2010 

Press release of 15 June 2010

In his introduction to the plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg last Monday, the Mr. Jerzy Buzek, EP President, reminded that 70 years ago Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia were occupied by the Red Army and illegally incorporated into the Soviet Union. The Head of the European Parliament added that the European Parliament was the first international organisation to condemn the annexation of the Baltic States back in 1983 and to emphasize that the majority of European countries and the USA had never recognised it*.

*On 12 January 1983, the European Parliament adopted a Resolution condemning illegal occupation of the Baltic States and urging to resolve the issue of these states in accordance with the principle of free self-determination of nations and states. This document was a response to  “Memorandum of 45 Baltic nationals” of 23 August 1979.

A special exhibition of photographs and documents collected by the Office of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania “The Baltic Freedom – Responsibility of Europe” was held at the European Parliament building in Brussels in 2003 to commemorate the 20^th anniversary of the above Resolution of the European Parliament. Mr. Pat Cox, the President of the European Parliament, patronized the event.

Public Relations Unit