President Dalia Grybauskaitė is attending a European Council meeting which focuses on the future of the EU following the United Kingdom’s decision to leave the Community.

Opening the extraordinary session, European Parliament President Martin Schulz noted that this was the first time that a plenary session had been convened at such short notice, but also that the UK citizens’ decision to leave the EU was equally unprecedented. He warmly welcomed Lord Hill and thanked him for his work in the EU Commission and deciding to step down, having campaigned for Britain to remain in the EU. His statement was followed by standing ovations from both MEPs and Commissioners.

President Dalia Grybauskaitė is leaving for Brussels to attend the European Council on 28–29 June. After the British people voted to leave the European Union, leaders will discuss the future of UK-EU relations. EU heads of state or government will also meet with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg to discuss EU-NATO cooperation. On Wednesday, 29 June, leaders from 27 EU countries will discuss preparations for negotiations on the UK’s withdrawal from the EU and how to boost people’s confidence in the European Union. The European Council will also hold talks on measures to tackle the migration crisis and on the EU’s foreign and economic policies.

President Dalia Grybauskaitė met with the ambassadors of EU countries accredited to Lithuania. This is a traditional meeting during which the President and the representatives from EU member states discussed key EU issues, preparations for the European Council which will take place in Brussels tomorrow, EU-NATO relations, and further measures to tackle the migration crisis. At the meeting, the ambassadors of EU countries were introduced with the social campaign “For a Safe Lithuania” initiated by the President.

“There are strong economic and political ties between Lithuania and the United Kingdom; close people to people relations; and both countries are close and reliable NATO allies. We want to maintain this solid partnership,” Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Linas Linkevičius, said to the United Kingdom Minister of State for Europe, David Lidington, while talking to him on the phone on 24 June 2016.

To follow up the UK’s EU membership referendum, Parliament's Conference of Presidents (EP President and political group leaders) decided on Friday morning, to convene an extraordinary plenary session for 28 June at 10:00. During this session, MEPs will vote a resolution analysing the outcome and ways forward. EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and Council representatives will take part.

Latvian President Raimonds Vejonis voiced regrets over the UK’s decision to leave the EU.

On 21 June 2016, Loreta Graužinienė, Speaker of the Seimas, received Toomas Kukk, the outgoing Estonian Ambassador to Lithuania, in her office. The Speaker of the Seimas thanked the diplomat for his sincere work and active engagement in Lithuania over the past four years. According to the Speaker of the Seimas, Lithuania and Estonia have always been closely connected as the Baltic States; moreover, this year marks the 25th anniversary of the resumption of their bilateral diplomatic relations.

After six months of debates, Lithuania’s Seimas (parliament) on June 21st adopted a new much-disputed Labor Code, which, if signed into law by President Dalia Grybauskaite, will come into effect from 2017.

Last Thursday, Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevičius met with Elzbieta Bienkowska, European Commissioner for internal market, industry, entrepreneurship and small and medium-sized enterprises, to discuss delivery of services and other single market-related issues, as well as competitiveness and industrial upgrading, also Commission’s recommendations to Lithuania.