On 28 March 2013, Vydas Gedvilas, Speaker of the Seimas, met with William Lacy Swing, Director General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), who was visiting Lithuania. During the meeting, the parties discussed the opportunities for cooperation between Lithuania and IOM, events of the parliamentary dimension to be organised during the Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union and migration issues.
Vydas Gedvilas and William Lacy Swing. Photography by Olga Posaškova (Seimas Office)
Having noted that the Lithuanian-Belarusian border is the external Eastern border of the European Union, Mr Gedvilas went on to say that that it was incumbent upon Lithuania to manage the associated illegal migration flows and that the country was successfully coping with the task.
Mr Gedvilas also said that the Eastern Partnership, development of democracy and promotion of employment would remain priority topics for Lithuania during the Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
William Lacy Swing commended the 15 years of successful IOM activities in Lithuania and expressed the hope that cooperation with the Lithuanian parliament and government on migration matters would continue. He assessed the Global Lithuania programme approved by the Government in 2011 and aimed at preserving the Lithuanian identity as fully operational. The Programme is designed to support the Lithuanian diaspora organizations abroad, develop relations with the communities, and create the conditions for the Lithuanians abroad to contribute to Lithuania’s wellbeing and progress by sharing their knowledge, experience and achievements. In addition, Mr Swing confirmed the readiness of the IOM to provide assistance to Lithuanian citizens suffering from natural disasters or other causes in those countries where Lithuania does not have its diplomatic and consular representation offices.
Asta Markevičienė, Public Relations Unit, tel: +370 5 239 6202, e-mail: [email protected]
