According to Dalia Grybauskaitė, the synchronization of power grids is an issue of geopolitical and energy security for Lithuania and for the entire region. The project requires not only financial but also political support that is already being demonstrated by the European Commission. Its support remains vitally important in order to achieve a political agreement between the Baltic states and Poland and to begin synchronization as early as June.
Lithuania and the European Commission see the synchronization project as a final and immediate step for a comprehensive Baltic states’ integration into the EU. Modern economic and energy union is not possible until our region is dependent on the Soviet-era electricity ring, managed by Russia.
Response to threat posed by the unsafe Astravyets nuclear power plant was discussed. The President of the European Commission expressed his unwavering support to Lithuania’s position. He said that it was a European issue deserving continuous attention on the Community scale. At the meeting, Dalia Grybauskaitė underscored that it was very important for European security to have the EU Electricity Directive and European security and transparency standards applied to all member states aiming to be part of EU electricity market.
The European Commission is already developing initial proposals on the next EU multiannual financial framework. Therefore, Dalia Grybauskaitė presented Lithuania’s priorities directly to the President of the European Commission. Lithuania’s goals include funding for the decommissioning of the Ignalina nuclear power plant, cohesion, payments to Lithuanian farmers, and support for strategic infrastructure projects. According to Jean-Claude Juncker, as the decommissioning will continue after 2020, the EU funding will have to be extended to the next financial period as well.
Dalia Grybauskaitė expressed gratitude to the President of the European Commission for his personal contribution to ensuring financial support for Lithuanian farmers who suffered damage due to heavy rains.
