The President underscored that Israel was an excellent model of civic unity, love for homeland and commitment to defend it. Israel is the most important partner of Lithuania in the Middle East as the two countries are linked through a viable Litvak community as well as intense relations in the majority of fields.
According to the President, both Lithuania and Israel aim for the development of economies based on knowledge, innovations and high technologies. Therefore, scientific relations, life sciences, digital and financial technologies are highly promising fields of cooperation. Lithuania and Israel implement 17 joint scientific research projects under Horizon 2020 programme. Israeli enterprises Teva/ Sicor Biotech and WIX successfully operate in Lithuania.
Lithuania has become the FinTech hub in the region due to highly advanced IT infrastructure and legal regulations that are among the most favorable. Presently, three Israeli enterprises operating in the above-mentioned field launch their operations there.
At the meeting, the President also noted Russia’s aggressive and offensive military exercises “Zapad 2017” carried out in violation of international transparency requirements with the real scale and the number of soldiers being concealed. According to Dalia Grybauskaitė, Russia’s openly offensive behavior towards the West that is aimed at threatening and intimidating pose danger to the entire international community.
The President stated that destabilizing behavior of Russia was notable in Israel’s neighborhood as well. Russia’s actions in Syria raise tension in the Middle East and hinders constructive resolution of the bloody conflict that claimed many victims.
The President expressed gratitude to Israel for active cooperation in defense and cyber security, partnership in modernizing Lithuanian munitions and military equipment. The Embassy of Israel has also actively joined the social campaign “For A Safe Lithuania” initiated by the President.
