News

I. DOMESTICAFFAIRS

LITHUANIANPARLIAMENTARY CHAIRMAN MET WITH THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE UN DEVELOPMENTPROGRAMME FOR LITHUANIA
NATOEXPERTS WILL REVEAL THE RESULTS OF LITHUANIAN MEMBERSHIP SURVEY EARLY THISSPRING
LITHUANIANFOREIGN MINISTER MET WITH POLISH CULTURE MINISTER
LITHUANIANFOREIGN VICE-MINISTER AND CZECH AMBASSADOR DISCUSSED INCREASING COOPERATION
LITHUANIAAND ITALY SIGNED A MEMORANDUM ON MILITARY COOPERATION
THENUMBER OF LITHUANIANS FAVOURING QUICK ENTRY TO THE EUROPEAN UNION GROWS
THEMAYOR OF VILNIUS INVITED BMW TO BUILD NEW PLANT IN THE CAPITAL OF LITHUANIA

LITHUANIANPRIME MINISTER VISITED BRUSSELS
LITHUANIANFOREIGN MINISTER MAINTAINED CONTACT WITH NEW ADVISOR TO U.S. PRESIDENT
THEGERMAN BUNDESTAG APPROVES OF LITHUANIA QUICKLY BECOMING MEMBER OF THE EUROPEANUNION
LITHUANIARATIFIED THE PROTOCOL TO THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE CONVENTION ON TRANSFER OFSENTENCED PERSONS
LITHUANIANAMBASSADOR TO NATO TOOK OFFICE

GROSSDOMESTIC PRODUCT GREW BY 2.9 PERCENT IN 2000
LITHUANIAPOSTED HIGHEST MINIMUM WAGES IN THE BALTIC STATES
STATEBUDGET 100 PERCENT FULFILLED IN JANUARY
LITHUANIANGOVERNMENT ENDORSED A PROGRAM FOR NUCLEAR POWER PLANT CLOSURE
LITHUANIANTELECOMMUNICATIONS MARKET GREW BY ABOUT 30 PERCENT IN 2000
LITHUANIANBEER EXPORT RECOVERED IN 2000
LITHUANIANGAS REPORTED AN UNAUDITED NET PROFIT OF 7 MILION LITAS IN 2000
FIRSTINDEX FUND IN LITHUANIA

TRADITIONALHORSE RACE IN DUSETOS

I.DOMESTIC AFFAIRS

LITHUANIANPARLIAMENTARY CHAIRMAN MET WITH THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE UN DEVELOPMENTPROGRAMME FOR LITHUANIA

On January 30, LithuanianParliamentary Chairman Arturas Paulauskas met with the Representative ofUN Development Programme for Lithuania Cihan Sultanoglu.
 "The UN supportfor and cooperation with Lithuania is very important while ensuring andfurther expanding the human rights, improving the process of law adoption,and implementing the programmes for the creation of information societyand environment protection", Paulauskas said.
Lithuanian parliamentarychairman claimed that the Seimas committees should cooperate closely withthe  UN representatives while drafting laws as the UN DevelopmentProgramme pays great attention to the unemployment issues.
Sultanoglu ensuredthat the UN would seek to develop the partnership programme signed withLithuania in 1992 and promised every possible support in solving the economicproblems and ensuring the social rights of the people.

NATOEXPERTS WILL REVEAL THE RESULTS OF LITHUANIAN MEMBERSHIP SURVEY EARLY THISSPRING

On February 2, a groupof 20 high NATO officials and specialists ended their work and said theywill reveal the results of their study on Lithuania's readiness to becomea member of the alliance and her progress in carrying out self-appointedtasks early this spring.
The findings by thegroup will bear greatly when considering Lithuania's candidacy at the nextNATO summit meeting in 2002.
NATO experts spenttwo days meeting with officials from the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry, theNational Defence Ministry, the Finance and Economics Ministries, the StateSecurity Department, the central Bank of Lithuania, the State Assets Fundand the Lithuanian Economic Development Agency. The specialists investigatedLithuania's progress in areas listed in the membership action plan, includingin the political, economic, military, resource, legal and security spheres.
NATO experts paidclose attention to Lithuania's relations with neighbouring states and enquiredabout regional cooperation. The NATO officials found the latest publicopinion surveys on domestic civilian support for Lithuanian NATO membershipa reason for optimism.

LITHUANIANFOREIGN MINISTER MET WITH POLISH CULTURE MINISTER

On February 2, LithuanianForeign Minister Antanas Valionis met with Polish Culture and NationalHeritage Minister Kazimierz Ujazdowski.
The ministers discussedthe events to mark the 10th anniversary of the re-established diplomaticrelations. They also discussed a possibility for the diplomatic missionsof both countries to hold joint cultural events in the capitals of WesternEurope countries and in the USA.
Valionis and Ujazdowskitold about possible tripartite cultural projects including the Kaliningradregion of the Russian Federation.

LITHUANIANFOREIGN VICE-MINISTER AND CZECH AMBASSADOR DISCUSSED INCREASING COOPERATION

On January 29, LithuanianForeign Vice-minister Giedrius Cekuolis and Ambassador of the Czech Republicto Lithuania Stefan Füle met and discussed increasing cooperation.
The officials discussedthe schedule for Lithuanian-Czech consultations on security and NATO
integration issues.
In the meeting Cekuolissaid he was pleased with the level of cooperation with the Czech Republic."The Czech Republic's deeds show Prague supports our integration with NATO,"Cekuolis said.
The embassy of theCzech Republic was proclaimed a NATO contact section in Lithuania thisyear.

LITHUANIAAND ITALY SIGNED A MEMORANDUM ON MILITARY COOPERATION

On February 1, Lithuanianand Italian representatives signed a memorandum on military cooperationin holding joint exercises BALTICO-2001.
The internationalexercises are to take place from March 1 to April 10 this year at the CentralBase in Pabrade. Up to 1,000 Italian soldiers will take part in the exerciseswith soldiers from the Lithuanian.
The goal of such exercisesis to reach a deeper level of cooperation between the Lithuanian armedforces and NATO units in combat circumstances.
Similar Lithuanian-Italianmilitary exercises were held at the Pabrade base last year and the yearbefore.

THENUMBER OF LITHUANIANS FAVOURING QUICK ENTRY TO THE EUROPEAN UNION GROWS

The number of Lithuaniansfavouring quick entry to the European Union has grown since November oflast year.
According to the surveyconducted by Vilmorus, in January 22.9 percent of those polled said theysupport the quickest possible entry date for Lithuania. In November oflast year just 19.6 percent were in favour of the quickest possible entry.
If a referendum wereheld today, 47.1 percent would vote in favour and 22 percent against EUmembership.

THEMAYOR OF VILNIUS INVITED BMW TO BUILD NEW PLANT IN THE CAPITAL OF LITHUANIA

On January 29, theMayor of Vilnius Arturas Zuokas sent a letter to the German automakers'concern BMW inviting it to build new plant in Vilnius.
Zuokas promised tocreate conditions as favourable as possible to the investor and to intermediatein negotiating with the parliament of Lithuania and the government.
Vilnius is the secondcity to offer its services to the German concern, the city port of Klaipedahas done this earlier.
Last year BMW conducteda survey inviting different municipalities of Eastern and Central Europeancities to submit their proposals for the construction of a new plant. Theconcern intends to invest about one billion Deutsche marks into the newplant and create about 2,000 new jobs.

II.INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

On January 31, LithuanianPrime Minister Rolandas Paksas visited Brussels.
Paksas met with NATOSecretary General George Robertson.
Robertson commendedLithuania's readiness for membership in the alliance, stressing that themain criteria in accepting new members is their defence capacities to ensurenational defence and participate in NATO's actions.
Robertson also spokehighly of the funding of the Lithuanian defence system. He maintained thatthe funds allocated by Lithuania for the development of its defence sectoris not a waste of money but a proper investment into the security of thestate.
The NATO leader alsonoted the significance of public opinion about NATO membership in aspiringcountries.
Paksas said all mainpolitical parties in the country supported NATO goals.  He assuredRobertson that NATO and the European Union are parallel strategic goalsof the present Lithuanian government, adding that the two aspirations cannotsubstitute for one another.
 Lithuanian primeminister also had a working dinner with the European Commission's EnlargementCommissioner Günter Verheugen..
Verheugen emphasizedthat among other criteria for determining a state's readiness for entryin the EU, political and economic stability is one of the most important.
The commissioner noted2001 is a favourable year for candidate countries, with Sweden and Belgium,both proponents of EU expansion, in the presidency.

LITHUANIANFOREIGN MINISTER MAINTAINED CONTACT WITH NEW ADVISOR TO U.S. PRESIDENT

On January 31, LithuanianForeign Minister Antanas Valionis discussed bilateral relations and theprospects for Lithuanian membership in NATO with special Advisor to theU.S. President and Director of European and Eurasian affairs for the U.S.National Security Council Daniel Fried by telephone.
"NATO membership wouldbe a joint victory for Lithuania and the U.S.," Valionis said, adding thatthe U.S.'s position on the issue could mean much.
"Lithuanian membershipin NATO would be an essential step forward in guaranteeing security andstability not just in the Baltic region, but across Europe," the head ofthe Lithuanian diplomatic
corps said.
Before he was appointedto a post in the Bush administration, Fried was the U.S. ambassador toPoland. Valionis, before becoming Lithuanian foreign minister, was hiscountry's ambassador in Warsaw
also. "With Mr. Friedassuming new duties, there is a good opportunity to renew contacts andcontinue cooperation," Valionis said.

THEGERMAN BUNDESTAG APPROVES OF LITHUANIA QUICKLY BECOMING MEMBER OF THE EUROPEANUNION

On February 1, at apress conference held in the Lithuanian parliament the Chairman of GermanBundestag's Committee on the Affaires of the European Union Jürgen Meyerreported all the Bundestag's political factions approves of Lithuania andother two Baltic states quickly becoming members of the European Union.
Meyer said he believedit is entirely possible for Lithuania to become a EU member in 2003, andthat elections to the European Parliament could be held in Lithuania by2004.
Meyer praised theLithuanian parliament's determination to give special attention to passinglegislation for integration with the EU.

LITHUANIARATIFIED THE PROTOCOL TO THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE CONVENTION ON TRANSFER OFSENTENCED PERSONS

On January 31, PermanentRepresentative of Lithuania to the Council of Europe ambassador Rokas Bernotashanded the instrument of ratification of the Additional Protocol to theConvention on the transfer of sentenced persons to Secretary General ofthe Council of Europe Walter Schwimmer.
This text sets outthe rules applicable when the execution of sentences is transferred, firstlywhere sentenced persons have absconded from the sentencing State to theirState of nationality, and secondly where they are subject to an expulsionor deportation order as a consequence of their sentence.
This protocol willenter into force for Lithuania on the 1st of May 2001.

LITHUANIANAMBASSADOR TO NATO TOOK OFFICE

On January 30, Lithuania'snew ambassador at the mission to NATO, Ginte Bernadeta Damusis, presentedthe credentials to NATO Secretary General George Robertson in Brussels.
Damusis and Robertsondiscussed Lithuania's readiness to join NATO.
The newly posted ambassadornoted that the Lithuanian government has been allocating sufficient fundsfor the implementation of the defence reform, adding that plans are madeto continue the funding plan. In Damusis' words, Lithuania seeks to utilizeall possibilities stipulated in its Membership Action Plan.
Robertson, on hispart, underscored that Lithuania should carry on with the development ofits defence capacities. He noted the complexity of the task, saying thatthe results will be crucial when NATO member-states decide on admissionof new countries.
Until the designationDamusis was the country's ambassador to Austria, Slovenia, Croatia andSlovakia.
Damusis graduatedfrom Wayne University in Detroit, Michigan, the United States, in 1979.She worked at the Lithuanian UN mission and entered the Lithuanian diplomaticcorps in 1992. From 1996 to 1999, Damusis was head of Lithuania's permanentmission to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in Vienna.
Damusis was namedplenipotentiary ambassador to Austria in 1998, then to Slovenia and Slovakiain 1999, and finally to Croatia in 2000.

III.ECONOMIC NEWS

On January 30, theStatistics Department announced that according to the preliminary datathe Lithuanian gross domestic product grew by 2.9 percent in 2000 and amountedto 44.9 billion litas (USD 11.22 billion).
The GDP rose by 4.7percent in the fourth quarter of 2000, compared with the same time in 1999,and amounted to 11.7 billion litas at then current prices.

LITHUANIAPOSTED HIGHEST MINIMUM WAGES IN THE BALTIC STATES

Lithuania posted thehighest minimum monthly wages among the three Baltic States for December,according to data provided by the Lithuanian Statistics Department.
Lithuania's minimummonthly earnings amounted to 107.5 US dollars last month, compared with80.78 dollars in Latvia and 80.26 dollars in Estonia.

STATEBUDGET 100 PERCENT FULFILLED IN JANUARY

Lithuania's state budgetfulfilled 100 percent in the first month of 2001.
Lithuania's budgetrevenues in January weighed in at 435 million litai, thus hitting the targetfor the first month of the year right on the nose.
Budget returns increasedby 44 million litai as compared to January of last year, which, expertssay, gives reason to hope that this year's budget will be better implemented.

LITHUANIANGOVERNMENT ENDORSED A PROGRAM FOR NUCLEAR POWER PLANT CLOSURE

On January 31, theLithuanian government endorsed a program for the decommissioning of thefirst nuclear reactor of the Ignalina nuclear power plant.
The program providesfor three stages of cessation of operations of the RBMK-type nuclear block.During the first stage (2001-2004), Lithuania will prepare to take theSoviet-built plant out of operation. Over the years 2005-2010, equipmentis to be prepared for disassembly and long-term storage. The third phase,during which equipment and buildings are to be disassembled and removed,may last
until 2080.
The plan is also aimedat mitigating the social and economic effects of the plant's closure onLithuania, and especially on plant personnel and residents in the surroundingarea.

LITHUANIANTELECOMMUNICATIONS MARKET GREW BY ABOUT 30 PERCENT IN 2000

Last year the growthof the Lithuanian telecommunications market exceeded all possible forecasts- instead of growing by 20 - 25 percent it rose by 36 percent, the businessdaily Verslo Zinios reported.
According to the financialanalysts, last year companies focused on developing the newest communicationstechnologies, which increased the speed of data transmission. The volumeof investments channelled into the development of the telecommunicationsinfrastructure allowed everyone
to expect that themarket will grow this year as well.

LITHUANIANBEER EXPORT RECOVERED IN 2000

Lithuanian beer producersexported up by 41.5 percent in 2000 compared with the previous year, dataprovided by the Lithuanian Brewers' Association showed.
Gubernija was thelargest exporter of Lithuanian beer in 2000. The company exported beerto Russia's Kaliningrad region, Germany, the Unites States, Latvia, andIsrael.
Other Lithuanian breweriesmostly exported beer to the United States, England and Latvia last year.

LITHUANIANGAS REPORTED AN UNAUDITED NET PROFIT OF 7 MILION LITAS IN 2000

On February 2, LithuanianGas, the state-owned natural gas utility undergoing restructuring, reportedan unaudited net profit of 7 million litas (USD 1.75 mln) for the fullyear 2000.
Last year the companyoperated at a profit for the first time after a two-year recession.
    Due to the increase in gas consumption, the turnover of the company grewby 2 percent to 595.1 million litas in 2000, up from 584 million litasin 1999.

FIRSTINDEX FUND IN LITHUANIA

The first index fundNSEL 30 Index Fund, controlled by the company Investment Portfolio Management,which was established by Max Zavanelli, president of the U.S. investmentresearch company ZPR International, will soon start its operations in Lithuania.
The Lithuanian SecuritiesCommission gave the permission to start operations in the sphere of investments.According to the representative of NSEL 30 Index Fund, the fund
will try to attractforeign capital and any investor, following the acquisition of five shares,will be able to become a shareholder of the fund. The investor can be eithera natural or legal person.

IV.CULTURE,  INTERESTING

TRADITIONALHORSE RACE IN DUSETOS

On February 3-4, nearly25 000 spectators met to see the traditional horse race held in the easternDusetos township of Lithuania.
Without 12 horse contests,in which 63 horses and 44 horse riders were rivalling for almost 40 000litas prize fund, spectators could try soldier food or take part in variouscontests and win unexpected prizes.
The horse race inDusetos dates back to the 18th century. It came to be a tradition in 1905and was announced a national race in 1955.