Surveillance of EU communications by the US secret services and the health of the European economy will be in the spotlight this week as MEPs kick off a series of hearings during which they will debate the Prism programme and question Eurogroup president Jeroen Dijsselbloem. They will also vote on a new EU programme to stimulate job creation and social inclusion.

Rita Tamašunienė, the chairwoman of the Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania (EAPL) Faction in the Seimas, has advanced 21 draft amendments to laws prepared by the deputies of the EAPL faction to the program of the autumn session of the Seimas. Some of the drafts constitute the continuation of the already started by the party works, while part of them is aimed to start new works in the interest of the citizens of the country.

As the crisis in Syria continues, the Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Linas Linkevičius holds consultations on the situation with the Member States of the European Union, institutions and other partners, including the German, Polish, Maltese, Romanian and Swedish Foreign Ministers, and other government officials.

President Dalia Grybauskaitė has left for a working visit to the United States of America where she will meet with President Barack Obama in Washington on Friday, August 30. Taking part in the meeting at the White House will also be President Andris Bērziņš of Latvia and President Toomas Hendrik Ilves of Estonia.

On August 29-30, Ministers and State Secretaries for European Affairs will meet in Vilnius to discuss the preparation for the upcoming elections to European Parliament and the inter-institutional relations between the Council and the European Parliament.

President Dalia Grybauskaitė will be going on four foreign visits in September, traveling to Washington, Brussels, Yalta, and New.

President Dalia Grybauskaitė met with the Speaker of the Parliament of Moldova, Igor Corman, to discuss bilateral issues, relations between Moldova and the European Union, the ongoing preparations for the Vilnius Summit, as well as visa liberalization and energy security.

President Dalia Grybauskaitė accepted letters of Credence from Ambassador Johann Spitzer of Austria.

The topics discussed at the meeting were Lithuanian-Austrian bilateral relations and cooperation in the European Union.