News

On 12 June European Union Department of Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs organized a seminar - round table discussion “The EU Presidency: Lithuania’s preparations and Austria’s experience”.

EU Department Director of Austrian Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs Martin Sajdik who is the principal coordinator of Austria’s preparation and Austrian EU Presidency in Austrian Foreign Ministry was invited to Lithuania to share Austrian Presidency experience.

During the seminar the guest spoke about thorough preparation of the institutions for the presidency, drawing up presidency programme, about organizational, logistical and security aspects of the presidency events, great need for translators, political decision making and coordination of institutions’ activities. 

In his speech Austrian diplomat emphasized the necessity of early preparations for the presidency and paying considerable attention to civil servants’ foreign language (especially French) learning and evaluation of infrastructure needs for the future presidency period (hotels, conference rooms) and financial aspects of preparations.

EU Department Director of Lithuanian Foreign Ministry Vidmantas Purlys acquainted Austrian diplomat with Lithuania’s preparations for the presidency and told about Lithuanian EU Presidency Preparations 2006-2009 Action Plan adopted by Lithuanian Government on 4 April 2006. The implementation of the Action Plan is coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Office of Lithuanian Government.

Lithuania will preside over the EU in the second half of 2013.