Press release, 7 October 2016
Photo of the Archive of the Office of the Seimas
Loreta Graužinienė, Speaker of the Seimas, took part in the Informal Meeting of Speakers of the EU Parliaments in Bratislava, Slovakia.
At the event, organised on 6–7 October 2016, among other issues, heads of national Parliaments discussed threats to European unity, ways of bridging the gap between the core EU institutions and the citizens, internal cohesion of the EU, and the role of national Parliaments.
“In the context of the current internal and external threats and challenges, there is a need for a strong and united EU. First of all, we need to concentrate on the areas that unite us, rather than those that divide us,” Ms Graužinienė believed.
According to the Speaker of the Seimas, it was important to listen to EU citizens and take their opinion into account in order to effectively address their concerns and to appropriately inform them about the decisions taken and specific results achieved by the European Union.
“It is important to restore the confidence of European citizens in the European project by enhancing economic and social wellbeing, ensuring the safety of EU citizens, and reducing social exclusion and unemployment,” Ms Graužinienė said.
The Slovak Republic, which embarked on its first presidency of the Council of the European Union on 1 July 2016, proposed an initiative, entitled “Let’s get to know each other better.” Its objective is to contribute to the debate on the current situation and the future of the European Union from a parliamentary perspective.
Neringa Mikėnaitė, Adviser to the Speaker of the Seimas, tel. +370 5 239 6344, mob. +370 698 42 759, e-mail [email protected]
