Speaker of the Seimas in Brussels: ‘A stronger NATO’s eastern flank means a safer European Union’

Press release, 29 June 2023 

Photo by Rolandas Kačinskas

During her working visit to Brussels, Kingdom of Belgium, Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen, Speaker of the Seimas, met with Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament, to discuss further support for Ukraine, including preparations for its EU accession negotiations, and the European policy agenda in Lithuania.

At the meeting, Ms Čmilytė-Nielsen maintained that the start of the Seimas’ debate on the tax reform, presented by the Government, had opened up opportunities for Lithuania to receive EUR 26 million of suspended funds from the Recovery and Resilience Facility, and that military mobility needs more attention in the review of the multiannual financial framework.

‘The funding provided for the military mobility in the current multiannual financial framework is far from sufficient to meet the investment needs. Russia’s aggression has demonstrated the urgent need to strengthen Europe’s defence capabilities, military mobility included. This would strengthen NATO’s eastern flank, resulting in a safer European Union at the same time. As the host of the Vilnius NATO Summit, Lithuania is advocating for closer cooperation between the EU and NATO for a safer and more united Europe,’ Ms Čmilytė-Nielsen said.

‘As I stressed to the President of the European Parliament, Ukraine’s membership of the EU and NATO would complement each other, which is why Lithuania is hoping that Ukraine will be invited to start the negotiations on its EU membership as soon as possible, while the shortcomings, if any, identified in the Commission’s report will provide an incentive to further assist Ukraine rather than delay its integration into the EU,’ Ms Čmilytė-Nielsen stressed.

Photo by Rolandas Kačinskas

The Speaker of the Seimas also informed the leader of the European Parliament about the declaration signed yesterday by the Speakers of the Parliaments of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia and called on the EU to include, as soon as possible, the Wagner mercenary group in the list of persons, groups and entities involved in terrorist acts. 

At the meeting, the Speaker of the Seimas also invited Ms Metsola to support Lithuania in its bid to have the EU’s new Authority for Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism established in Vilnius.

Ilona Petrovė, Spokesperson for Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen, Speaker of the Seimas, tel. +370 5 239 6030, mob. +370 698 42 071, e-mail:  [email protected], www.lrs.lt