Press release, 27 February 2013
Today, the Speaker of the Seimas, Vydas Gedvilas, has sent a letter inviting Members of national Parliaments of the EU Member States and Candidate Countries and Members of the European Parliament to attend the events to be held in the framework of the parliamentary dimension of the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, which Lithuania takes over from Ireland on 1 July 2013. During the Presidency, the Seimas will host 10 meetings. The Lithuanian Presidency of the Council ends on 31 December 2013.
The Speaker of the Lithuanian Parliament sent the letter to the President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz and Speakers of 40 parliamentary chambers of the EU Member States and six Parliaments of the EU Candidate Countries.
“The Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania will contribute to the implementation of the key priorities of the European Union – higher employment and financial sustainability – with an aim to ensure economic growth and competition. The Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania will play a fundamental role by assisting in the achievement of the priorities of the Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union: greater energy security; efficient implementation of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region and enhanced regional cooperation; rapprochement of the Eastern Partnership countries with the EU by implementing reforms and concluding intended agreements with the European Union; efficient protection of the external borders of the European Union through the development of the integrated management of the EU external borders and strengthening of the fight against smuggling and fraud,” the letter reads.
The calendar of the Presidency meetings of the parliamentary dimension presented to the Members of national Parliaments of the EU Member States and Candidate Countries and the Members of the European Parliament is available on a special website designed to inform about the parliamentary dimension of the Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union at: http://www.eu2013.lrs.lt/.
Information on each meeting, including its agenda, will be provided separately in due time.
Artūras Zeleniakas, Public Relations Unit, tel: +370 239 6201, e-mail: [email protected]
