TRADE AND INVESTMENT ISSUES WERE DISCUSSED IN KALININGRAD
On 19 February, Undersecretary of Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Evaldas Ignatavičius paid a visit to the Kaliningrad Region of Russian Federation, where he met with the Region’s Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Shalimov, Chairman of the Kaliningrad Duma Sergey Bulychev, Minister for Housing and Communal Services Sergey Buchelnikov, Head of the Representation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia Sergey Bezberezhyev, businessmen and representatives of Lithuanian community.
During the meetings with the authorities of the Kaliningrad Region ways to promote bilateral trade and investments in the times of complicated economy were discussed. Possibilities to aid Lithuanian companies in the region were discussed and their importance for the region’s economic and social development was noted. Interlocutors also exchanged their views on the possibilities to cooperate between Lithuania and the Kaliningrad Region in implementing energy and transport projects.
E.Ignatavičius presented plans to include the priority issues of Lithuania’s cooperation with the Kaliningrad Region in the agenda of Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of the Baltic Sea States in 2009-2010. Both sides agreed that it was important to make better use of Russia’s federal programs and the European Union funds for the joint cross-border projects, activities of Euroregions.
During the talks, the perspectives of border infrastructure development and possibilities to facilitate procedures for issuing visas to citizens of both countries were also discussed. This would promote tourism and would allow the benefit from the water fields on Lithuanian and Russian border.
The session of Lithuanian – Kaliningrad Region Co-operation Council, which is co-chaired by E.Ignatavičius and Y.Shalimov, is scheduled for this summer in Lithuania. In autumn the days of Kaliningrad Region culture are expected to be held in Lithuania.
In the evening, celebration of the Day of Re-establishment of the State of Lithuania was held at the Lithuanian Consulate General in Kaliningrad.
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