Consensus reached on EU action plan

VILNIUS - Lithuania's ruling center-right coalition is showing it can make certain compromises with the large left-wing opposition. Preliminary agreement was reached on Jan. 15 on coordination of a plan of action to get the country into the European Union quickly.

A working group composed of members from the different parliamentary factions was formed on the same day for drafting a communique by Jan. 18.

The agreement-in-principle between party factions was reached during a meeting between prime minister Rolandas Paksas, parliamentary chairman Arturas Paulauskas, the heads of the two parties in the ruling Liberal coalition, and faction leaders. Lithuanian senior EU negotiator Petras Austrevicius and representatives from the Foreign Ministry were also present.

Vytenis Andriukaitis, leader of the opposition, said "serious compromises" had been reached during the meeting.

According to reports from the opposition camp, the ruling majority in Parliament agreed to adopt a proposal to set up a Constitutional Amendments Commission in the Parliament. This would liase with the government to try to make sure the best possible deal for Lithuania is reached in EU negotiations.

This implies that the Liberal coalition has back-tracked on earlier statements that a group of specialists is needed when it comes to constitutional amendments and not a parliamentary commission.

In order to allow the sale of agricultural land to foreign citizens, Lithuania's constitution must be amended. The left-wing opposition believes that a longer harmonization period is needed for EU entry, during which amendments on the sale of land to foreign agriculturalists foreigners can be made.

Ceslovas Jursenas, deputy chairman of the opposition Social Democratic Party, says that one or two years are not enough.

Lithuania plans to conclude negotiations with the EU by 2002 and to be ready to assume the full mantle of membership by 2004.

Jursenas also said there was general agreement in Lithuania that conclusion of EU negotiations should not be linked with the closure of Lithuania's Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant.