‘For several months now, the Government’s main concern has been vaccination and its speed. We appreciate the pressure exerted by the European Commission on vaccine manufacturers to comply with their contractual obligations and increase the transparency of supply,’ said the Prime Minister.
It has been emphasised that Norway is an important, close, and reliable partner of Lithuania. Special importance is attached to the Nordic-Baltic cooperation in NB8 format. Security, hybrid, and cyber threats common to the region are also relevant.
The Prime Minister has thanked Norway for its significant support to Lithuania through the European Economic Area and Norway Grants, which is a consistent and continuous contribution to Lithuania’s social and economic development.
Norway’s contribution to regional security has been underlined: its soldiers participate in the eFP battalion in Rukla and NATO air policing missions, and Norway is providing assistance on NASAMS, which is one of the key modernisation projects of the Lithuanian Armed Forces.
On energy security, it has been noted that the Astravets NPP project is dominated by political interests overshadowing the nuclear safety and environmental protection arguments, and does not consider the right of the people of Belarus and the neighbouring countries to a safe environment.
Lithuania consistently supports the EU’s Eastern Partnership policy, which remains a priority direction of Lithuania’s foreign policy. The involvement of international partners and donors is crucial. Norway is expected to support reforms in the Eastern Partnership region to help the Eastern Partners secure European integration and a democratic future for their citizens.
