On April 21 Minister of National Defence J.Olekas underscored Lithuania’s support to Moldova’s aspirations for European integration and stronger cooperation with NATO at a meeting with Minister of Defence of Moldova Anatolie Salaru on a formal visit in Lithuania.

President Dalia Grybauskaitė, currently on a state visit to Germany, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel discussed relevant bilateral, EU and NATO issues. The meeting placed special emphasis on the threat posed by Russia to the security of Europe and on NATO’s defense and deterrence measures to counter it, as well as on EU actions to tackle the migration crisis in the EU.

The Committee on European Affairs adopted a political opinion on the Proposal of the European Parliament for a Council decision adopting the provisions amending the Act concerning the election of the members of the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage (further referred to as the Proposal).

Links between organised crime and terrorism, how to handle people returning from conflict zones, de-radicalisation and the need for a common definition of terrorism and means to prove terrorist intent were among the issues raised in the Civil Liberties Committee’s “foreign fighters” debate with Eurojust President Michèle Coninsx on Wednesday. On Thursday MEPs will debate plans for external border checks on EU citizens.

On 15 April 2016, Loreta Graužinienė, Speaker of the Seimas, met with Marek Kuchciński, Marshal of the Sejm of Poland, as part of her visit to Poland. At the meeting, they discussed strengthening of bilateral parliamentary cooperation, preparation for the Conference of Speakers of EU Parliaments to be held in Luxembourg this May, and issues pertaining to the Assembly of Members of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania, the Sejm and Senate of the Republic of Poland, and the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to be held in Kiev on 30–31 May 2016.

Parliamentary committees deal this week with the steps Turkey needs to take in order to qualify for visa-free travel in the EU as well as the thousands of migrant children that have disappeared in Europe. In addition they discuss for the first time draft amendments to gun control plans to prevent weapons falling into the hands of terrorists.

On April 18 and 19 Minister of National Defence Juozas Olekas will conduct formal visits in Kiev and Kharkiv (Ukraine).

MEPs adopted an agreement on the sharing of passenger name records to help fight terrorism and debated counterterrorism measures during an eventful plenary session in Strasbourg this week. They also debate revelations about the Panama papers showing how shell companies are being used to avoid paying taxes as well as the migration agreement with Turkey. In addition new rules to give people more control over their personal data were approved.

At its meeting on 13 April 2016, the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Linas Linkevičius, Minister of Foreign Affairs, reviewed Lithuania’s full membership of international organisations since the restoration of Lithuania’s independence 25 years ago.

EU-Turkey cooperation on migration should be uncoupled from the EU accession negotiating process, say MEPs in a resolution voted on Thursday. MEP praise Turkey for hosting the largest refugee population in the world, and note that it remains a "key strategic partner for the EU" but nonetheless call for progress on rule of law and fundamental values and "a structured and more frequent political dialogue on key thematic issues".