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According to Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Antanas Valionis, the European Commission documents on the progress made by Turkey while preparing for the membership in the European Union (EU) and assessments of the effects of Turkey’s membership on the European Union are an important step in the EU-Turkish relations. Lithuania supports proposals of the European Commission on the accession negotiations with Turkey and the proposed negotiation strategy. The Lithuanian Foreign Minister voiced this position after the European Commission announced its recommendations on 6 October to start the EU accession negotiations with Turkey under certain conditions. The negotiations will start providing that appropriate legal acts important for ensuring reforms will be adopted and come into force. It is also projected that the negotiations may be interrupted, if serious violations of democratic principles are made. The European Commission underlines that the negotiations are a long-term and open process without any clear-cut terms of completion. In Minister Valionis’ opinion, the process of Turkey’s preparation for the EU membership would require decisive and long-term efforts by the country’s Government and society, whereas the assessment made by the European Commission on the effects of Turkey’s membership in the EU singles out the direction of necessary reforms in Turkey and draws the strategy of further participation of the country in the process of European integration. “We welcome the progress made by Turkey in implementing political and economic criteria of the EU membership as well as shifting and implementing the requirements of the European Union law. Nevertheless, we think that principal efforts will be needed in order to carry out the underlying work of preparation for the membership in the European Union,” Antanas Valionis is convinced. According to him, Lithuania backs up the opinion of the European Commission that Turkey has made a progress in the field of political reforms, however shortcomings remain, thus political reforms should be consolidated and expanded.