News

I arrived to Norway, a country that fascinates me by its fjords, mountains and the beautiful north, two years ago. The news about my posting to Norway after four years of work in Israel was received by some friends as going “from the chosen people to the frozen people.” It did not take long to see, however, that Norway and Norwegians are very warm - during the two years here I have got to know hundreds of nice people. Trolls are the only ones that I have not encountered yet, possibly because rumour has it that souvenir trolls are produced in some company in Panevėžys.

I am very pleased that Norway is one of Lithuania’s most solid partners amongst the Scandinavian countries. Together with the other Nordic countries, Norway has made a considerable contribution to the economic progress of the Baltic States. Norwegians consider the Baltic region an economically dynamic and safe area, which complies with the EU regulations. For several years already, the promotion of economic relations between Norway and Lithuania has been our priority.

Trade relations between Lithuania and Norway have been developing steadily for quite some time now and last year’s trade figures were extremely favourable. According to the statistical data of the Norwegian Central Statistics Bureau, Lithuanian-Norwegian trade grew 25% in 2007 year on year and amounted to LTL 1.7 billion. Lithuania’s export to Norway jumped 32% in 2007 to LTL 1.3 billion. For the first time in the history of trade relations between Lithuania and Norway, Lithuania’s export exceeded LTL 1 billion. Furniture, metal products, textile and pre-fabricated wooden houses accounted for the highest exports to Norway. Lithuania’s import from Norway increased 6.7% and amounted to LTL 399 million. Norwegian investments in Lithuania were on the rise as well.

The statistical data shows increasingly successful economic relations between Lithuania and Norway. To promote further development of these relations, the Lithuanian Embassy in Oslo organises meetings of the Baltic and Norwegian business associations, exchanges business-related information with the Lithuanian Economic Development Agency, also regional chambers of commerce, industry and crafts. In addition, the Embassy provides a platform for Norwegian companies to find business partners in Lithuania and vice versa.

The relations between Norway and Lithuania are characterised by good cooperation not only at the institutional level, but also between Lithuanian and Norwegian towns, communities, also “people to people” relations. I am very happy to see a growing number of initiatives to promote Lithuania in Norway through participation in different fairs, exhibitions, and cultural events. 

At the beginning of the year, representatives from Lithuania took part in the largest Scandinavia’s travel and tourism fair “Reiseliv 2008” in Norway, for the first time. The Lithuanian State Department of Tourism, Tourism Development Agency and representatives of 12 tourism companies took the opportunity to present Lithuania to the Scandinavians. The old town of Vilnius, nicknamed the “New Prague”, as well as our seaside, received most attention. The success of our participation in the exhibition has encouraged Lithuanians to come back next year.

The Embassy actively supports various projects aimed at promoting and spreading information about Lithuania. For instance, to commemorate the Day of Restoration of Independence on 11 March, the Lithuanian Embassy in Norway opened an exhibition “War after War: Armed Anti-Soviet Resistance in Lithuania 1944-1953”, brought to Norway by the Lithuanian Museum of Genocide Victims. The Norwegian politicians and academic society, also foreign countries’ diplomats and representatives of the Lithuanian society had an opportunity to learn more about the history of Lithuania and the importance of the partisan war for our independence.

We estimate that there are about 30.000-40.000 Lithuanians who live and work in Norway. To keep in touch with the Lithuanian society here, we try to offer a helping hand to everyone who needs it. The Embassy cooperates with the Lithuanian organisations in Norway and supports various cultural initiatives that they bring up.

Starting this year, we gladly welcomed a new member - Lithuanian Attaché of Culture to the Scandinavian countries - to our team. With the help of Liana Ruokytė-Jonsson, the new Attaché who resides in Copenhagen and is responsible for cultural affairs in the region, we will be able to organise even more cultural events, bring performances by the best Lithuanian art representatives in our region, and thus introduce Norwegians to Lithuania.

After two years in Norway, the beautiful nature of the country and the determination of the Norwegian people to preserve it do not cease to amaze me. I believe Lithuanians could learn from that. Norwegians love to travel abroad, but they also try to get to know their country. In the Norwegian spirit, I try to visit even the most remote places in Norway, too. Differently from Norwegians, however, I do not spend my free time sailing, skiing or fishing. Instead, inspired by the beauty of Norway, I have devoted my spare time to completing a historic novel “A Whiff of Eagle’s Wings”, which is a continuation of my historical novel “In Search of the Moscow Sphinx.” 

By Prof. Alfonsas Eidintas,

Lithuania’s ambassador to Norway