Lietuva in brief - 2011-09-01

Valdas Adamkus, the former president of Lithuania, has claimed being blackmailed during his presidency in his new autobiography, ‘Last Term of Office. President’s Diaries.’ He reveals being told who he was supposed to appoint to certain posts, reported LETA. However, the former president refused to disclose the names of the alleged blackmailers. Instead, copies of handwritten instructions he claims to have received by fax will be made available to the public only 50 years after his death. Adamkus said that he felt the underlying meaning of the blackmail messages was that he would have been politically crucified unless compliant. The Deputy Chairman of the Party Order and Justice, MP Valentinas Mazuronis, is presently requesting the launch of an investigation into the allegations. “As the former head of state openly spoke out about the political pressure he felt while serving as the president, I ask for an immediate investigation in order to name those persons who allegedly made criminal offenses against the president,” the MP said.

Iceland’s politicians are greatly interested in Lithuania’s experiences and benefits from becoming a member of the EU, reports  LETA. The president of Lithuania, Dalia Grybauskaite, took part in a round-table discussion on the topic of membership in the European Union during her state visit to Iceland. According to Icelandic representatives, it is important for their nation to hear about Lithuania’s euro integration experience. “Membership in the European Union brought huge political, economic and structural benefits. We are now a member of an important international economic and political structure. This provides vast opportunities to better defend Lithuania’s and its people’s interests at the European level,” Grybauskaite said. Lithuania supports Iceland’s European choice, emphasizing that Iceland’s membership in the European Union would be useful to Lithuania as it seeks to enhance the role of the Nordic-Baltic region in Europe.