Visits

Working visit by President Dalia Grybauskaitė to Brussels, 10-11 December 2009

On a two-day working visit to Brussels, President of the Republic of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaitė attended the European Council meeting and chaired the Nordic-Baltic (NB6) meeting.

The informal meting of heads of Nordic and Baltic states and governments (NB6) took place before the European Council meeting, on the initiative of President Dalia Grybauskaitė.

"Only close cooperation between Nordic and Baltic states will lead to successful development of the Baltic region," the President said after the meeting.

President Dalia Grybauskaitė underlined that the states of the Baltic Sea region were united by shared interests towards economic development of the region and by strategic projects that could be implemented only by close cooperation and stronger dialogue between heads of states, but also between business, culture and science communities.

Lithuania's President also stressed the possibilities offered to the region by the EU Baltic Sea strategy.

"The Baltic Sea Strategy has provided a good tool for Lithuania, with the help of which our state will engage more actively in developing the region further and in addressing region-wide problems. Efficient and successful implementation of this Strategy might become a perfect example for the development of other regions of the EU," the President said.

At the European Council meeting that started later in the same day, President Dalia Grybauskaitė spoke out for a maximally efficient European Union's economic revival plan backed by structural reforms and supportive of interests of each Member State for the period until 2020.

"It is very important for Lithuania that we have reached a political agreement on the need to focus on job creation, sustainable economic growth, and removal of bureaucratic barriers. We have also agreed to convene an informal meeting of heads of states and governments next spring, in which I intend to defend fiercely the common interests of Lithuania and other Baltic and Nordic countries concerning energy independence and electricity connections," the President of Lithuania said.

EU leaders also discussed preparedness for the Climate Summit on December 18 in the Danish capital city of Copenhagen, to be attended by the President of Lithuania, too. EU leaders exchanged views on how the European Union could support developing countries to help them reduce pollution, launch modern technologies, and promote green investment.

According to the President, there is no controversy within Europe as to the long-term and medium-term period, but Europe's concrete decisions will depend on the stand to be taken by the U.S., China, and India, the largest industrial polluters in the world. The President hopes these countries will disclose their stand before the Copenhagen Summit next week.

On the second day of the visit, President Dalia Grybauskaitė attending the European Council meeting in Brussels pointed out that the EU Member States would not ignore the principle of fairness in their fight against consequences of climate change.

The President of Lithuania welcomed the fact that the European Council has taken into consideration Lithuania's request to stipulate that in the framework of the EU's commitment to contribute financially to compensations to third countries for the reduction of pollution, the EU Member States will pay according to their individual financial capacities.

"The fact that Lithuania's share in the total amount of nearly 2.5 billion euros to be contributed by the European Union is only one million euros is a fair agreement, especially bearing in mind that the EU's assistance to Lithuania totals up to five billion litas annually," President Dalia Grybauskaitė said.

The EU leaders also discussed the European Union's economic development plan for the period until 2020 which will be given special attention in the coming European Council meeting in March 2010.

"I have underlined that at that time Lithuania will demand that electricity connection projects so important to us as they guarantee energy security be continued and supported by the EU. I have already been assured by leaders of many other states that Lithuania's interests will be taken into account," the President said.