Lietuva in brief - 2011-07-28

  • 2011-07-27

The issues of Polish national minorities are a matter of Lithuania’s domestic policy rather than of foreign policy, Foreign Affairs Minister Audronius Azubalis says, reports ELTA. Meanwhile, Poland is one of Lithuania’s key partners in foreign policy, he claims. In foreign policy, Poland has been and still remains one of our key congenial partners in implementing important interests of national security and defense, transport, energy and Eastern policies,” Azubalis stressed in his speech delivered at the annual meeting with heads of Lithuanian diplomatic representations. The head of Lithuanian diplomacy also underlined that good relations with all neighboring countries are essential. “Therefore, Lithuania, without stepping on principles of democracy, justice and equality, will continue to seek relations with Russia and Belarus that would be based on mutual respect and benefit, stressing the need for more productive relations with the Kaliningrad region,” Azubalis said.

A working group set up by the Lithuanian and Austrian justice ministers on the release of ex-KGB officer Mikhail Golovatov will consist of two experts from each country, one from the prosecutor’s office and another from the Justice Ministry, reports ELTA. Lithuania will be represented by Tomas Krusna, deputy chief prosecutor of the Criminal Prosecution Department of the Prosecutor General’s Office, and Darius Zilys, deputy director of the International Law Department of the Justice Ministry. Austria and Lithuania have not agreed on the time limit for the group’s work yet. Austrian officials on July 20 proposed to start working within a week at the earliest. Lithuanian Justice Minister Remigijus Simasius, meanwhile, says that the investigation should be carried out as soon as possible. According to Simasius, the Lithuanian experts will most probably go to Austria. The information collected by the working group will be used for further political and judicial decisions over Golovatov’s release.