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Reconstruction of genuine memory of the crimes of totalitarian regimes, and restoration of justice is one of the top priorities of Lithuanian foreign policy, Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Audronius Ažubalis said during discussion "The Politics of Hitler and Stalin for Europe’s Destruction: Lithuania on the map of bloodlands”  organized  on 28 September by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania.

“The international community has unanimously condemned the crimes of Nazism, terrible tragedy of the Holocaust and cherishes the memory of millions victims of war. However, gaps remain in the historical memory of Europe after the victory over Hitler to the present day. These gaps relate to the secret geography of total terror, its perpetrators and victims," A. Ažubalis stated.

According to him, even though using different methods, both regimes -  the Nazi and Soviet - carried out mass killings of Jews, Lithuanians, Latvians, Estonians, Poles, Ukrainians, Belarusians and Russians.

 „Lithuania will continue to seek compensation for occupation damages and to remind the world about the tragic fate of our people under the oppression of totalitarian regimes in the 20th century. Not because we desire to compete with somebody in amount of harm or number of victims, but because of an obligation of humanity," the Minister said.

During the discussion the book of Timothy Snyder “Bloodlands: Europe between Hitler and Stalin” containing a new study, which examines terror of the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany was presented.

According to A. Ažubalis, this book breaks the silence and speaks about the things that has remained in a backwater of historical chronicles for decades.

“This book reminds the world that the region of Central and Eastern Europe  from the Baltic to the Black Sea was the main field  of tragedies of  the 20th century. Here was the meeting place of  two totalitarian machines not recognizing humanity -  Hitler's Nazi Germany and Stalin's Soviet Union,” the Minister said.

The discussion was also attended by historians, political scientists, diplomats. The discussion was moderated by political analyst Kęstutis Girnius.

Exactly 72 years ago on 28 September, 1939,  the Nazi Germany and Soviet Union signed a secret protocol of friendship and boundaries by which Lithuania was meant to the sphere of Soviet influence. The discussion was organized to commemorate the tragic consequences of this protocol for the people of Central and Eastern Europe.

Lithuanian translation of T. Snyder’s book was published by «Tyto Alba» in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania.