‘In the face of the first wave of COVID-19, the Baltic states have operated effectively, yet further coordination is even more important today. Fight against the pandemic remains high on the Government’s agenda. Strict restrictions that have been put in place have worked, but we are very careful about easing them. For several months now, the main concern has been the pace of vaccination. We appreciate the pressure from the European Commission on vaccine manufacturers to comply with their contractual obligations and to increase transparency of supply. Only by acting at the EU level can we achieve more than we would do on our own,’ said the Prime Minister.
It has been emphasised that the effective implementation of national economic recovery and resilience plans, which will need to be coordinated with the European Commission, will be crucial for post-pandemic economic recovery. It is planned that EUR 2.225 billion will be allocated to Lithuania for this purpose. Investments are planned for innovation, digitalisation, industrial change, and tourism, while the largest share will be allocated to the green agenda.
It has been stated that bilateral relations are excellent, while economic ties are particularly intensive and dynamic, with Estonia ranking second among investors in Lithuania, and sixth as a trading partner.
On regional cooperation, it has been underlined that the goal of the present Government is a tangible strategic partnership with the Baltic states. The aim is solidarity and unified political action of the Baltic states on Eastern and security policy, as well as in the formats of the European Union.
During the meeting, the energy security of the Baltic region has been discussed. It has been stressed that the Baltic states need to find common solutions to counter the attempts of their eastern neighbours to exert influence on this important area. The joint political decision of the Baltic states not to buy electricity from Belarus has been highly important, yet its actual implementation is much more complicated than initially thought. It is planned to discuss the matter in detail during the upcoming BCM next week. The European Commission’s proposals on the non-entry of electricity from unsafe NPPs into the EU market are also pending.
Prospects for increased cooperation within the framework of the Three Seas Initiative have been discussed.
