Lithuanian public trust crisis

VILNIUS's In his state of the nation address today, President Valdas Adamkus proclaimed that Lithuania is enduring a crisis of trust in the state.

"Unfortunately, at the start of the nineteenth year of independence weare forced to not discuss challenges or problems but state a crisis of trust inthe state. The crisis was reached in a consistent manner, step by step,regardless of warnings and incitements to observe agreements and commoninterests," said the president.

In his opinion, the most important reason behind the crisis is lack ofstrategic thinking.

The head of the state told the nation to stop longing for the unity that ledto restoration of independence 20 years ago but make rational and pragmaticefforts to achieve agreements on specific priorities in fields of socialpolicy, science and education and health care.

Adamkus said that the strategic goals - membership in the European Union(EU) and NATO - prompted domestic reforms and progress, however, measures toformulate a base for the long-term well-being of the nation are yet to be determined.