News

On 2 May in Vilnius, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Audronius Ažubalis and Israeli Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Daniel Ayalon opened the first Israeli consulate headed by an honorary consul in Lithuania.

The honorary consul is Vladas Algirdas Bumelis, who is the head of one of the largest Israel’s capital companies in Lithuania Sicor Biotech / TEVA and President of the Lithuanian-Israeli Chamber of Commerce.

“I hope that with your help, working hand in hand, expanding economic and cultural cooperation and building relations between the people of Lithuania and Israel we will achieve much more for the sake of our countries,” Minister A.Ažubalis said at the opening of the honorary consulate.

The Minister stressed that Israel was Lithuania’s valuable strategic partner and that economic cooperation between the countries had great potential.

Established in 2009, the Lithuanian-Israeli Chamber of Commerce will be located in the consulate’s premises in Pilies Street in Vilnius. Analogous Israeli-Lithuanian Chamber of Commerce is also located in Tel Aviv.

Currently, a total of 26 foreign consulates headed by honorary consuls are located in Lithuania.

On 3 May, Israeli Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Daniel Ayalon, who is paying a visit to Lithuania, and Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Asta Skaisgirytė Liauškienė are taking part in the Lithuanian-Israeli political consultations.

During the consultations, the officials are discussing bilateral political and economic issues, dedicating a lot of attention to current issues of the European Union and the Middle East peace process and cooperation in international organizations. They are also discussing issues of the Jewish Community of Lithuania that are important to Lithuania and Israel.