Lietuva in brief - 2011-06-09

Former President Valdas Adamkus favorably views the June 7 State of the Nation Address by President Dalia Grybauskaite and welcomes the president’s determination to end corruption in the state, reports ELTA. “I can congratulate her on determination and consistency to root out corruption from the state at any cost. (....) She has a clear and strong view that the state needs more order (...) ,” Adamkus told reporters. According to the former head of state, Grybauskaite is focusing on eliminating all sores in the state, especially corruption, stressing that changes are necessary in law enforcement institutions. “Such a goal is welcome, and God help her,” Adamkus said. Grybauskaite said that corruption is deep rooted and the hardest to treat disability of Lithuania. More than 700 pre-trial investigations into corruption were initiated. However, no one was convicted for bribes, the president stressed.

In her annual State of the Nation Address in the Seimas on June 7, President Dalia Grybauskaite demanded fixing the heating sector and starting to build a liquefied natural gas terminal, reports ELTA. “We have no time for idle talk. Things cannot be delayed anymore,” the president said.  “The economy is gaining momentum and it needs real support now, not in 2020 or 2030. I therefore urge all ministries, services and agencies to streamline their work, future plans, guidelines, and strategies towards this objective,” the head of state said. Grybauskaite stressed that what was most important was not the record rates of growth, but its sources. “Last year our economy grew mostly because of exports. This year we see a new tendency - domestic consumption is recovering. Economic expectations are improving. It means that economic optimism is here,” President Grybauskaite said.