On 9–10 July 2013, in Tel Aviv, Gediminas Kirkilas, Deputy Speaker of the Seimas, and a delegation from the Seimas met with Jacob Perry, Israeli Minister of Science and Technology; Uzi Landau, Israeli Minister of Tourism; Zeev Elkin, Israeli Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs; Yuli-Yoel Edelstein, Speaker of the Knesset; and Avigdor Liberman, Chair of the Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee of the Knesset of Israel.

The meetings touched upon the beginning of the Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Gediminas Kirkilas briefly presented the objectives of the Lithuanian Presidency and gave an overview of possible challenges and opportunities offered by the first Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of the EU since the country’s accession to the EU in 2004. The Deputy Speaker noted that the priorities of the Lithuanian Presidency included credible, growing and open Europe. He also underlined the importance of the relations among Lithuania, the EU and Israel.

The visit of Shimon Peres, President of the State of Israel, to Lithuania at the end of July this year, which is referred to as the event of paramount significance, proves the maturity of the Lithuanian-Israeli partnership.

The Speaker of the Knesset congratulated Lithuania on assuming the Presidency of the Council of the EU and expressed hope that Lithuania will significantly contribute to the development of relations between the EU and Israel. Yuli-Yoel Edelstein observed that the relations between Lithuania and Israel had reached new highs and were based on a mutual partnership.

On the occasion of the beginning of the Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of the EU and on the Statehood Day of Lithuania, the screening of The Other Dream Team, the documentary by Marius Markevičius, took place in Tel Aviv.

The screening of the film was followed by a discussion, which focused on the similarities between two small countries, Lithuania and Israel, both in terms of the history of basketball and in other areas as well.

Justė Radzevičiūtė-Laugalienė, Public Relations Unit, tel. +370 5 239 6210, e-mail: [email protected]