News

On 27 March at the meeting with the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Knut Vollebaek, Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Audronius Ažubalis emphasized the more active dialogue between the Government and the national minorities, and efforts to solve problems in the Vilnius region. They also discussed the situation of the Lithuanian national minority in Poland and underlined an open and constructive dialogue with Poland in all areas.

According to the Minister, the Government seeks to solve economic and social problems in the Vilnius region, including the issues of finally returning the expropriated land, reducing unemployment and improving investment climate.

The meeting also discussed Vollebaek’s visit to Lithuania on 14-16 November 2011 and his recommendations on the situation of national minorities.

Lithuanian Foreign Minister, who is also a member of the OSCE Troika, thanked the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities for his personal efforts to solve conflict situations in the OSCE area.

During his visit to Lithuania, Vollebaek will also hold meetings with ministers of culture, education and science, representatives from the Office of the Prime Minister and the Director of the Lithuanian National Examinations Centre Saulius Zybartas.

After paying a visit to Lithuania, the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities intends to visit Poland, where he will discuss the recommendations that were submitted during his last visit there on 21-24 November 2011.

The task of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities is to respond to the ethnic tensions that are emerging in the region and to prevent them by taking preventive and diplomatic measures.

The Conference for Security and Co-operation in Europe (now the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe – OSCE) decided to establish the post of High Commissioner on National Minorities in 1992.  Vollebaek was appointed as the High Commissioner on National Minorities in 2007. His office is in The Hague.