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On 19 April, Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Vygaudas Ušackas visited Sejny and Punsk. Together with officials of local authorities and representatives from the Lithuanian community in Poland the Minister discussed issues of education of Lithuanians in Sejny, as well as preservation and fostering of the Lithuanian heritage in the land of Sejny. The visit of the Minister to Sejny and Punsk is the introductory part of his visit to Poland.

In Sejny, Minister V.Ušackas stressed that the goal of his visit to Poland was to strengthen Lithuanian-Polish relations. In the meantime, Sejny and Punsk best reflect the closely interrelated history of both countries, alongside with potential for cooperation.

“Lithuanians in Sejny represent a strong link between Lithuania and Poland. I will seek that these links would continue to strengthen in the spirit of solidarity, because the more resilient and frank cooperation between our two countries is, the bigger weight we shall have in a united Europe,” said V.Ušackas.

The Minister invited to develop relations between the two countries by promoting communication between the people, by establishing close relations among schools, communities, nongovernmental and religious organisations.

“Lithuanians and Poles can greatly enrich one another, therefore, appropriate conditions for reciprocal fostering of national identities should be created,” the Minister said.

According to head of the Lithuanian diplomacy, the land of Sejny is unique due to its heritage, because here we can feel the spirit of such prominent Lithuanians: Antanas Baranauskas, Vincas Mykolaitis Putinas, Mykolas Krupavičius and Vincas Kudirka.

The Minister asked the representatives from the local authorities – Mayor of Sejny Jan Stanisław Kap and head of the county of Sejny Ryszard Grzybowski to consider the requests of Lithuanians in Sejny and Punsk to solve problematic issues of education and the Lithuanian heritage. Аmong other issues is the issues of an appropriate financing to Lithuanian schools and naming one of the streets in the centre of Sejny after bishop Antanas Baranauskas.