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Dear professors, NGO’s activists,

Dear friends!

I am delighted to be with you today in Chisinau for the official opening of European Integration Study Center and to participate in this important discussion on Moldova’s EU aspirations and Lithuania’s experience. I hope this center will become an important place for Moldova’s people and will provide them with all the information on EU affairs and Lithuania.

This is the second Center [first – in Lviv (Ukraine) – was opened two weeks ago; third – in Donetsk (Ukraine) – will be opened in December] witch is opened in one of our neighboring countries by the join initiative of Lithuania’s MFA and the Institute of International Relations and Political Science of Vilnius University. I believe that these centers will become the leading institutions for research, teaching, publishing and the above all - promoting the construction of a unified Europe.

European Union, which celebrates this year 50th anniversary of Rome’s treaty, is probably the best success story of regional integration. Working together countries of Europe have developed an area of freedom, peace and welfare. Unfortunately not all European countries could embark on that road of integration from the very beginning.

Lithuania and Moldova together with other Eastern and Central European countries were left aside behind the walls and curtains by witch Europe was divided half of XX century. We were unable to move on together with the Western part of Europe.  We could not develop, freely and independently, our statehood, our economy and the well-being of our people.

In the past seventeen years, Lithuania has made tremendous progress in rebuilding its state and economy and reached it’s strategic goal becoming the member of EU and NATO. Advancing along this difficult road of reforms, we were supported by many foreign partners and the world community. Therefore today Lithuania assumes its commitments in helping others following the same road to democracy.

With the historic enlargement in 2004 European integration process has also entered a new phase for Europe and for the Union. East and West have found each other again. Ten Eastern and Central European countries not only returned to European family, but also brought new ideas, interests, inspiration, and experience. Europe has never been as strong with its diversity.

Today’s European Union with twenty seven members and with a population including every twelfth citizen of the world, is the largest political, economic and commercial power of the continent. It is a unique club, representing nations at different stages of their economic and political development that generates over one fifth of the global trade and nearly 30 per cent of the World GDP.

At the same time the increased co-operation of EU and it’s European neighbors today is indispensable to overcome the challenges Europe is facing. There is so much to be done for increasing co-operation with the view of further integrating our markets and energy networks, promoting political contacts and building people-to-people ties.

Lithuania as the new member of EU seeks to carry a message of a strong and forward looking Europe. We assume it as both our interest and duty to complete the project of a united Europe.  Therefore we hope that European neighbors, through ongoing reforms, will link their future ever more closely to the European Union. And therefore we are happy to see when Moldova takes decisive steps on the road of integration to the European Union

We know from our own experience that the success of Euro-Atlantic integration depends, first of all, on impeccably prepared homework. On the other hand, it is not only the documents or acquis that are central to European integration, but values you believe in, and moral principles that guide your actions. That is why active involvement of society, intellectuals, business and academic forces in decision making are vital to achieve Moldova’s strategic objectives in the shortest time possible. 

Thus one of the main aims of the European Integration Study Center will be to contribute and to promote the involvement of larger Moldova’s society in building internal political consensus on the strategic economic and foreign policies witch are indispensable for seeking EU membership. I also hope that this  Center will increase awareness not only about the EU, but also about Lithuania as its new member, and this will provide a great opportunity to deepen the co-operation between two countries and civil societies. 

Dear friends,

On its road of independence, democratic transformation and integration into EU Lithuania, have learned courage, sacrifice, diplomacy, wisdom, ambitions, togetherness, and unity with partners and neighbors. These are main lessons that we wish to share with you.

And I am proud to be associated with it and grateful for this chance to address you briefly. I wish you a very successful work and best outcomes!