Lithuanians prefer business with Northern Europe

VILNIUS - The image of the foreign country from where a prospective business partner comes can also have influence on a deal's success. Northern European countries have the best name with Lithuanian businesspeople.

Some time ago the daily newspaper Lietuvos rytas published complaints of Italian businessmen who said their Lithuanian counterparts often regard them as nontrustworthy, southern "Mafiosi." Indeed, cultural preferences, economic and political factors can mean a lot in international business. So, with which countries do Lithuanians prefer to do business?

"Germans are the closest for us in spirit,"Arturas, a young businessman, said. Previously, he made his money buying metals in Russia and reselling them in Germany.

"I do business only with the Chinese. It is because I'm specializing in the import of inexpensive clothes from China. Very inexpensive. I meet with Western businessmen only while I'm playing bridge in international competitions," said Azuolas who sells clothes in the Vilnius markets.

"Lithuanian businessmen are ready to do business with all countries. Maybe there are less contacts with Australia or Africa because of geographical reasons," said Edmundas Cylikas, an expert from the Kaunas Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Handicrafts.

"The most reliable countries are those with which Lithuania has the closest business relations. This means with Scandinavia and Germany. They are the most trustworthy in settling accounts. Though maybe this view might be subjective," Eduardas Vilkelis, president of the Association of Lithuanian Banks, said.

A similar view was expressed by Valerija Rimkeviciene, the economic director of the Association of Light Industry Enterprises.

"Our members are exporting mostly to Germany -about 25 percent of our export. The other most important partners are Sweden, Finland and Denmark. The most reliable partners? Well, English partners are very reliable," Rimkeviciene said.

In 1999 the social research firm Baltijos Tyrimai, part of the 50-country network of Gallup International, conducted a survey asking Lithuanian businesspeople which countries they like to do business with. The survey was published in the magazine "Lithuania in the World." It showed that Lithuanian business executives expressed the most trust in their partners from Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Germany and the United Kingdom. According to the survey, the most unreliable partners are those from Russia and Belarus.