Tag: Dalia Grybauskaitė

May 23, 2014 Lithuanian media round-up

On 23rd of May Dalia Grybauskaitė, Lithuanian President, talked on the phone with the David Cameron, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, about issues of Ukraine. Dalia Grybauskaitė stressed that core condition for restoring peace and stability in a country is a democratic elections and that European Union has a duty to help Ukraine in coping with economical challenges (Lithuanian President Press Service). Read more in Lithuania Tribune: http://www.lithuaniatribune.com/68361/lithuanian-president-british-pm-discuss-regional-security-issues-201468361/.

On 22nd of May Linas Linkevičius, Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs, in an interview to Deutsche Welle said that ‘Russian troops must be withdrawn from Ukrainian border because their presence creates additional tension, which is already high.’ Also he hopes that Ukrainian President elections will not be spoilt by these intruders from the outside – by intervention from a neighboring country. Read more in Ministry of Foreign Affairs website: http://urm.lt/default/en/news/dw-russia-has-violated-all-possible-treaties-1/.

On 23rd of May in European’s week discussion professor Benediktas Juodka, Chairman of Lithuanian Parliament Committee of Foreign Affairs, said that he has no doubts, that Associations agreement will be signed with Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine and then ratification process will start. (Lithuanian Parliament Press Office, BNS)

On 22-23 of May Šarūnas Adomavičius, Director of Transatlantic Cooperation and Security Policy Department In Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, participated in the informal European Union Security Policy Directors (SPD) meeting. He emphasized in the meeting that European Union has to react unitedly to situation in Ukraine and Russian politics related with that (Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs information)

On 22nd of May The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors approved three new projects for Ukraine amounting to US$1.48 billion. This new financing will be reinforced by technical assistance and policy dialogue to help drive forward the essential structural and macroeconomic reforms (delfi.lt, 15min.lt). Read more in World Bank website: http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2014/05/22/world-bank-boosts-support-for-recovery-in-ukraine.

May 6, Lithuanian media round-up

On 6th of May Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaitė met with the former President of the European Parliament, Pat Cox. The Lithuanian head of state and the Irish politician, co-head of a European Parliament special mission in Ukraine, reviewed the results and prospects of the EU’s Eastern Partnership programme, talked about the situation in Ukraine and its implications for international security (Press Service of the President, BNS). Read more in Lithuania Tribune: http://www.lithuaniatribune.com/67643/cox-ukrainian-crisis-one-of-eus-biggest-challenges-201467643/.

On  5-6th of May Vytautas Leškevičius, the Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, attended a session of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe in Vienna. He encouraged the organization to oppose Russia’s political, economical and military aggression against Ukraine and finally to take strict actions implementing Geneva agreement. Vytautas Leškevičius said that ‘Russia’s occupation and illegal annexation of Crimea, continuous attempts to destabilize the situation in Eastern Ukraine, as well as regular threatening to Ukraine and other neighbors is an existential challenge not only to Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, but also to this organization and for all of Europe’s human rights, democracy and law.’ (Ministry of Foreign Affairs information, ELTA, delfi.lt )

On May 6th Vilija Aleknaitė-Abramikienė, vice-president of OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, expressed his concern about Russian note regarding stopping to inform Lithuania about military units in Kaliningrad. She said that ‘Kremlin demonstrates that all international agreements and treaties is only a game for Russia and that Kremlin is determined to break into pieces all European security architecture, which was created after World War II.’ Vilija Aleknaitė-Abramikienė also thinks, that Lithuanian society and government institutions, including Ministry of National Defense, couldn’t stay calm any more. (Lithuanian Parliament Press Office, BNS, ELTA, unofficial translation)

On May 6th Rimantas Šadžius, Lithuanian Minister of Finance, said that ‘Russian-Ukrainian conflict will have a limited impact on the Lithuanian economy’ (BNS, 15 min.lt, Lithuanian National Radio and Television). Read more in Lithuania Tribune: http://www.lithuaniatribune.com/67656/russian-ukrainian-conflict-to-have-limited-impact-on-lithuanian-economy-201467656/.

Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the German Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs, in an interview to Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper said that there is a threat that conflict in Ukraine will reach the point of no return and it becomes a start of war in Eastern Europe (15min.lt, delfi.lt). Read more in Lithuania Tribune: http://www.lithuaniatribune.com/67666/frank-walter-steinmeier-giving-up-is-not-an-option-201467666/.

Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany, in a press conference said that would be a pity if Russian President uses the celebration of the Victory Day to visit Crimea. (15min.lt, delfi.lt)

May 3, 2014 Lithuanian media round-up

Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaitė expressed her condolences to Ukrainian people over the tragic events in Odessa. She said that ‘all sides must join efforts to stabilise the situation.’ (Press Service of the President, BNS)

Linas Linkevičius, Minister of Foreign Affairs, expressed his personal condolences over the tragic situation in Odessa. He hopes that it will spread unity rather than anger in the strong community of Odessa. (Twitter)

Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski thinks that destabilization of situation in Ukraine leads to a new cold war between West and Russia. He also does not reject the probability that Russia wants to occupy Eastern Ukraine in exactly the same way as a Crimea. (15min.lt)

April 26, 2014 Lithuanian media round-up

Lithuanian Parliamentarian Vytautas Landsbergis recently spoke at MyEP interactive conference about situation in Ukraine and Lithuania and Russia international relations. Read more in Lithuanian Tribune: http://www.lithuaniatribune.com/67253/landsbergis-sad-to-realize-that-yesterdays-friend-is-todays-enemy-201467253/.

Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaitė congratulated Group of 7 (G7) decision to intensify sanctions against Russia due to violations of Geneva agreement. (delfi.lt)

Latvia’s Minister of Defence Raimonds Vejonis on April 25 spoke with journalists from Reuters about situation in Baltic States in the context of Ukraine crisis. Raimonds Vejonis said that ‘there‘s danger that Russia might try to destabilize the situation in Baltic States‘ (15 min.lt). Read more in Reuters: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/25/us-latvia-defence-idUSBREA3O1Q420140425

The Leader of the Crimean Tatars Mustafa Dzhemilev was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize. (15 min.lt)

April 24, 2014 Lithuanian media round-up

Today Lithuanian Parliament accepted the resolution on the situation in Ukraine, condemning any form of Russian aggression in Ukraine and stressing the importance of dialogue between the two parties. Both countries (Russia and Ukraine – ed.) were encouraged to create a dialogue and withstand actions such as promotion of separatism and blackmail in Energy Sector, which could complicate the search of an internationally lawful, peaceful and eligible solution. Resolution was supported by 49 members of parliament, 1 against and 8 abstained. Read more in Lithuania Tribune: http://www.lithuaniatribune.com/67139/seimas-resolution-demands-withdrawal-of-russian-troops-from-ukraine-201467139/.

Today Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaitė together with 8 other EU Presidents and Eastern Partnership states are participating in the anniversary event marking 5 years of Eastern Partnership in Prague. Swedish Deputy Prime Minister, Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and European Commissioner Štefan Füle is also participating in the event. During this Summit the situation in Ukraine was discussed and it was decided to give 11 billion euros in support of implementation of important reforms in Ukraine over the next few years. Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaitė and Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andrii Deshchytsia has also discussed questions regarding Ukrainian security and economic situation and stated: ‘The stronger the democracy in our East neighborhood the more secure we will become’. (Press Service of the President, unofficial translation)

Today Lithuanian Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Neris Germanas has met with with Alois Karl, the new Chairman of the German Bundestag’s Parliamentary Friendship Group for Relations with the Baltic States. They discussed situation in Ukraine, EU reaction to Russian actions and energy and security issues in the region. (Ministry of Foreign Affairs information, unofficial translation)

‘Vkontakte’ founder Pavel Durov is invited to come and stay in Lithuania with his team by Lithuanian startup community. Pavel refused to cooperate with Russian Government and disclose Russian opposition and Maidan activists data so he was forced to leave Russia. (ekonomika.lt, delfi.lt, 15min.lt)

The invitation you can read here: http://www.eddy.lt/2014/04/pavel-come-to-lithuania.html.

April 23, 2014 Lithuanian media round-up

Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaitė as well as the Presidents of other 8 EU and Eastern Partnership states will participate in the anniversary event  marking 5 years of Eastern Partnership on April 24 held in Prague. Sweden Deputy Prime Minister, Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and European Commissioner Štefan Füle will also participate in the event. During this summit Leaders of EU and Eastern Partnership states are going to discuss how to ensure further Eastern Partnership Program continuity and efficiency considering newly emerging challenges for a region safety and stability. (Press Service of the President, unofficial translation)

On April 23 Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Linas Linkevičius  informed Lithuanian Parliament Foreign Affairs Committee members about four-party negotiations between EU, USA, Ukraine and Russia held in Geneva. Read more in Lithuania Tribune: http://www.lithuaniatribune.com/67078/lithuanias-formin-hard-to-talk-about-pursuance-of-geneva-agreements-201467078/.

After meeting with Ukrainian Minister of National Defence Colonel General Mikhail Koval Lithuanian Minister of National Defence Juozas Olekas stated that ‘Ukraine supports joint military brigade with Lithuania and Poland’. During the interview with Lithuanian National Radio journalist Agnė Skamarakaitė he also said that ‘Lithuania is in close cooperation with Ukraine even without any resolutions’. (BNS, bernardinai.lt, Lithuanian National Radio, Lithuania Tribune). Read more in Lithuania Tribune: http://www.lithuaniatribune.com/67051/olekas-ukraine-supports-joint-military-brigade-with-lithuania-poland-201467051/.

Today European Union opened its markets for Ukrainian commodities by applying one-side duty concessions. Reduced or completely eliminated Ukrainian commodities import to EU tariffs will be valid till this year November 1st or until the Association Agreement between the EU and Ukraine will be signed. (BNS, 15 min, delfi.lt, vz.lt)

On April 23 Lithuanian Foreign Affairs Ministry diplomats met with students from Lviv University in Vilnius. Diplomats presented the most important Eastern Partnership accents, Lithuania’s experience while integrating into European Union, experience in United Nations Security Council. Students and diplomats also discussed Lithuanian relations with her neighbors. Meeting initiator – nongovernmental organization ‘European Choice’. (Ministry of Foreign Affairs information, unofficial translation)

On April 29 the exhibition Frumušika Nova 2010 / 2014 dedicated to Ukrainian democracy support will be opened in Vilnius St. Johns street gallery. St. Johns street gallery brought together artists, who participated in plain-air Magnus Ducatus Artis – Frumušika Nova held in Ukraine in 2010. Staff of gallery encouraged artists to remember 2010 plein-air and ideas that were born during it. This exhibition is the first time the canvas by painters Linas Liandzbergis, Audrius Gražys and photos of photographers Arturas Valiauga, Vladas Braziūnas, Alis Balbierius created during the plain-air will be presented publicly. (BNS)