U.S. foreign policy during the late Cold War

.

Background and Military Career

 

 

Born Andrius Linas Eitavicius in a refugee camp in Bonn, West Germany, in 1948, he is of Lithuanian descent.

 

He graduated from West Point in 1972 and served as a captain in the Green Berets, eventually leaving the military to pursue independent geopolitical goals.

 

Key Contributions

 

    Arming the Afghan Mujahideen: Eiva was a primary advocate for upgrading U.S. aid to Afghan resistance fighters during the Soviet-Afghan War. He founded the Federation for American Afghan Action (FAAA) to lobby for more effective weapons, most notably the Stinger antiaircraft missile, arguing that the CIA's initial policy only provided enough to "fight and die".

    Lithuanian Independence: Driven by his heritage and his grandfather’s history as a Lithuanian general, Eiva actively supported Lithuanian independence from the Soviet Union.

 

During the "January Events" of 1991 in Vilnius, he advised the Lithuanian government on defending the Supreme Council building against Soviet forces.

 

 

    Advocacy and Human Rights: Beyond Afghanistan and Lithuania, he has worked on various human rights and defense causes, including lobbying to arm Bosnia and Kosovo against ethnic cleansing in the 1990s.

 

Honors

 

    Order of the Cross of Vytis: He was awarded this high Lithuanian state honor for his contributions to the country's restoration of independence.

Viduriniosios klasės pensininkams Florida tampa neįperkama

„SARASOTA, Florida. – Michele Butler ir Wells Chapin 2023 m. persikėlė iš Mičigano į vakarinę Floridos pakrantę, tikėdamiesi jos plano palikti restoranų verslą ir prisijungti prie savo partnerio išėjus į pensiją. Jie nusipirko 950 000 USD vertės namą naujame kurortinio stiliaus kvartale Lakewood Ranch rajone, netoli Sarasotos, kuris pritraukia daug naujų, pasiturinčių pensininkų. 70 metų Butler ir 82 metų Chapin žaidžia golfą 18 duobučių aikštyne, važinėja dviračiais vingiuotais takais ir mėgaujasi saulėlydžiais savo verandoje.

 

Kitais metais Jimas ir Nina Cope pasuko priešinga kryptimi, pardavę savo mobilųjį namą senjorų bendruomenėje Avon Parke, Floridoje, už 59 000 USD po pakartotinių nuomos kainų šuolių. Pora, kuriai apie 85 metai, nusipirko namą už 40 000 USD Haleyville, Alabamos valstijoje, kur jų pragyvenimo išlaidos yra lengviau valdomos dėl pajamų, kurias jie gauna iš socialinio draudimo ir jo karinio jūrų laivyno pensijų išmokos.

 

Abiejų porų patirtis atspindi naują Saulėtosios valstijos realybę: jos vyresnio amžiaus gyventojai keičiasi, nes pragyvenimo išlaidos valstijoje sparčiai auga. Turtingi asmenys sudaro vis didesnę dalį žmonių, atvykstančių į Floridą iš kitų valstijų, sulaukusių pensinio amžiaus ar arti jo, o daugelis dirbančių ir viduriniosios klasės vyresnio amžiaus žmonių, kurie jaučiasi išsekę, keliasi kitur.

 

Nauji migracijos modeliai padeda keisti Floridos tapatybę, pakeisdami jos ilgalaikę reputaciją kaip rojaus įvairaus plauko pensininkams į tokią, kuri pirmiausia skirta pasiturintiems. Dešimtmečius gyvavęs pažadas apie įperkamą, saulėtą prieglobstį blėsta dėl aukštų būstų kainų, draudimo įmokų ir nekilnojamojo turto mokesčių, be kitų išlaidų.

 

Net ir kuklaus buto įsigijimo kaina padidėjo dėl neseniai priimtų įstatymų, kuriais siekiama sustiprinti butų saugumą ir finansus po 2021 m. pastato griūties Surfside, Floridoje.

 

Mobiliųjų namų parkai, kurie anksčiau buvo pigus pasirinkimas, tampa brangesni, nes didelės įmonės juos įsigyja ir didina nuomos mokesčius už po jais esančią žemę, teigia gyventojų gynėjai. Arba jie visiškai išnyksta, kai statytojai juos nuperka ir paverčia brangesniais būstais.

 

Tuo tarpu nekilnojamojo turto vystytojai didžiąją dalį savo naujos statybos sutelkia į aukštesnės klasės rinką, siūlydami projektus su patogumais, tokiais kaip SPA centrai, aukštųjų technologijų sporto centrai ir aukščiausios klasės virtuvė.

 

„Pensininkų rinka Floridoje neabejotinai keičiasi“, – sakė Laura Cole, vyresnioji viceprezidentė „Lakewood Ranch“, didžiulėje planuojamoje bendruomenėje, kurioje yra prabangių, pensininkams skirtų projektų. „Dėmesys perėjo nuo vertės pirkėjo prie vidutinės ir aukštos klasės.“

 

Nors vyresnio amžiaus žmonių ir toliau atvyksta daugiau nei išvyksta, ši grynoji migracija per pastarąjį dešimtmetį skyrėsi pagal pajamų grupes.

 

Remiantis „Wall Street Journal“ atlikta surašymo duomenų, archyvuotų Minesotos universiteto IPUMS, analize, 2023 m. namų ūkių, kurių infliacijos pakoreguotos pajamos yra bent 125 000 USD ir kuriems vadovauja 65 metų ar vyresnis asmuo, srautas išaugo 5 %, palyginti su ankstesniu dešimtmečiu. Palyginimui, panašių namų ūkių, kurių infliacijos pakoreguotos pajamos yra 75 000 USD ar mažesnės, srautas sumažėjo 44 %. Namų ūkiams, kuriems vadovavo 55–64 metų amžiaus asmenys, tendencija buvo tokia pati: aukštesnių pajamų grupės grynoji migracija išaugo 42 %, o žemesnių pajamų grupės – sumažėjo 17 %.

 

Daugelyje Floridos apygardų, kurios pritraukia daug pensininkų, iš kitų valstijų persikeliančių žmonių pajamos 2022 m. viršijo esamų gyventojų pajamas, teigė Bradas O'Connoras, vyriausiasis Floridos nekilnojamojo turto agentūros „Florida Realtors“, kuri surinko naujausius Vidaus pajamų tarnybos ir Surašymo biuro duomenis, ekonomistas. Koljerio apygardoje, kuriai priklauso Neapolis, naujai atvykusių asmenų iš Niujorko, pagrindinės tos apygardos valstijos, vidutinės pakoreguotos bendrosios pajamos siekė 401 000 USD, o iš antrosios pagal dydį Ilinojaus – 726 000 USD.

 

Turtingesnių žmonių antplūdis darė spaudimą būsto kainoms. Vidutinė būsto vertė Floridoje lapkritį buvo 372 000 USD – tai sumažėjimas, palyginti su pastaraisiais metais, tačiau reikšmingas padidėjimas, palyginti su 2019 m., kai ji siekė 246 000 USD, teigia „Zillow“. Majamio-Deido apygardoje milijono dolerių vertės vienos šeimos namų pardavimų dalis 2025 m. lapkričio mėn. šoktelėjo iki 25 %, palyginti su 8 % 2019 m., rodo Majamio nekilnojamojo turto agentų asociacijos analizė.

 

Majamio itin prabangių namų rinka pastaraisiais metais klestėjo – 2025 m. buvo sudaryti keturi sandoriai, kurių vertė viršijo 100 mln. USD, teigia vertinimo ir konsultacijų įmonė „Miller Samuel“. „Google“ įkūrėjas Larry Page'as neseniai įsigijo du didelius Majamio dvarus už bendrą 173,4 mln. USD, praėjusią savaitę pranešė „The Wall Street Journal“.

 

Kūrėjai orientuojasi į turtingus pensininkus, siūlydami prabangesnius pasiūlymus. „Moorings Park Communities“, prabangiame senjorų gyvenamųjų namų komplekse Neapolyje, butų kaina svyruoja nuo maždaug 600 000 USD už 900 kvadratinių pėdų studijos tipo butą iki daugiau nei 9 mln. USD už 8 800 kvadratinių pėdų mansardos butą. Yra sveikatingumo centras, golfo simuliacijos poilsio kambarys ir sveikatos priežiūros paslaugos.

 

Kayda ir Davidas Johnsonai, abu 77 metų, ten persikėlė iš San Diego 2021 m., trokšdami palikti praeityje Kalifornijos mokesčius ir miškų gaisrus bei traukiami Neapolio ir Muringo parko gyvenimo būdo, orientuoto į „sėkmingą senėjimą“. Po sėkmingos karjeros – jos darbo trijų vyresnio amžiaus žmonių apgyvendinimo įmonių vyriausiosios operacijų vadovės pareigose, o jo – pardavimų valdymo medicinos įmonėse – jie galėjo sau leisti aukščiausios klasės bendruomenę.

 

Džonsonai sumokėjo 2,5 mln. dolerių už 3 900 kvadratinių pėdų ploto butą golfo aikštyne. Jie dažnai lankosi sporto salėje ir reguliariai pietauja su draugais komplekso restoranuose.

 

„Tai prabangus gyvenimas aukščiausiu lygiu“, – sakė Kayda Johnson.

 

„Lakewood Ranch“ turi daugybę bendruomenių su gyvenamaisiais namais – nuo ​​kotedžų, kurių kaina siekia 200 000 dolerių, iki rūmų, kurių kaina viršija 3 milijonus dolerių. Remiantis „Lakewood Ranch“ duomenimis, namų pardavimai nuo 2023 iki 2025 m. augo dviejose kainų kategorijose – nuo ​​1 milijono dolerių ir mažiau nei 300 000 dolerių – o tarpinėse kategorijose mažėjo, rodo „Lakewood Ranch“ duomenys.

 

„Esplanade at Azario“ rajone, kuriame gyvena Butleris ir Chapinas, kainos svyruoja nuo maždaug 400 000 iki daugiau nei 2 milijonų dolerių. Yra kulinarijos centras, salonas, pickleball ir teniso kortai.

 

Diane Livingston, farmacijos įmonės IT vadovė, gyvenanti Iglvilyje, Pensilvanijos valstijoje, ilgai svajojo vėlesniais gyvenimo metais apsigyventi Floridoje. „Kiekvieną kartą, kai ten nuvykstu, stresas dingsta, žmonės atrodo laimingi – jie čia jaučiasi šiek tiek nelaimingai“, – sakė ji.

 

60 metų Livingston neseniai įsigijo 1900 kvadratinių pėdų ploto trijų miegamųjų namą, kuris kainavo 726 000 dolerių – mažiau nei ji tikisi gauti už savo namus Pensilvanijoje.

 

Kai kurie viduriniosios klasės Floridos pensininkai išvyksta. Willas Sawyeris, nekilnojamojo turto agentas iš Grinvilio, Pietų Karolinos valstijos, teigė, kad per pastaruosius pusantrų metų jis turėjo mažiausiai 10 klientų, kurie persikėlė iš Saulėtosios valstijos, dažnai nurodydami pragyvenimo išlaidų problemas kaip priežastį.

 

Tarp jų yra Michaelas ir Linda Blanc, kurie darbo metais persikėlė iš Niujorko į Floridą ir galiausiai apsigyveno Neapolyje.

 

Pora nusivylė didėjančiomis išlaidomis, tokiomis kaip būsto draudimas, kuris turėjo išaugti 1 000 USD iki 4 800 USD per metus, jei jie nepakeis stogo. 2025 m. pora – jis, 66 metų pensininkas laidojimo paslaugų direktorius, ir ji, 64 metų pensininkė slaugytoja – pardavė savo kotedžą už 350 000 USD ir už 320 000 USD nusipirko namą pusės akro sklype Grinvilyje. Jis teigė, kad daugelis jų išlaidų sumažėjo, įskaitant būsto draudimą ir nekilnojamojo turto mokesčius.

 

Mobiliųjų namų bendruomenės siūlo vienus iš paskutiniųjų įperkamų būstų Floridoje, tačiau net ir jie brangsta, teigė Patrickas McHughas, vyresnysis internetinis organizatorius MHAction, kuri gina surenkamų namų gyventojus. Paprastai tokie gyventojai valdo tik namą, o ne žemę po juo, už kurią moka sklypo nuomą. Pasak jo, daugelis mobiliųjų namų bendruomenių iš šeimos valdomos bendruomenės tapo įmonių valdomomis, todėl nuomos kainos reguliariai didėja.

 

Vienas iš tų, kurie jaučia šį spaudimą, yra 87 metų Josiah Hadly III, kuris su savo dabar jau mirusia žmona persikėlė iš Pensilvanijos į Floridą planuodamas išeiti į pensiją. Jo mėnesinė sklypo nuoma „Royal Palm Village“ mobiliųjų namų parke Haines City mieste šiais metais turėtų išaugti iki beveik 900 USD, palyginti su 420 USD, kai jis prieš aštuonerius metus pirko savo dvigubą namelį. Jis dirbo daugybę darbų – nuo ​​degalinės darbuotojo iki apsaugos darbuotojo, ir gauna apie 2400 USD per mėnesį socialinio draudimo įmokų ir nedidelį pensijų fondą, be to, tam tikrą giminaičių pagalbą ir periodines lėšas už rankų darbo meškiukų pardavimą.

 

Hadly teigė, kad atsisakė kabelinės televizijos ir valgo daugiausia vištieną ir makaronus vietoj jautienos. Jis sakė, kad svarsto galimybę persikelti gyventi pas vieną iš savo dukterų Pensilvanijoje.

 

„Florida man iš tikrųjų daugiau nieko neteikia“, – sakė Hadly." [1]

 

1. Middle Class Gets Priced Out Of Florida Retirement. Campo-Flores, Arian; Overberg, Paul.  Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y.. 13 Jan 2026: A1.  

Middle Class Gets Priced Out Of Florida Retirement

“SARASOTA, Fla. -- Michele Butler and Wells Chapin moved to the west coast of Florida from Michigan in 2023 in anticipation of her plan to exit the restaurant business and join her partner in retirement. They bought a $950,000 home at a new resort-style development in Lakewood Ranch, just outside Sarasota, that draws many new, well-heeled retirees. Butler, 70 years old, and Chapin, 82, golf at the 18-hole course, ride bikes on winding trails and enjoy sunsets on their lanai.

 

The following year, Jim and Nina Cope headed in the opposite direction, selling their mobile home in a retirement community in Avon Park, Fla., for $59,000 after repeated rent hikes for the lot. The couple, who are in their mid-80s, bought a home for $40,000 in Haleyville, Ala., where their living expenses are more manageable with the income they get from Social Security and his Navy retirement benefits.

 

The experiences of both couples reflect a new reality about the Sunshine State: Its older population is transforming as the state's costs of living balloon. Wealthy individuals make up a growing share of people at or near retirement age arriving in Florida from other states, according to U.S. Census Bureau data, while many working- and middle-class older people who feel priced out are moving elsewhere.

 

The new patterns of migration are helping reshape Florida's identity, swapping its long-held reputation as a paradise for retirees of all stripes for one that primarily caters to the well-heeled. The decades-old promise of an affordable sun-drenched sanctuary is fading in the face of high home prices, insurance premiums and property taxes, among other costs.

 

The cost of owning even a modest condo has increased because of recent laws aimed at shoring up condo safety and finances in the wake of the 2021 building collapse in Surfside, Fla.

 

Mobile-home parks that once provided a cheap option are becoming pricier, as large companies acquire them and raise rents on the land beneath, according to advocates for residents. Or they are disappearing altogether when builders buy them and convert them to costlier housing.

 

Meanwhile, real-estate developers are focusing much of their new construction on the high end of the market, featuring projects with amenities including spas, high-tech fitness centers and premium cuisine.

 

"The retiree market is definitely shifting in Florida," said Laura Cole, a senior vice president at Lakewood Ranch, a huge master planned community that includes posh developments targeted at retirees. "The focus has moved from the value buyer to midmarket and high end."

 

Although older people continue to arrive in greater numbers than those who leave, that net migration has varied by income bracket in the past decade.

 

In 2023, it grew 5% from a decade earlier for households with inflation-adjusted incomes of at least $125,000 and headed by someone 65 or older, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis of census data archived at IPUMS at the University of Minnesota. By comparison, the flow of similar households with inflation-adjusted incomes of $75,000 or less shrank 44%. The pattern was the same for households headed by someone aged 55 to 64: Net migration of the upper-income group grew 42% while, for the lower-income group, it fell 17%.

 

In many Florida counties that lure a lot of retirees, the income of people moving in from other states in 2022 surpassed that of existing residents, said Brad O'Connor, chief economist for Florida Realtors, which compiled the most recent Internal Revenue Service and Census Bureau data. In Collier County, which includes Naples, newcomers from New York, the top feeder state for that county, had average adjusted gross incomes of $401,000 while, for those from No. 2 Illinois, the average was $726,000.

 

The influx of wealthier people has added pressure on home prices. The average home value in Florida was $372,000 in November, a decline from recent years, but a significant increase from 2019, when it was $246,000, according to Zillow. In Miami-Dade County, the share of million-dollar-plus single-family home sales jumped to 25% in 2025 through November, from 8% in 2019, an analysis by the Miami Association of Realtors showed.

 

Miami's ultraluxury market has been sizzling in recent years, with four deals above $100 million in 2025, according to Miller Samuel, an appraisal and consulting firm. Google co-founder Larry Page recently bought two large Miami estates for a combined $173.4 million, The Wall Street Journal reported last week.

 

Developers are catering to wealthy retirees with more-upscale offerings. At Moorings Park Communities, a luxury senior-living development in Naples, units range from about $600,000 for a 900-square-foot studio to more than $9 million for an 8,800-square-foot penthouse. Amenities include a wellness center, golf simulation lounge and healthcare services.

 

Kayda and David Johnson, both 77, moved there from San Diego in 2021, eager to leave behind California taxes and wildfires and attracted to the lifestyle in Naples and Moorings Park's focus on "successful aging." After accomplished careers -- hers as chief operating officer of three senior-living companies and his in sales management for medical companies -- they could afford a top-notch community.

 

The Johnsons paid $2.5 million for a 3,900-square-foot unit on the golf course. They use the fitness center often and regularly dine with friends in the complex's restaurants.

 

"It's luxury living at its finest," Kayda Johnson said.

 

Lakewood Ranch has a sprawling array of communities with residences ranging from townhomes in the $200,000s to palatial houses fetching more than $3 million. Home sales grew from 2023 to 2025 in two price categories -- $1 million-plus and below $300,000 -- while decreasing in the ranges in between, according to Lakewood Ranch data.

 

In the Esplanade at Azario development, where Butler and Chapin live, prices range from about $400,000 to more than $2 million. Facilities include a culinary center, salon and pickleball and tennis courts.

 

Diane Livingston, an IT manager for a pharmaceutical company who lives in Eagleville, Pa., long dreamed of settling in Florida in her later years. "Every time I go down, the stress goes away, people seem happy -- they're kind of miserable up here," she said.

 

Livingston, 60, recently closed on a 1,900-square-foot, three-bedroom house that cost $726,000 -- less than what she expects to get for her home in Pennsylvania.

 

Some middle-class Florida retirees are leaving. Will Sawyer, a real-estate agent in Greenville, S.C., said he has had at least 10 clients over the last year and a half who relocated from the Sunshine State, often citing cost-of-living concerns as a reason.

 

They include Michael and Linda Blanc, who had moved from New York to Florida during their working years and eventually settled in Naples.

 

The couple became frustrated with rising costs, such as their home insurance, which was slated to jump $1,000 to $4,800 per year if they didn't get their roof replaced. In 2025, the couple -- he, a 66-year-old retired funeral director and she, a 64-year-old retired nurse -- sold their townhome for $350,000 and bought a house on a half-acre in Greenville for $320,000. He said many of their costs have gone down, including home insurance and property taxes.

 

Mobile-home communities offer some of the last remaining affordable housing in Florida, but even these are getting more expensive, said Patrick McHugh, senior online organizer at MHAction, which advocates for manufactured-home residents. Typically, such residents own only the home, not the land beneath, for which they pay lot rent. Many mobile-home communities have gone from mom-and-pop operations to corporate ownership, resulting in regular rent increases, he said.

 

One of those feeling the squeeze is Josiah Hadly III, 87, who moved with his now-deceased wife from Pennsylvania to Florida with plans to retire. His monthly lot rent at Royal Palm Village mobile-home park in Haines City is slated to climb to nearly $900 this year, compared with $420 when he bought his double-wide eight years ago. He has held a host of jobs, from service station worker to security, and gets about $2,400 a month in Social Security and a small retirement fund, plus some help from relatives and periodic cash from selling teddy bears he makes by hand.

 

Hadly said he canceled his cable TV and eats mostly chicken and pasta instead of beef. He said he is considering moving in with one of his daughters in Pennsylvania.

 

"Florida doesn't really do anything for me anymore," Hadly said.” [1]

 

1. Middle Class Gets Priced Out Of Florida Retirement. Campo-Flores, Arian; Overberg, Paul.  Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y.. 13 Jan 2026: A1.  

Economist Explains Why He Would Withdraw from the Lithuanian Second Pension Pillar: the Reason Is Simple

“In the “Žinių radijo” program “Verslo pozizija” economist and mathematician Prof. Rimantas Rudzkis shared his insights.

 

– What do you think is the health of the Lithuanian economy?

 

– I think that the year is really successful, especially in the context of other European Union countries. In 2025, the economy grew much faster than the average, export indicators are good. I mean that the export of services demonstrates very good dynamics, which more than compensates for the trade deficit in goods.

 

In the past few years, Lithuania’s total export, and perhaps even the entire economy, has been driven by very successful export of services. We are used to the growth of transport services, but in the past three years, the export of information technology and financial services has been growing very rapidly.

 

In addition, the export of construction services has been expanding successfully for many years. We are increasingly resembling a developed country in the European Union, where services make up the majority of GDP.

 

From the perspective of the population, salaries have been growing, although the growth has slowed down slightly compared to previous years. However, it was impressive – about seven to eight percent per year. This is much faster than prices have grown. So life is improving.

 

The high unemployment rate is still somewhat worrying. This is a very important factor for the country, and it is even slightly higher than the European Union average. According to the Department of Statistics, the unemployment rate is about 7 percent. This number includes people who are actively looking for work.

 

Demographic indicators look very bad. When assessing the total birth rate, according to preliminary data, it has approached unity. For comparison, in 2023 it reached 1.18, in 2024 – 1.11.

 

Demographic indicators look very bad. When assessing the total birth rate, according to preliminary data, it has approached unity. For comparison, in 2023 it reached 1.18, in 2024 – 1.11.

 

In order for the nation not to shrink, this indicator should reach 2.1. Of course, in this respect we are not much different from other developed countries – this problem exists everywhere.

 

However, the dynamics in Lithuania are particularly poor: we are falling to last place, and I do not hear from those in power about measures to improve this situation.

 

– In what ways could the demographic situation be improved?

 

– Achieving the desired indicator would be too ambitious. We will not achieve it with any solutions at lightning speed, because for this the worldview of the entire country must change. Even in the USA this indicator reaches only about 1.6.

 

If we managed to at least partially improve the current indicator, the need for migrants would not be so great. If the flows of migrants are moderate, in the long run one can expect their assimilation.

 

The biggest problems arise when the lack of population is compensated by large flows of migrants – then the problems we see today in Sweden or France arise.

 

The biggest problems arise when the lack of population is compensated by large flows of migrants – then the problems we see today in Sweden or France arise.

 

First of all, financial incentives would be needed. Of course, they alone are not enough – at the same time, it is necessary to create real conditions for raising children.

 

– Do you think we talk enough about social and demographic problems, or is the airwaves filled with political scandals?

 

– I do not see any deeper discussion about the situation, trends or threats in Lithuania, either among the presenters or among the political elite. True, the topic of military threats is constantly emphasized, but mainly because it is discussed throughout the European Union.

 

Meanwhile, specific problems of Lithuania are practically not discussed. Much more attention is paid to who said what, rather than to what decisions are needed, what are the development trends in Lithuania and what should be foreseen for at least a five-year period.

 

Of course, we may not be able to plan as far ahead as the Chinese are planning - the system and traditions are different there. However, we also need to get our act together and start to transform negative demographic trends. Paradoxically, Lithuania is unlikely to face any major problems in the next two or three years, and politicians live within this two or three-year horizon. This is where the problem lies.

 

One of the more radical decisions, which is unlikely to be adopted, could be a change in the electoral system.

 

One of the more radical decisions, which is unlikely to be adopted, could be a change in the electoral system. If we had the United Kingdom model, political power would be much more stable.

 

The electoral system there usually allows one party to win elections with a large margin, and coalitions are formed extremely rarely. Often, the same party wins other elections as well.

 

In this case, it becomes possible to plan in the longer term and at the same time it is more difficult to avoid responsibility. When one party is in power, it is directly responsible for the implementation of the Government's program. In Lithuania, for many years, three or four parties have been constantly competing for power.

 

– Why does Donald Trump need Greenland? What is his logic?

 

– During his first term, D. Trump spoke about his desire to take over Greenland, but no one took it seriously then. Europe is currently experiencing real anxiety. What arguments encourage D. Trump to make efforts to take over Greenland, even though this could cause serious shocks in relations with the European Union?

 

First of all, the geographical aspect. Greenland is much closer to the USA than to Europe. Secondly, the USA, in connection with global warming and the minerals on the Arctic shelf, has begun to pay great attention to the acquisition of this region.

 

Greenland in this case is an extremely tempting morsel. No one doubts that this was also discussed with V. Putin in Alaska – it is likely that these were informal backstage agreements on joint acquisition or sharing.

 

The third argument is the US military base there, which is why Greenland is important from a security point of view. In addition, it is a very suitable place for large data centers. Servers use a lot of energy and heat up a lot, so they require huge resources to cool them. For these reasons, Greenland is very attractive to the USA. I think that D. Trump will make every effort to take control of this island.

 

– The beginning of the year in Lithuania was marked by the repercussions of the second pension reform. What will be the final result of this reform?

 

– If an ordinary person were to ask me for advice, I would, of course, withdraw from the second pillar and stay only in “Sodra”. The reason is simple: as long as salaries and pensions are growing rapidly enough, and the ratio between the average salary and the average pension is one of the highest in the European Union and is still being sought to increase it, we can expect that in the next few years, or perhaps longer, pensions in Lithuania will grow faster than salaries. And these, in turn, will grow faster than salaries in the European Union.

 

This means that “Sodra” payments will grow faster every year than the profitability of pension funds. Pension funds are very low-risk and do not have the right to invest in risky securities, so they cannot objectively generate high returns.

 

– Isn't it true that people who retire will not have a decent pension?

 

– This is not entirely true. By participating in the second pension pillar, a person automatically reduces his or her Sodra pension. The final total amount may be lower than if he or she had remained only in Sodra, if the assumption is confirmed that the return on pension funds will be lower than the growth of Lithuanian pensions.

 

After all, it is not possible to participate in a pension fund and at the same time receive the entire Sodra pension - participation in the second pillar means giving up part of the Sodra pension.

 

If a person does not seek the maximum benefit, but wants to have as little risk as possible, it may be worth splitting it - after all, no one knows, maybe Lithuania will face a serious economic crisis after all, the economy will collapse, and pensions will no longer grow, but will start to decrease. Such a scenario is theoretically possible, but its probability is small.”

 

 

With the help of those in power, the second-pillar pension funds stole the Sodra pensions of the most vulnerable Lithuanians, our pensioners, current and future. When it became clear, there was no one to blame. No one is locked in prison, many are happy with houses by the lakes and the sea, including in Greece. Avoid Lithuanians working with others' money, and watch who you elect to the government of tiny Lithuania.

 

The criticism expressed here reflects the frequent dissatisfaction of Lithuanian society with the pension system model. Here are some essential aspects related to the aforementioned arguments about the relationship and responsibility of "Sodra" and pension funds:

 

"Sodra" vs. Pillar II growth: Historically, "Sodra" pensions have grown faster in recent years (due to the indexation mechanism linked to the increase in the wage fund) than the return of many pension funds, especially conservative ones. In 2026 according to the data, inflation and wage growth remain the main factors influencing this difference.

 

Investment risk: Pillar II funds in Lithuania operate on a “life cycle” principle. This means that the investment strategy for young people is riskier (more shares), and as retirement age approaches, funds are automatically transferred to low-risk (bond) funds.

 

However, low-risk funds often have difficulty outpacing inflation.

 

Legal regulation and liability: The debate on compulsory accumulation and the possibility of withdrawing from the system reached the Constitutional Court in 2024–2025. After its decision, more flexibility was introduced, but the fundamental reform that allows everyone to freely withdraw their accumulated money is still the subject of political disputes.

 

Transparency: The criticisms of "lakeside houses" and fund managers' earnings are related to the administration fees that each investor pays, regardless of whether the fund made a profit or suffered a loss.