Comment du Jour

Baltic Rebirth

Lithuania assumes the Presidency of the European Union today for a six month stint between July and December.  The Baltic state's Presidency of the 28 member organization follows Ireland's successful tenure.  The EU Presidency presents a historic first for the Vilnius government.

Who could have imagined that Lithuania, one of the Baltic states who only regained its independence and full sovereignty in 1990 after the long night of Soviet occupation and annexiation could not only be free but now the president of Europe?

One of Europe's most historic nation-states, Lithuania's history can be traced to 1009.  By 1387 the country had become largely Christian.  Lithuania's independence was often shadowed by neighboring states, largely Russia.   In modern times,  the country only gained its independence in 1918--something which would only last until WWII when it fell victim to the perfidious Hitler/Stalin pact of 1939.

Despite being formally "absorbed" into the Soviet Union after WWII, the largely Catholic Lithuanians never really surrendered their culture, religion, or will to be free.   The post-war period saw a huge Baltic diaspora with many Lithuanians moving to Chicago and parts of Canada.

The country only gained formal indencence in 1990, later joined the United Nations, and significalthly became a member of the European Union and NATO in 2004, along with Latvia and Estonia.

Commenting on the EU Presidecy, Lithuania's President Dalia Grybauskaite stated, "This is the start of a historic six months for our country. We have a unique opportunity to tell Europe what Lithuania can be proud of – capacities of our people, beauty and achievements of our country."
President Grybauskaitė, dubbed the Baltic Margaret Thatcher for her free market philosophy, added that her country will focus among other things, on the the EU Eastern Partnership program, which seeks closer economic and political relations with six post-Soviet countries.

Lithuania is a proud and working democracy and a post-Soviet success story.
Later this year, the Vilnius government shall seek election to a non-permanent seat on the UN Security  Council.  We wish Lithuania well in advance.

For more official info on the Lithuanian presidency go to   EU2013.lrs.lt