They said it in 1999

ƒ In October Lithuania's parliament agreed to close the first
reactor at the Ignalina nuclear plant by 2005. Democratic Party MP
Saulius Peceliunas was not happy:

"Lithuania takes off its trousers in front of Europe by this step."

ƒ In May Prime Minister Gediminas Vagnorius resigned following a feud
with President Valdas Adamkus who was demanding his resignation on
six national and local TV channels.

At the end of the year, Adamkus expressed mild regret:

"If Vagnorius and I could talk and say everything to each other, we
would not be in such a deep economic and financial crisis now."

ƒ Belarusian Parliament Chairman Semion Sharetsky found refuge in
Lithuania in July to escape possible repression by the Minsk regime.

Sharetsky's parliament is recognised by the West, including
Lithuania, but not by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.

Lukashenko is considered by Vilnius and other Western capitals to be
president de facto but not de jure. Sharetsky:

"Lukashenko controls everything in Belarus, except public toilets."

ƒ Yevgeny Primakov, candidate for the Russian presidency, visited
Lithuania on Nov. 2.

"What is the sense of membership in NATO? Do you think that by
allowing a foreign army to come, you will feel more at peace?" asked
Primakov.

ƒ MP Anti Liiv, during parliamentary debate on removing American
citizens from annual quota on residence permits:

"The United States is one of the biggest consumers of narcotics and,
as we already know from films, the drug business this is very
widespread. Would all American citizens in unlimited numbers and
without any sort of barriers have the right to relocate to live in
Estonia?"

ƒ Debate over Estonia's flat tax was central to the March 17
parliamentary elections. The Center Party strongly supports a
graduated tax.

Arki Paagal, Estonian Investment Agency:

"Foreign investors like the flat tax. It's easy for them to understand."

ƒ Mart Laar served as prime minister 1992-1994 at the age of 32 and
was re-elected in March 1999:

"Everybody said my former government would last only three months,
but actually it lasted longer than any other government in Estonia's
history."

ƒJaak Allik, general secretary of Coalition Party, commenting on the
Moderates' campaign posters for local government elections, which
focused confusingly on presidential candidate:

"This is total deception of the voting public and truly unbelievable.
The Moderates must believe that the voters are mentally challenged."

ƒ Raul Vahisalu, Eesti Mobiiltelefon, commenting on plans to expand
opportunities to pay for goods and services via mobile phone:

"We are trying to educate people to think of a mobile not only as a
phone but also as a credit card or wallet."

ƒ Lithuania's new prime minister Andrius Kubilius, on his support for
Lithuania's deal with fuel company Williams International:

"We have no more right to fly in the clouds of populism."

ƒ Latvian President Vaira Vike-Freiberga:

"I think I have moral authority. I think I represent the fact that
not everyone can be bought."

ƒ Atis Lejins, director, Latvian Institute of International Affairs:

"What Russia should do is follow in the footsteps of Great Britain
and France, who gave up their empires gracefully, and start looking
after their own people."

ƒ Sol Bukingolts, of Latvia on his new condominium project:

"This is for people who do not spit from the third floor window."

ƒ Mavriks Vulfsons, historian, on 1990 and today:

"We who struggled back then were both naive and honest, qualities
which have step by step been lost."

-Compiled by Brooke Donald, Benjamin Smith and Rokas Tracevskis