The Seimas approved the planned framework structure of the army to be implemented in 2018 alongside with the threshold number of soldiers and statutory public servants for 2018 and 2023. A total of 76 MPs voted in favour of the law, with no votes against and 1 abstention.

The Seimas adopted the amendments to the Law on Forestry, thereby abandoning the requirement to establish a specific number of forest enterprises. The Law stipulates that integrated forestry activities in state forests are carried out by forest enterprises. The previous law provided for 42 state forest enterprises.

On 5-6 July, Vilnius hosted the meetup between the Latvian, Estonian and Polish teams in charge of the implementation of the programme for the centennial celebration of the restoration of the state to discuss the progress in this regard as well as the potential for joint regional projects.

Yesterday the group of independent Cohesion Policy experts presented its final report for a simplified EU funds framework after 2020.

On Wednesday, 5 July 2017, Viktoras Pranckietis, Speaker of the Seimas, met with Norbert Lammert, President of the German Bundestag, and Hans-Peter Bartels, Parliamentary Commissioner for the Armed Forces.

Last week’s plenary session dealt with issues such as Turkey, the first ever EU-Cuba deal and anti-dumping measures. Check out our overview.
MEPs paid tribute to Simone Veil, a noted French politician and the first president of the directly-elected European Parliament who passed away on 30 June, with a ceremony held in Strasbourg on 4 July.

MEPs discussed the priorities of the incoming Estonian Presidency with Prime Minister Jüri Ratas on Wednesday and gave their input on the July G20 summit in Hamburg.

On Monday, 3 July 2017, Viktoras Pranckietis, Speaker of the Seimas, met with Frans Timmermans, First Vice-President of the European Commission, who was paying an official working visit to Lithuania. The meeting focused on European security, the Eastern Partnership, and the EU’s Energy Union.

President Dalia Grybauskaitė met with Speaker of the German Bundestag Norbert Lammert and Parliamentary Commissioner for the Armed Forces Hans-Peter Bartels. Security situation in the region and Europe, preparation for the upcoming NATO Summit in 2018, Lithuania and Germany’s collaboration in countering hybrid threats and enhancing international peace and stability were discussed at the meeting.

Linas Linkevičius, Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs, had a meeting with Heinrich Brauss, Assistant Secretary General of NATO, in Vilnius on 4 July 2017 and discussed NATO’s further plans to strengthen collective defence and improve resilience to propaganda, cyber and other hybrid-type attacks.