Press release, 6 May 2014
The Seimas held a plenary sitting dedicated to mark Lithuania’s tenth anniversary of EU membership.
Loreta Grauţinienë, Speaker of the Seimas, gave a welcome address. She congratulated everyone on the occasion of Lithuania’s tenth anniversary of EU membership. She noted that a lot had been done during the decade and went on to say, “The recent situation in Europe has once again reminded us that Lithuania has chosen the right way to go together with the European Union”. The Speaker recalled of the Conference of Speakers of European Union Parliaments hosted by Lithuania last month and said that the Speakers adopted the Presidency conclusions of the Conference by consensus that reflected the priorities of the Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of the EU and the topical geopolitical matters of the region. “Successful Lithuanian Presidency has helped Lithuania earn a reputation as an expert; I would, therefore, like to reiterate my gratitude to everyone for their concerted effort and hard work during the ten-year membership and during a very brief but extremely responsible Lithuanian Presidency period,” Grauţinienë said.
According to Dalia Grybauskaitë, President of the Republic of Lithuania, we all witnessed that ten years ago Lithuania made a very correct historic decision to be in the European Union. “We pursued EU membership because we felt that living and working in freedom and democracy together with many different countries seeking the same objective was better and more dignified,” the President said. She believed it was symbolic that the country was celebrating ten years of membership at the time when Lithuania had successfully passed the test of EU Presidency. “The six months of the Presidency were really tight. Lithuania was the first of the Baltic States to have proven by own example that it is not the size of a nation, but coordinated and consistent work focused on consensus that makes the Presidency a success. While presiding over the Council of the European Union, we strengthened our self-confidence. The most important thing we have gained from this qualitatively new stage in the life of our country is our faith in Lithuania,” the President of the Republic noted. At the solemn sitting, Dalia Grybauskaitë invited everyone to continue building up Lithuania within the European Union. “We are a model example of change. Throughout these years, the name of Lithuania has resounded among the best of Europe in the fields of economy, sports, innovation, investment, and many others. Europe has appreciated the efforts made by the people of Lithuania. So let us be proud of our success, our unique country and our people. But at the same time, let us not forget that we would hardly be where we are without the European Union. Faith in a free and open Europe is a powerful counterbalance to any kind of doubts about the significance of the European Union, which are spread by populist and extremist forces. Our experience is a telling example, so let us never doubt the historic decision we have made,” the Lithuanian President said.
President Valdas Adamkus is convinced that the ten years have once again demonstrated that Lithuania was prepared not only for its national but also for political revival. “Lithuania was ready to return to where it was historically destined to be. It was ready not only to defend its freedom, but also to pursue another quality of living based on common European values,” Valdas Adamkus said. According to him, the state and its people should not underestimate the historic achievement. “Occasions of the kind are rare; therefore, we should appreciate and make use of them. Undoubtedly, neither Europe nor the European Union will solve all our problems. However, being in the Union, we can and must feel far braver about our work, aspirations and prospects. We have a very valuable experienced community, which has the potential and strength to stand with and for Lithuania,” Adamkus stressed. He also underlined that “there are no alternatives to good neighbourhood. Therefore, it is of paramount importance to abandon the dialogue, which, unfortunately, is frequently held according to the format “to pay back wrong for wrong” or “to return reproach for reproach”, and to engage in a dialogue based on the format “trust for trust and respect for respect”.
Pat Cox, former President of the European Parliament, delivered a speech addressing the challenges and new opportunities for Europe. He stressed that Lithuania chose wisely at that time. According to the distinguished guest, Lithuania benefited from the political stability of being anchored in a community of values based on freedom, democracy, mutual respect and the rule of law. Pat Cox believed the EU enlargement had given the European Union an impressive global capacity and weight. “It has established the single currency, the Euro, which though greatly stressed in the past five years, remains the world’s second most important reserve currency. Collectively the EU is the world’s largest trader in terms of share of global trade. [...] The EU28’s commitment to multilateralism and its leadership on the North/South Partnership, the Millennium Development Goals, emissions trading, climate change, energy efficiency and global warming, its leading role as the world’s largest donor community of untied non-military aid and of humanitarian food aid and its increasing commitment to global crisis management and conflict resolution attest to a growing capacity and willingness to act in global terms,“ Cox said.
According to Petras Auđtrevičius, Deputy Speaker of the Seimas and former Lithuania’s Chief Negotiator with the European Union, membership of the EU has strengthened the foundations of the Lithuanian statehood and established a modern state in line with the European setup. “In the last ten years, Lithuania has achieved impressive results in the area of political and economic EU integration. However, the need for efficient energy and infrastructure cooperation and convergence has remained. It is necessary to understand that this problem is relevant not only for this region. It poses a challenge to Union’s sustainability,” Auđtrevičius noted. According to him, it is Europe’s neighbourhood, rather than Europe itself, that has always been the major security challenge for Europe. “The European Union has the opportunity to strengthen its security by investing politically and economically into countries committed to long-term partnership, by setting examples of positive achievements and outcomes, and by promoting the open door policy,” the Deputy Speaker of the Seimas assured.
At the end of the solemn sitting, the Speaker of the Seimas handed out the merit awards and letters of appreciation of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania to those, who contributed to the accession of Lithuania to the EU and to strengthening Lithuania, as well as for professional work in coordinating and organising parliamentary dimension events within the framework of the Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of the EU.
Loreta Grauţinienë, Speaker of the Seimas, presents the award of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania for sincere support to Lithuania in joining the EU to the guest of honour, Pat Cox, who was the President of the European Parliament at the time of Lithuania‘s signature of the Treaty of Accession. Photo by Olga Posađkova, Office of the Seimas
Rimas Rudaitis, Public Relations Unit, Communications Department, Office of the Seimas
Tel. +370 5 239 6132, e-mail: [email protected]
