Speaker of the Seimas: ‘Lithuania and Poland should accelerate the implementation of joint strategic, economic and defence projects’

Press release, 5 February 2024 

Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen, Speaker of the Seimas, met tête-à-tête with Szymon Hołownia, Marshal of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland, on his first official visit to Lithuania. In the words of the Speaker of the Seimas, Poland ranks among Lithuania’s closest and most significant allies. Hence, expediting joint infrastructure projects of strategic importance, intensifying bilateral economic ties and reinforcing defence cooperation should be given even greater priority.

‘The current political context calls for a more profound and extensive cooperation between Lithuania and Poland. First of all, this includes the development of joint strategic infrastructure projects, such as synchronisation of electricity grids and completion of Rail Baltica and Via Baltica. In addition, Lithuania is eager to actively develop bilateral economic relations,’ the Speaker of the Seimas said after the meeting.

According to Ms Čmilytė-Nielsen, the two countries share common challenges and a similar threat assessment. ‘At the meeting with my Polish counterpart, we discussed the need to further strengthen the defence of the eastern flank of NATO and the Baltic States. Moreover, in the run-up to the Washington NATO summit, it is important to send a clear message that Ukraine’s future lies within the Euro-Atlantic security architecture and that Ukraine can no longer be left in the grey zone,’ the Speaker of the Seimas said. 

As Ms Čmilytė-Nielsen observed, it is also important to develop other cooperation formats, including the Lublin Triangle, for addressing common challenges. Lithuania calls on the stakeholders to convene a Lublin Triangle meeting as soon as possible. Another potential partnership format is the cooperation between Poland and the Baltic States. ‘I strongly support the idea put forth by the Marshal of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland, emphasising the necessity for Lithuania, Poland and other Baltic and Nordic countries to act in unison.’

Ilona Petrovė, Spokesperson for Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen, Speaker of the Seimas, tel.+ 370 5 239 6030, mob. + 370 698 42071, e-mail: [email protected], www.lrs.lt