The European Commission has concluded that two State loans for an amount of €900 million, granted by Italy to Alitalia in 2017, are illegal under EU State aid rules. Italy must therefore recover the illegal State aid, plus interest, from Alitalia.

A €5 billion EU fund will support people, companies and countries affected by the UK's withdrawal from the Union.

Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė has met with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic Jakub Kulhánek to discuss the bilateral economic co-operation and ways to strengthen it, also tourism, regional security, the co-operation between the countries in the fight against irregular migration, and the importance of EU solidarity in response to Russia’s malicious actions.

Ministers outlined the priorities of the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the EU to parliamentary committees, in a series of meetings.

On Friday, President Gitanas Nausėda presented credentials to Lithuania’s ambassadors extraordinary and plenipotentiary: Jolanta Balčiūnienė to the permanent representation of Lithuania at UNESCO and Darius Degutis to Australia.

As part of the visit to Italy, Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė met with the Holy Father. This was the first meeting between the Prime Minister and Pope Francis. The Prime Minister thanked the Head of the Church for his consistent attention to Lithuania and its people.

On Monday, MEPs dealing with human rights and women’s rights will debate the treatment of women and girls in Afghanistan following the Taliban’s takeover.

On 1 September, the hustle and bustle of children has filled the school in Avdiivka (eastern Ukraine), which has been rebuilt from the ruins of war to become an exemplary facility in the country. Reconstructed by Ukrainians, the school was provided by Lithuanians with the most advanced teaching and laboratory equipment and a multifunctional sports field.

President Gitanas Nausėda had a conversation with President Guðni Thorlacius Jóhannesson of Iceland on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the established diplomatic relations between Lithuania and Iceland. During the conversation, Gitanas Nausėda stressed that our country valued friendship with Iceland and remembered it being the first country to recognize Lithuania’s independence.

Statement of the Chairs of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Subcommittee on Human Rights and the Delegation for relations with Afghanistan on the terrorist attack at the Kabul airport: