PRIME MINISTER’S MEETING WITH LATVIAN COUNTERPART ON HER FIRST VISIT TO LITHUANIA
On 14 February Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevičius met with Latvian Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma on her first visit to Lithuania. The meeting focussed on the bilateral cooperation, the issues of energy and transport, as well as the euro.“I would like to take this opportunity to once again congratulate Latvia on the introduction of the euro. I am certain that Latvia’s membership in the euro zone will encourage other countries, notably Lithuania, to follow suit. We appreciate Latvia’s cooperation with Lithuania in sharing the euro experience”, – said Prime Minister A. Butkevičius.
The counterparts also discussed Rail Baltica, and Algirdas Butkevičius reiterated the importance of the inclusion of Vilnius in the project. “We will have a feasibility study, which will help us in finding the best way to integrate Vilnius in the project. Last week we had a meeting of the Baltic Council of Ministers, which agreed that the issue of Vilnius was not an obstacle to continue with Rail Baltica. We will continue the work on technical issues and draft relevant documents for European Union funding”, – said the Lithuanian Prime Minister. The Latvian Prime Minister noted that following the BCM meeting in Tallinn, active preparations continued towards setting up a joint company.
The Lithuanian and Latvian Prime Ministers discussed plans for further bilateral cooperation and a possibility of holding a joint sitting of the two Cabinets. The meeting also covered commemorations of the 25th anniversary of the Baltic Way and the Day of Baltic Unity. “This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Baltic Way. It is noteworthy that our Governments have decided to set up working groups for organising events to commemorate this historic anniversary”, – said the Lithuanian Prime Minister.
Prime Minister Butkevičius wished success to the Latvian Prime Minister upon her recent appointment to the office and expressed hope that close cooperation traditions will be maintained. The Lithuanian Prime Minister congratulated Latvian Prime Minister Straujuma on the medals the Latvian Olympic lugers, and wished further success to the Latvian athletes at the Sochi Winter Olympics.
This has been the first visit to Lithuania by the newly-appointed Prime Minister of Latvia Laimdota Straujuma.
