Lietuva in brief - 2010-07-01

Jun 30, 2010

In May, 89 percent of Lithuanian residents thought that the general situation in Lithuania was worsening, reports ELTA. Among those polled, 10 percent said that the situation was improving, while 1 percent of the respondents had no opinion on the issue. According to a survey conducted by the market research and public opinion company Baltijos Tyrimai from May 26-31, the evaluation of the situation in the country did not change over the month since the survey carried out in April. The evaluation improved by 4 percent as compared with the results of the survey conducted a year ago, in May 2009. In their assessment of democracy in Lithuania, 72 percent of adult residents were dissatisfied with the way democracy worked in the country. A fifth of respondents said that they were satisfied with the situation, whereas 8 percent had no opinion.

Repressions remain in Belarus, though they have changed their form, representatives of Belarus’ civil society and democratic opposition told Lithuanian Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius on his visit to Minsk, reports ELTA. The prime minister and the representatives of the neighboring country’s opposition discussed the present political situation in Belarus, actions of civil society organizations in preparation for presidential elections in Belarus and proposals to the EU to decide on further relations with Belarus. According to the representatives of the democratic opposition, the frozen relations and alleged anger between Alexander Lukashenko and Vladimir Putin in public are nothing more than a show. In addition, political parties and public organizations are in a difficult situation to act freely and have limited opportunities. Kubilius stated that Lithuania supported and would support democratic forces in Belarus actively. He assured Belarusians that Lithuania would continue supporting the European Humanities University.

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