LITHUANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER STRESSES CLOSE LITHUANIAN-NORWEGIAN COOPERATION, THANKS FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO LITHUANIA
At the meeting with Second Vice President of the Norwegian Storting (Parliament), Member of the Delegation to the Nordic Council Per-Kristian Foss on 26 October, Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Audronius Ažubalis stressed close cooperation between Lithuania and Norway in many spheres and thanked Norway for its financial support to Lithuania.
Norway provides assistance to Lithuania through the European Economic Area (EEA) and Norwegian financial mechanisms. From 2009 to 2014, Lithuania is to receive 84 million EUR. Lithuania will receive 38.4 million of them through the EEE and 45.6 million EUR through the Norwegian financial mechanisms.At the meeting, A.Ažubalis informed the participants about Lithuania’s preparation to coordinate the activities of the Nordic Baltic Eight (NB8) in 2012.
The Minister also expressed concern over the future of the Nordic Council of Ministers Offices. This question is relevant to all three Baltic States.
According to A.Ažubalis, the activities of the Nordic Council of Ministers Offices in the Baltic States enable to keep directly in touch with this organization and to benefit from the experience of the Nordic countries that set a good example for the Baltic States to follow.
Established in 1991, the Offices facilitate the implementation of the Joint Nordic-Baltic programmes and the society in the Baltic States has an opportunity to learn more about the Nordic countries. These Offices serve not just as a platform for political dialogue and as a source of projects and initiatives; they are also centres of Nordic academic, cultural and community life, which also helps to build the image of a unified region.
The Minister said that common effort was necessary to make the activities of the Nordic Council of Ministers Offices more efficient.
At the meeting, the participants highlighted successful cooperation in developing the activities of European Humanities University (EHU) in exile. It was noted that the international community would continue to form a pro-European society in Belarus, which would be prepared to assume responsibility for the creation of a democratic state, which would respect human rights and society.
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