Acting President Arturas Paulauskas and Vytautas Landsbergis (photo), MP and former head of the Supreme Council, conveyed condolences over the death of former U.S. President Ronald Reagan on behalf of themselves and the entire nation. Landsbergis said that Lithuania would always be obliged to Ronald Reagan, who created the opportunity to regain independence and return to the democratic world.
Lithuanian and Ukrainian parliamentarians met in Vilnius to discuss the possibility of founding a trilateral parliamentary assembly with Poland. After meeting with acting President Paulauskas, Ukrainian MP Viktor Yushchenko said that the preparatory work was finished and the countries were on the eve of founding a trilateral assembly.
An international conference took place in Vilnius dedicated to the prohibition of anti-personnel landmines. Foreign Minister Antanas Valionis met with Wolfgang Petritsch, president-designate of the First Review Conference of the Nairobi summit on a mine-free world in Vilnius. Valionis said that Lithuania sought to become an example to other countries in the region in the prohibition and destruction of anti-personnel landmines.
Impeached President Rolandas Paksas might lose the state's top award - the Order of Vytautas the Great - that he had received when taking his presidential oath. Lawyers said that the privileges stipulated for the former president do not apply to removed presidents during parliamentary impeachment. The status of other state awards granted to Paksas as a president is also a matter of debate.
Belgian armed forces commander General August van Daele visited Belgian, Danish and British troops serving with NATO's quick reaction forces in Zokniai, the airfield near Siauliai where they are based. While in Siauliai, van Daele also met with Major General Jonas Kronkaitis and local authorities.
Police detained a border official and a chemistry teacher suspected of pedophilia. The police found many CDs with pornographic pictures of children during the search. The possibility that some of the photographs could have been taken in Lithuania has not yet been ruled out. After interrogation, the teacher was put under arrest and the border official released.
Acting President Paulauskas nominated General Brigade General Valdas Tutkus (photo), commander of land forces, for the position of chief of army. The Afghanistan war veteran will be appointed as an army commander after approval by Parliament. Tutkus should begin his duties before July 1, when the five-year tenure of current army commander Major General Jonas Kronkaitis expires.
