News

On 1 February, in the town of Skien, Southern Norway, a consulate headed by the Lithuanian Honorary Consul Carl Thomas Carlsten was opened. C.T.Carlsten is appointed to carry out consular functions in Telemark consular district. Lithuanian Ambassador to Norway Alfonsas Eidintas, Member of the Seimas of Lithuania Rasa Juknevičienė, the Manager of the County of Telemark in Norway Kari Norheim‑Larsen, Deputy Mayor of Telemark Lars Bjaadal and other officials took part in the opening ceremony of the consulate.

During the opening, Lithuanian Ambassador A.Eidintas stressed the intensively growing economic cooperation between Lithuania and Norway, and the growing number of tourists. Ambassador thanked Lithuanian Honorary Consuls for effective work.

‘Lithuania opens already the seventh consulate in Norway. Thanks to the effort of our Honorary Consuls, thousands of entrepreneurs, civil servants and the Lithuanian Embassy in 2007 we reached impressive results in bilateral trade,’ said A.Eidintas.

Ambassador indicated that he expected activeness also from the new Honorary Consul in the County of Telemark C.T.Carlsten, especially in promoting trade, in developing tourism to Lithuania and student exchange.

Lithuanian Ambassador at large at the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Romanas Podagėlis presented a Consulate’s seal and portfolio to the Honorary Consul during the celebration.

C.T.Carlsten, Ph.D., is a counsellor for education in the Municipality of Skien. He is an active Rotary club member in Skien, one of the initiators of the project, which was implemented in Kaunas Municipality, called ‘Integration of the Disabled into the Society’. C.T.Carsten is actively promoting cooperation among the Lithuanian and Norwegian Municipalities and organisations in the area of education.

The opening of the Honorary Consulate in Skien will allow developing economic, cultural and scientific relations among Lithuanian regions and the County of Telemark. There are many Lithuanian citizens living and working in the County of Telemark. The cultural and educational projects, initiated by the newly appointed Honorary Consul shall allow them to retain close ties with Lithuania.