News

On 2 May, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Antanas Valionis and President of the European Parliament Pat Cox held a bilateral meeting. During the meeting, Pat Cox said that the European Parliament supports a faster and wider process of the European Union's (EU) enlargement. The accession negotiations with Lithuania are being conducted successfully, and the remaining sensitive questions - the decommissioning of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant and problems of agriculture - require a delicate dialogue with the EU. The President of the European Parliament placed special emphasis on the importance of strengthening administrative capacities, among them the capacities of utilizing EU support projects, citing Ireland as an example. The officials exchanged their opinions about the EU and Russia's dialogue on the Kaliningrad Region. The concern was expressed on the insufficient initiative of the Russian side in solving issues related to the future visa regime for the people of the Kaliningrad Region. Pat Cox expressed his wish to continue the exchange of information on all relevant issues of the closing stage of Lithuania's negotiations with the EU.