American businesses in Lithuania have urged the country to appoint its ambassador to Washington, saying six months without one is too long.
“It's very bad not to have an ambassador there for half a year. We should nurture that friendship through diplomacy,” Tadas Vizgirda, chairman of the Board of Directors at the American Chamber of Commerce in Lithuania (AmCham Lithuania), told BNS on Monday.
“Six months without an ambassador, that doesn't look serious,” he added.
In a letter sent last week, AmCham Lithuania urged President Gitanas Nausėda to an ambassador to Washington as soon as possible.
Vizgirda believes that Lithuania's former ministers of foreign affairs and defence, Linas Linkevičius and Raimundas Karoblis, should be considered as candidates for the post.
“We have two great candidates who weren't even considered because of the ‘political cooling-off’,” he said, referring to President Nausėda's reasoning that the two former ministers should not be appointed to important diplomatic service positions immediately after leaving the government.
“I believe that's really regrettable,” said Vizgirda.
AmCham Lithuania represents some 150 US companies and businesspeople in Lithuania. The businesses employ over 30,000 Lithuanians.
‘Understandable’
Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said that “every effort” was being made to appoint Lithuania's ambassador to Washington quickly.
However, he would not name any candidates.
“AmCham Lithuania's call is understandable: the political and economic ties between our countries are very intense,” Landsbergis told BNS. “We are making every effort to ensure that this process does not take too long and we are looking for the best solution for the state.”
“However, it's too early to speak about candidates until the host country's consent to a specific nomination has been received,” he added.
Lithuania has had no ambassador to the US since the end of last summer.
Diplomatic sources say Karoblis and Linkevičius have been discussed for ambassadorial posts in Brussels and Washington.
However, Nausėda has rejected the proposals, saying the former ministers need “a political cooling-off” period after leaving government in December.
Read more: Lithuania's former ministers reinstated to diplomatic service
Newsletter
Every Friday morning.
