Speaker of the Seimas: ‘Iceland has inspired us with confidence’

Press release, 11 February 2022

Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen, Speaker of the Seimas, invites everyone to travel back in time and once again thank Iceland, the first foreign country that de jure recognised Lithuania’s independence on 11 February 1991.

‘February 11st is included in the list of important and precious dates for Lithuania. On that particular day, 31 years ago, Iceland dared to recognise Lithuania’s restored independence at international level. And this represents not just a mere beautiful historical fact, especially bearing in mind that this small country did not fear economic, diplomatic and other sanctions of the Soviet Union, because of us.

Back then, Iceland encouraged other countries in the Western world to follow suit, and inspired us with confidence that we had chosen the right path — the path to a free democratic state. Over three decades, Lithuania has now firmly established itself in the international community, while its friendship with Iceland has grown into mature economic, cultural, scientific, business relations and cooperation in NATO, Nordic and Baltic formats. We will always remain grateful to the Icelandic people for February 11th, for all their support and friendship. ‘Takk, Island,’ (Thank you, Iceland) says Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen.

Ilona Petrovė, Spokesperson to Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen, Speaker of the Seimas,

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