We have gathered today in Vilnius to demonstrate our solidarity and commitment to the creation of a Europe whole and free in an alliance including the countries of Europe, the United States and Canada as the foundation for stability and security in the 21st century.

Parliamentary committees will this week deal wtih the EU’s Covid-19 strategy and support for neighbouring countries.

In a resolution on the post-2020 EU budget revision and economic recovery plans, MEPs demand a robust package, focused on citizens’ needs and building on the EU budget.

President Gitanas Nausėda had a telephone conversation with President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen to discuss the Ostravets nuclear power plant, the upcoming Eastern Partnership Summit, negotiations on the multiannual financial perspective and tackling social and economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Yesterday, the three Prime Ministers of the Baltic states have addressed the public announcing the good news that the first wave of COVID-19 has been brought under control: the three countries are the first in the European Union to open their borders to each other’s citizens.

The Government has decided today to go further in relaxing the lockdown restrictions given the current epidemiological situation. Schools will soon reopen, so will cafes, restaurants and bars, which will be able to serve their customers indoors. Restrictions on wearing face masks will be eased too. They will be mandatory only in specific places, while elsewhere - recommended.

In a debate on the new EU long-term budget and recovery fund, MEPs paid tribute to citizens’ courage and insisted the EU budget must not leave anyone behind.

The Commission announced yesterday that 8 large-scale research projects, aimed at developing treatments and diagnostics for the coronavirus,were selected in a fast-track call for proposals, launched in March by the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI), a public-private partnership.

President Gitanas Nausėda together with Prime Minister of Latvia Arturs Krišjānis Kariņš and Prime Minister of Estonia Jüri Ratas signed a joint letter to the heads of the European Union. In the letter to the President of the European Council Charles Michel and the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, the Baltic leaders proposed the principles for the establishment of the EU Recovery Fund and the necessary adjustments to the multiannual financial framework aimed at effectively tackling the impact of the coronavirus in Europe.

The current health crisis compels us to tackle the risk of the next long-term EU budget not coming into force on 1 January 2021 with even more urgency, MEPs say.