On Tuesday, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda delivered his second annual speech to the parliament. BNS and LRT English bring you the key takeaways.
‘Dictators who watch action movies’
– “Beyond Lithuania’s eastern borders there is an unstable space where inherent human rights and the rules of the free world are disrespected, where dictators who watch action films step into the role of terrorists and hijack passenger planes. Where border and nuclear security becomes a tool of blackmail.”
Read more: Belarus officers facilitate irregular migration to Lithuania – minister
– “We must strive to give our neighbors the opportunity to decide freely and democratically on their lives."
– “The asylum we offer to the people of Belarus, our support to civil society, the loud voice of Lithuania reminding Europe of what is happening at its borders is the least we can and must do for our neighbours.”
– “We must secure the continued rotational presence of US forces in Lithuania and their permanent presence as close as possible to our borders.”
– “We cannot allow one-off failures or frustrations to obscure the efforts made in Ukraine, Moldova and the South Caucasus. Lithuania has an exceptional, I would say, a historic role here [in the EU’s Eastern Partnership countries].”
Effects of the pandemic on the society
– “We see that the public health crisis has weighed not only on the economy, but also on education, eventually turning into a crisis of coexistence and confidence. The Lithuanian people, endowed with patience and perseverance, watched the politicians stumble in fruitless disagreements and unwillingness to listen.”
– Due to the pandemic stress, “we look at each other like strangers sometimes”.
– “Critical situations are a magnifying glass for our weaknesses and our strengths. At such moments we distinctly see how we are strong and what should be made stronger, and evil is no longer invisible, so it becomes vulnerable.”
– “Democracy is not set in stone. It can be undermined at any time by the thirst for power of this or that political force.”
Belarus’ nuclear plant and energy independence
– “Election promises may have faded in our memory, and the anti-Astravyets drums have fallen more silent, so I need to remind you that electricity from Astravyets can still enter Lithuania.”
– “I call on the government not to give up and to reach an agreement as soon as possible on a common methodology for trade in electricity between the Baltic States and third countries.”
– “Today, we have no other choice but to further strengthen Lithuania’s energy independence.”
Read more: Lithuania's feud with Baltic states over energy trade – explainer
Education and R&D
– “Unfortunately, insufficient interaction between higher establishments of education and businesses remains our Achilles heel."
– “It seems that sometimes entrepreneurs lack faith and scientists lack self-confidence. Together, we can break this vicious chain. [...] Innovation does not have time to wait for changes in the education system. That is why we must act here and now.”
“First, it is necessary to consistently increase funding for research and experimental development to at least 2 percent of GDP. Second, we need to create a network of innovation officers across state institutions to coordinate innovation policies more effectively."
Partnership bill
– "Such a consensus was lacking in the debate on the legalisation of same-sex partnerships. So far, the opposing sides are not seeking compromise – rather the opposite, they are deepening the divide and heating up the dispute. To be brief, I am in favor of legal arrangements for the cohabitation of same-sex persons, but without prejudice to and without diluting the substance of Article 38 of the Constitution."
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