Lietuva in brief - 2011-03-03

The election results of the Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats provide a fairly strong basis in preparation for the coming parliamentary election, Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius said, reports ELTA. “The two years that we spent in the coalition and did what was necessary to protect Lithuania from the consequences of the global economic crisis in Lithuania were challenging. It is only natural that, after the years of such a crisis, the opposition dreamed about completely different results. The vote is a sufficient reason to say that the ruling coalition has garnered strong voter support,” Kubilius said after the Cabinet sitting and meeting on Feb. 28. According to the prime minister, his party should view the results but also favorably, and prepare for the forthcoming formation of coalitions in municipalities. The party’s priority is to seek united power with the same partners that are currently standing next to the TS-LKD in both the Seimas and local governments.

Lithuania’s expedition to Antarctica will leave some of the country’s symbols behind when it leaves. A new pointer indicating the direction and distance to Lithuania will be added to the Antarctic polar stations, reports ELTA. The record of the largest number of Lithuanians landing on the Antarctic continent will hopefully be beaten. The expedition Antarctica 2011, organized by the World Lithuanian Alpine Skiing Amateur Association (PLKSMA), attracted 25 skiers, who were to leave on March 3. The expedition members will visit the most distant, severe and difficult-to-reach place on Earth - Antarctica. According to the president of PLSKMA and the idea’s author, Algimantas Kepezenas, the main objective of the expedition is to organize the first ever mountain skiing race in the Antarctic mountains. The expedition will promote Lithuania and commemorate the restoration of the independence of Lithuania on March 11. Some 3,000 kilometers will be traveled through stormy seas in an ice-breaker.