Press Releases

New threats to democracy – a challenge to all countries of the world

Friday, July 1, Vilnius - President of the Republic of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaitė made an opening address at the Ministerial Conference of the Community of Democracies that ran under the title ‘Community of Democracies: Empowered, Energized, Engaged'.

The President noted that Lithuania which is closing its Presidency of the Community managed to attain the goals set two years ago and to strengthen cooperation among countries in building democracy. According to the President, the reformed Community of Democracies included parliaments, young people, non-governmental organizations and business representatives in its activities and laid the groundwork for enhancing the role of civil society and women.

However, as the President said, the world faces new challenges to democracy and therefore new solutions must be found not only to build but also to maintain democracy.

"The use of economic and energy levers for political purposes, fierce informational pressure, attempts to buy over the national media in order to influence a country's political system - these are serious challenges for all of us," the President said, underlining that these threats were common to all countries of the world without exception, and consolidation and protection of democratic values were therefore our common goal with direct impact on the security of our people.

According to the President, we have to help people in non-democratic regimes to protect their rights and this should be done not by economic sanctions but by opening borders, providing advice in business and science, facilitating access to high quality education.

By developing dialogue and seeking efficient solutions, Lithuania not only works towards democratic changes that can also pass on the experience of democracy-building to other nations.

During the Conference, Lithuania officially passed Presidency of the Community of Democracies over to Mongolia.

Press Service of the President