News

On 16 April, the Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Linas Linkevičius thanked the outgoing Ambassador of Italy Renato Maria Ricci for his contribution to reaching an agreement with the Government of Italy on compensation for Villa Lituania, the inter-war Lithuanian legation building in Rome.

The historic agreement was signed on 21 February, during the visit of the Italian Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi di Sant’Agata to Lithuania.

The Ambassador noted that the Italian Parliament should ratify the agreement on Villa Lituania right after the formation of a Commission on Foreign Affairs. The Ambassador assured that Lithuania could count on support of Italy and cooperation during the period of the Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Ricci also stressed that Italy spoke in favour of Lithuania’s membership of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, as the country aimed to join it.

The Lithuanian Foreign Minister also praised the intensive bilateral cooperation, the rapidly growing trade, and expressed hope that Lithuania would continue a fruitful dialogue with Italy.

The Italian Ambassador Ricci has resided in Lithuania since 13 March 2009. The new Italian Ambassador to Lithuania Stefano Taliani de Marchio will replace him at the end of April.