Lithuanian PM makes time for tennis, not Statehood Day

VILNIUS - Prime Minister Gediminas Kirkilas says he did not attend the commemoration of the Crowning of Mindaugas - the Statehood Day at S.Daukantas Square inVilniuson Sunday because he did not manage to prepare for it in time.

However, he made time to participate in a tennis tournament the same day.

"I had just returned from America and decided not to take part as I simply had no time to prepare," the prime minister said in with interview for the Lithuanian National Radio.

The Lithuanian Tennis Federation confirmed that from 9 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. on Sunday, Kirkilas attended the tennis tournament Dubingiai Open that took place at the homestead of basketball player Sarunas Marciulionis in Dubingiai.

At S.Daukantas Square next to the President's Office on Sunday, the national flag was raised and the president delivered his speech in the presence of Parliamentary Speaker Ceslovas Jursenas, ex-President Algirdas Brazauskas, however Kirkilas was not there, although he usually attends state events.

At the finals of the Dubingiai Open VIP tournament, the Kirkilas, who was paired with tennis player Danielius Lencina-Ribes lost to Sarunas Marciulionis, who played in pair with Gabriele Masiliute-Lencina.

The tournament was also attended by Lithuania's Ambassador to Great Britain Vygaudas Usackas, diplomats from Russia's embassy in Lithuania, Defense Minister Juozas Olekas as well as members of the 1998 gold winning USSR basketball team, and Arvydas Sabonis among them.