Ričardas Slapšys, an advisor to the transport minister, told BNS that the ministry had been working actively with Ryanair officials.
"We were surprised at Ryanair's statement. The ministry cooperates quite actively and meetings with Ryanair are not infrequent. We are looking for the most favorable ways of how Ryanair could operate in Lithuania. This company is already getting much attention as one of the biggest carriers in Lithuania. We can't grant exceptional terms and special discounts to them because that would go against European law," he said.
Ryanair is asking for higher discounts than Hungary's Wizz Air, its main rival at Vilnius Airport, but the ministry cannot grant such requests, Slapšys said.
The official said that Ryanair's statement that it was planning to reduce the number of flights from Kaunas Airport by 25 percent starting November 1 could be linked to the end of the summer season.
The Irish airline said in a press release on Tuesday that it had offered to carry additional 500,000 passengers through the airports of Kaunas and Vilnius annually, but the Transport Ministry had not responded to these proposals.
"Unfortunately, the Lithuanian government declined to engage in discussions, leaving Ryanair no choice but to reduce its operations in the Kaunas base by 25 percent," it said.
Ryanair has an aircraft maintenance and service hangar at Kaunas Airport and is currently building a second one.
Meanwhile, Wizz Air, which launched operations at Vilnius Airport two years ago, said on Tuesday that it had further expansion plans in Lithuania.
