President Dalia Grybauskaitė met with Lithuanian diplomats working in the field of economy to discuss national economic diplomacy priorities.

The Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania at its meeting decided to declare the year 2017 to be the Year of the Reformation. The Parliament’s decision is adopted with regard to the fact that next year many Christian countries will celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Lutheran Reformation and commemorate the year 1517, when Martin Luther announced his theses.

On May 12 Minister of National Defence Juozas Olekas and Chief of Defence of Lithuania Lieutenant General Jonas Vytautas Žukas met with General Salvatore Farina, Commander of the Joint Force Command (JFC) Brunssum, on visit in Vilnius. The officials focused on the upcoming NATO Summit in Warsaw and the decisions foreseen to be taken to enhance defence of the eastern borders of the Alliance, primarily, the deployment of allied forces in the Baltic region. Other topics discussed at the meeting were the necessity to step up air defence, cooperation in exercises and training, command of forces, and other points.

On Tuesday Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevičius met with Geert Bourgeois, the Minister-President of Flanders. At the meeting bilateral relations between Lithuania and Belgium were discussed, and cooperation agreements were signed between the sea ports of both countries, as well as universities, investment and business agencies.

On May 10 Defence Policy Director of the Ministry of National Defence Vaidotas Urbelis met with Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence of Canada John McKay, Assistant Deputy Minister (Policy) Gordon Venner, officials of the Ministry of Defence and members of parliament of Canada while on visit in Ottawa.

On 6 May 2016, the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania hosted a trilateral joint meeting of the Constitutional Committee of the Riigikogu of the Republic of Estonia, the Public Administration and Local Government Committee of the Saeima of the Republic of Latvia, and the Committee on State Administration and Local Authorities of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania. Valentinas Bukauskas, Chair of the Seimas Committee on State Administration and Local Authorities, expressed his satisfaction in that the trilateral meeting in this format was organised for the first time in 26 years and that it was held in Lithuania.

The Seimas commenced deliberations on the constitutional amendments (draft No XIIP-3305), put forward by Artūras Paulauskas, Member of the Seimas, providing for the introduction of public representatives, lay judges, in courts.

In the meeting with the Flemish Prime Minister Geert Bourgeois on 10 May, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Linas Linkevičius discussed concrete projects and prospects for cooperation in the fields of trade, business, science, education, transport, and other fields.

On May 9 Minister of National Defence Juozas Olekas discussed security situation in the region, oncoming NATO Summit in Wales, and migration challenges with delegation of the Sub-Committee on Future Security and Defence Capabilities, Security and Defence Committee, NATO Parliamentary Assembly, on a visit in Vilnius.