The President described the successful Lithuanian EU Presidency as the Government's key achievement despite the fact that the budget allocated for this purpose was among the smallest in the European Union. She gave special emphasis to streamlined work towards attaining energy independence, the strong unified stand taken against Russia's and Gazprom's pressure, the responsible management of finances, the euro introduction plan, and the further development of the LNG terminal project.
"The Government's task for the next years is to focus more attention on securing general welfare and national strategic goals. It is time to carry out the promises given to the people and start restoring their incomes reduced during the crisis. Full settlement must be made with respect to pensioners who have to be clearly informed when they will be compensated for the pension cuts made at a time of economic hardship," the President said.
Dalia Grybauskaitė highlighted the need to boost employment as a key task for the Government. As long as 60 institutions are supervising business in Lithuania, as long as measures to encourage employment are not approved, and as long as professional training provides young people with graduation papers, but no real job skills, the level of unemployment will remain high. At the present moment, 22.2 percent of youth are unemployed in Lithuania.
The President pointed out that the restructuring of the heating sector was still at a standstill. The Government must develop a single programme - not two competing programmes - for the heating sector. Dividend requirements for state-owned enterprises have slackened: this year a sum of 100 million litas was collected, while the relevant budget revenues could have been much higher.
According to the President, although the corruption perception index has improved, it is still difficult to get transparent services at local municipalities or health care institutions. Over the next seven years, Lithuania will receive a total of 44 billion litas in EU support, so the Government has a duty to ensure that these funds are used transparently. More transparency is needed in public procurement. More dynamic and determined action is required to fight political corruption. The relevant instruments have been created - now they must be put to good use.
The recent painful events, the President said, necessitate a stronger emphasis on public safety. Emergency systems, emergency action plans and the supervision of building safety must be improved. The Emergency Response Center has not been fully completed even though it has received a total of 80 million litas in funding.
According to the President, the Government must implement key strategic decisions and those of importance to Lithuania's development more rapidly, placing special focus on energy security and independence as well as on nationally significant projects: LNG terminal, electricity interconnections with Sweden and Poland. The law on cyber security has not been drafted even against the background of information wars.
In order to introduce the euro in 2015, concerted action is needed to manage the finances, Presently Lithuania is on the very verge of meeting the Maastricht criteria. VAT and excise tax revenues are yet low - a total sum of 400 million litas has not been collected.
The President wished the Government to actively and resolutely deal with issues of concern to people, stressing that she was ready to cooperate and to support the Government's efforts to implement important and strategic projects.
