On 6 September 2013, Vydas Gedvilas, Speaker of the Seimas, met with Vesna Pusić, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia.
The Speaker of the Seimas congratulated Croatia on its recent accession to the EU family and affirmed his belief that the country would be an active, respected and reputable member.
Vydas Gedvilas briefed the guest on his previous meeting with Volodymyr Rybak, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. "I would like to ask your country to support Ukraine which has resolved to follow the path towards European integration. We hope that Ukraine's Association Agreement with the EU will be signed already this year, during the Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union," said the Speaker of the Seimas.
Deputy Prime Minister Pusić assured that the interest of Croatia in the Eastern Partnership policy is identical to that of Lithuania. "We support Ukraine's aspirations and we will uphold them even though some states believe that Ukraine has not yet carried out all work," observed Vesna Pusić.
The Croatian Deputy Prime Minister positively welcomed regional cooperation between the Nordic and Baltic countries in the NB8 format. According to Vesna Pusić, similar steps should also be taken by the Balkan states.
Tomas Beržinskas, Adviser to the Speaker of the Seimas, tel. +370 5 239 6019, mob. +370 698 42 786, e-mail: [email protected]
