News

On 28 April in Vilnius, Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Audronius Ažubalis and Governor of the Kaliningrad Region of the Russian Federation Nikolai Tsukanov discussed the most important issues of bilateral and regional cooperation. The Kaliningrad Region is geographically the most proximate Russian region to Lithuania. The Minister drew the attention of the Governor to the immense concern of Lithuania regarding the nuclear safety of the Baltic Nuclear Power Plant that is projected in the Kaliningrad Region, next to Lithuania‘s border. The head of Lithuania‘s diplomacy also highlighted the country‘s demand that the environmental impact assessment had to be carried out in full conformity with the highest international standards and commitments.

Minister A.Ažubalis also noted that the old military ammunition is being destroyed at the Russian border with Lithuania for already some time, and this causes threat to the health of Lithuanian and Russian residents in the area, makes a negative impact on their life quality and damages their property. The Minister asked the Governor of the Kaliningrad Region to take measures in order to stop these explosions.

The authorities of the Kaliningrad Region expect that a factory for utilising the explosives will be built by the end of the year and the explosions will end. The issue is important not only to the settlements at the Lithuanian border area but also to the whole Kaliningrad Region.

The interlocutors also discussed the issue regarding the preservation of the museum dedicated to Kristijonas Donelaitis, the patriarch of Lithuanian literature, in Tolminkiemis (Chistye Prudy).  The Governor of the Kaliningrad Region assured that the status and the owner of the museum wouldn’t change. Lithuania is ready to contribute to the maintenance of the museum.

The preparations for the celebration of the 300th anniversary of K.Donelaitis birth in 2014 was also discussed during the meeting.

Lithuania remains a consistent supporter of the facilitation of travels by the residents of the Kaliningrad Region. The Foreign Minister stated at the meeting that Lithuania supported the proposals to amend the regulation of the European Union regarding the facilitated travel procedures for the residents of border areas by extending its application to the whole Region of Kaliningrad.

While the regulation will be in the process of amending, Lithuania would aim to sign an agreement with Russia which would comply with the provisions of the regulation and would already facilitate the travels of the residents who live in the area within 30-50 kilometres from the border.

Minister A.Ažubalis and Governor N.Tsukanov also discussed the development of border infrastructure, the increasing of border flow capacity, the construction of the new bridge over the Nemunas river in Panemunė, as well as other issues.

The Governor informed that in summer Russia would be ready to sign the agreement regarding the construction of the bridge over the Nemunas river. He expects that this would be done during the meeting of intergovernmental Lithuanian-Russian commission on 14-15 July in Vilnius.

The Governor of the Kaliningrad Region is paying a visit to Lithuania on 27-29 April. The programme of the visit also includes meetings with President of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaitė, Ministers of Economy and the Interior, Chancellor of the Prime Minister Deividas Matulionis.

On 27 April, the Days of the Kaliningrad Region in Lithuania were launched, they are dedicated to the stimulation of the open dialogue between neighbours, the consistent development and strengthening of the economic, social and cultural ties between the countries. Various business, culture, art and sports events are taking place as part of the programme.

On 28 April, a business forum “Kaliningrad-Lithuania” is taking place at the conference centre of Radisson Blu Hotel Lietuva in Vilnius. It is attended by a few tens of entrepreneurs from Russia‘s Kaliningrad Region who are accompanying the Governor during his visit. The entrepreneurs are meeting representatives of Lithuanian industries and businesses, they discuss the possibilities for investment promotion and the development of business ties.