Press release, 15 January 2014
“Lithuania strongly supports the establishment of the friendship group with Moldova by Romania which would be in support of Moldova’s aspirations for European integration and facilitate smooth and unimpeded signature of the EU–Moldova Association Agreement, which was initialled at the Eastern Partnership Summit in Vilnius in late November. Lithuania will further contribute actively to joint actions in providing every kind of assistance to Moldova. Therefore, Lithuania considers Romania’s expertise of Moldova of great value”, emphasised Gediminas Kirkilas, Deputy Speaker of the Seimas and Chair of the Committee on European Affairs, at the meeting with Dan Adrian Balanescu, Romanian Ambassador in Lithuania.
According to Dan Adrian Balanesku, the Romanian Government assesses positively the Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of the EU last semester and it will pursue to take over the best practice of the Lithuanian Presidency as well as Lithuania’s best practice in the area of the absorption of EU support. Romania will be the Presidency of the Council of the EU in 2019. Under preliminary plans, either Romania will invite a delegation of the Seimas Committee on European Affairs to the Romanian Parliament or Members of the Committee on European Affairs of the Romanian Parliament will pay a visit to Lithuania to learn the experience of the Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of the EU.
“Romania also actively pursues support for the enlargement of the Schengen area to Romania and Bulgaria. Lithuania, which made every effort to back the aspirations of the two countries during the Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of the EU, will continue in the same spirit”, Gediminas Kirkilas noted.
At the meeting, the Romanian Ambassador confirmed his country’s support for the Lithuanian Presidency of the United Nations Security Council, which commenced in January. Lithuania won a seat as a non-permanent member on the United Nations Security Council on 17 October 3013 for 2014–2015.
Furthermore, Romania plans to take part in the NATO’s air policing mission for the second time and to protect the Lithuanian airspace (Romania participated in the air policing mission together with NATO forces for the first time in 2007). Lithuania highly appreciates it.
For more information:
Morta Vidűnaitë, Adviser to Gediminas Kirkilas, Deputy Speaker of the Seimas, tel.: +370 5 239 6278, mob. +370 612 01 121; e-mail: [email protected]
