Tag: Juozas Olekas

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)

April 22, 2014 Lithuanian media round-up

lietuva-ukraina-veliavelesDear ukraine.popo.lt readers,

We are glad to announce our new daily column – Lithuanian media round-up. There we will try to briefly summarize main Lithuanian events related with Ukraine crisis and covered by our press.

Lithuanian Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevičius on April 22 presented his Annual Report. PM mentioned Ukraine crisis in his Annual Report presenting speech at Lithuanian Parliament. He said: ‘This year (2013-ed.) end showed that Europe transited to a new space of international relations and security. Former President of Ukraine decision not to sign association agreement with European Union caused in Kiev mass society protests, blood spill and change of Government. Unfortunately with that could not reconcile her neighbor Russia, which started war actions against Ukraine – annexed Crimea and continues to threaten Ukraine‘s integrity. We are observing a revival of opposition between democratic West world and fast growing radicalism in Russia‘. (PM Press Office, unofficial translation)

Lithuanian Parliament on April 22 have had to consider a resolution project due support to Ukraine. Unfortunately Members of Labor Party suggested to cross out this plenary session agenda point and that after voting was accepted. As said Valentinas Bukauskas – member of Labor Party – ‘this resolution project after Geneva agreement is outdated and Parliament need to prepare a new one’. (BNS, delfi.lt)

Lithuanian Minister of National Defense Juozas Olekas today in Kiev met with Ukrainian Minister of National Defence Colonel General Mikhail Koval. Read more in Lithuania Tribune: http://www.lithuaniatribune.com/67031/lithuanian-defence-minister-to-pledge-support-in-kiev-201467031/.

Lithuanian ambassador-at-large Vaidotas Verba appointed to lead Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Special Monitoring Mission group in Odessa. Read more in Lithuania Tribune: http://www.lithuaniatribune.com/67036/lithuanian-diplomat-leading-osce-smm-group-in-odessa-2-201467036/.