News

On 24 April, Lithuania‘s Minister of Foreign Affairs Vygaudas Ušackas attended the session of the Commission of the Seimas and the Lithuanian World Community.

In his speech, Minister V.Ušackas said that the Lithuanian nation is single, despite the place where Lithuanians live - in Lithuania or abroad. According to the Minister, strong ties among people are the essential background to create integral, solid and sustainable state.

Minister V.Ušackas dedicated a lot of attention to the reorganization of institutions which deal with the issues that are important to Lithuanians living abroad. The aim of the reorganization is to ensure a higher level of representation of the interests of Lithuanians living abroad.

“Direct representation of the interests of Lithuanians living abroad at the governmental level will guarantee a better coordination of activities and a more effective administration of financial resources. This is especially important at this economically complicated period of time“, Minister V.Ušackas noted.

As a part of reorganization, a department for the affairs of Lithuanians living abroad will be established at the Foreign Ministry, it will continue the mission of the Department of National Minorities and Lithuanians Living Abroad under the Government of Lithuania and the Information Centre for Homecoming Lithuanians. The new department of the Ministry will make use of the best practices of these institutions, their experience and specialists.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the only institution which has representatives abroad and has established relations with various communities of Lithuanians. Lithuanian diplomats will be tasked to develop a closer cooperation with Lithuanians living abroad, to get involved in their activities and to support them. This will allow us to be more successful in achieving common goals of the nation”, head of Lithuania’s diplomacy said.

Minister V.Ušackas stressed, that after having taken the responsibility of coordination of the issues related to the Lithuanians living abroad, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will start creating and implementing the strategy of Global Lithuania which is included in the programme of the Government.

„The strategy of Global Lithuania is a priority not only to the state of Lithuania. It is a joint project of all Lithuanians and the Lithuanians living abroad have one of the most important roles in it“, Minister V.Ušackas said.