News

On 28 August during the convention of heads of Lithuania’s diplomatic representations, Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs acquainted the participants with tasks of the diplomatic service: fostering of the Lithuanian identity and the improvement of consular services.

V.Ušackas attracted attention of the participants of the convention to the fact that since 1 January 2010, after the reorganisation of the Department of National Minorities and Lithuanians Living Abroad under the Government of the Republic of Lithuania and the Information Center for Homecoming Lithuanians, these tasks will be implemented by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, which will take over the largest part of these two institutions in the area of coordinating the affairs of Lithuanians living abroad.

„The Diplomatic service acquires a unique possibility to foster the Lithuanian identity, but also it is a great responsibility, which will require a lot of dedication from the diplomats,” said V.Ušackas.

The Minister invited heads of the diplomatic representations to consider this task with a responsibility, implementing it with enthusiasm, also talked about the initiative of “the departure missions” of Consuls to larger Lithuanian communities abroad.

While speaking about the consular services, the Minister stressed that the main task was to ensure the highest quality and efficiency.

“Even during the economic turndown we have to maintain the accessibility of the consular services for the Lithuanian citizens, properly reacting to their expectations,” said head of the Lithuanian diplomacy.

The Minister emphasized that the activities of all the diplomatic service will be judged according to the efficiency of the consular service.

According to V.Ušackas, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to pursue reducing demands on carrying out consular activities. The Ministry initiated and achieved that the issuance of passports would be shortened from 3-4 months to 1 month. The procedure of declaring a place of residence was accelerated from 1 month to 3-4 days. Other facilitations are foreseen, a more user-friendly website for consular information is being created at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Speeches were also given by Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Šarūnas Adomavičius, Chairperson of the Lithuanian World Community Regina Narušienė, director of the Lithuanian Emigration Institute Egidijus Aleksandravičius and director of the Department of National Minorities and Lithuanians Living Abroad Arvydas Daunoravičius, other participants of the discussion.