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On 1 June, Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Audronius Ažubalis congratulated the Cruise Baltic project with the Baltic Sea Award for extraordinary contributions to the development of the Baltic Sea Region. The award ceremony was held at the Lithuanian National Drama Theatre in Vilnius. In his speech, the Minister expressed satisfaction that the Baltic Development Forum Summit was held in Vilnius this year and highlighted that regional cooperation was among the most important issues of Lithuania’s Presidency of the Council of the Baltic Sea States.

“We have to join efforts in fostering our common home - the Baltic Sea region. Only by coordinating the actions of politicians, entrepreneurs, representatives from the academic community and non-governmental organizations we can ensure the region’s competitiveness, attractiveness and prosperity,” Minister A.Ažubalis said.

According to the Minister, aiming to ensure regional development and competitiveness it is necessary to strengthen economic and financial integration, to enhance energy and transport infrastructure, and to work in the areas of research, innovations and human resource development.

The Minister stressed that aiming to achieve sustainable growth, it was necessary to act strategically. “Using the European Union Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region as basis, ensuring the coordination and adequate financial resources, we can achieve that EU member states, Norway, Iceland, Russia and Belarus would act consistently for the sake of common goals,” Minister A.Ažubalis said.

The Minister assured that the EU for the Baltic Sea Region would deserve special attention on the agenda of Lithuania’s EU Presidency in 2013.

In 2004, ten Baltic Sea States joined forces and created a cruise option Cruise Baltic in order to attract more cruise ships to the Baltic Sea region.