At the Informal Meeting of Ministers for European Affairs in Lefkosia, the capital of Cyprus, on August 30, Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Vytautas Leškevičius emphasized Lithuania’s ambition to have a solidarity-based EU budget.

 “We speak up for a fair, unbiased and solidarity-based EU budget, for the budget that would reflect current challenges and meet European citizens’ expectations,” the Foreign Vice-Minister said at the meeting.

He also noted that the new EU budget had to focus on overcoming the crisis, contributing to higher employment, innovation and economic growth.

At the meeting, the EU ministers and representatives from the European Parliament discussed furthers steps necessary to establish consensus on EU Budget 2014-2020.

Leškevičius stressed the need to reach an agreement for fair Cohesion Fund reallocation and redistribution of agricultural direct payments, which is important for Lithuania.

The Vice-Minister also reminded his interlocutors about the obligations assumed under the Treaty of Accession of Lithuania to the EU with regard to the financing of the closure of the Ignalina nuclear power plant.

Currently, the EU member states and the European Parliament are discussing the European Commission’s proposal for the Multiannual Financial Framework 2014-2020. It is expected that an agreement could be reached by the end of the year.