Prime Minister: the EU is not a union of economic interests but of shared values in the first place

Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė has participated in a meeting with the Ambassadors of the European Union (EU) Member States resident in Lithuania.

The Prime Minister has congratulated Ambassador of Portugal, João Maria Cabral, on his country's successful Presidency of the EU Council and wished all the best to Slovenia as it takes up the baton.  According to the Prime Minister, Portugal has had to cope with a difficult and challenging agenda: COVID-19 pandemic, growing illegal migration, Russia's aggression, Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and finally the hijacking of the plane by the Belarusian regime. 

'Portugal has proven its experience and effectiveness in running the EU Council.  It is very important that we managed to immediately agree about further sanctions on the Belarussian regime', said Ingrida Šimonytė.

The Prime Minister has thanked the Ambassadors of the EU Member States for their long-term solidarity with Lithuania, including on the recent events in Belarus and the unsafe Astravyets NPP.

Ingrida Šimonytė has called for firm and united pressure on the regime in the face of brutal violations of human rights, torture and persecution of innocent people deprived of their fundamental right to democratically elect their government, all this happening in EU's neighbourhood.

'Our unity and shared values ​​are the foundation of our success. We need to help each other, particularly when the going gets tough. Therefore, not only will we continue to ask you for further solidarity with our country, but, on our part, we will also build Lithuania's EU policy on this principle', said Ingrida Šimonytė. 

Among other items discussed at the meeting have been education and tax reforms, EU digital transformation and the Green Deal, Lithuania's economic recovery and the ratification of the Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence.

The Prime Minister has pointed out Lithuania's exceptional resilience in the face of the pandemic, noting also the importance of the new EU budget and the recovery plan for the upcoming reforms. 

Ingrida Šimonytė has listed education, research and innovations, green technologies and open data-based governance as part of key priorities of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania.

The Prime Minister has cautioned against complacency following the successful control of the COVID-19 pandemic. The summer period must be used to secure long-term supply of vaccines, to define common EU re-vaccination terms, and to work out measures to combat viral mutations. 

Finally, the Prime Minister has taken the opportunity to invite the EU Ambassadors to spread the message about Kaunas becoming a European Capital of Culture next year.

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