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On May 15 in Vilnius, Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Audronius Ažubalis met with German Minister of State Michael Georg Link to discuss Lithuania’s interests in negotiations on the next EU financial perspective and future Eastern Partnership policy.

“The Eastern Partnership Summit in Vilnius will be the biggest event during Lithuania’s Presidency and its success will depend on cooperation between the EU and Eastern Partnership countries at an early date. We hope to work very closely with Germany, our friend and partner, in creating an ambitious Eastern Partnership policy,” the Minister said.

The interlocutors also discussed the EU’s multi-annual financial framework, the future of Europe and issues of energy security.

“Saving has enabled Lithuania to return to growth – we have overcome the crisis on our own. However, the Commission’s proposed provisions of the new multiannual financial framework related to the cohesion policy so far would only punish the Baltic States despite our rally and excellent abilities to absorb the assistance. This is totally unacceptable to us. We expect understanding from our EU partners and Germany’s support for decisions that reflect our efforts,” Ažubalis said.

Link emphasized that the Baltic States set a positive example, as countries which efficiently absorb and use the EU support for smart growth. The meeting discussed possibilities to boost growth in the EU by exploiting all the possibilities of the internal market, for example, better implementation of the services directive and the common patent system.

Ažubalis stressed that German support for the elimination of “energy islands” in Europe was very important to Lithuania. The Minister presented the Visaginas nuclear power plant project as a very important one for Lithuania’s energy independence.

The meeting discussed further strengthening of bilateral partnership, which would enhance political, economic and cultural ties between the countries, and contribute to the creation of Europe’s future.

Ažubalis proposed developing guidelines for further Lithuanian-German cooperation at bilateral, EU and multilateral levels.

2011 marked the 20th anniversary of the re-establishment of diplomatic relations between Lithuania and Germany. Germany is one of Lithuania’s key partners in the EU and NATO, which is the second most important Lithuania‘s trading partner and a third largest investor in Lithuania.