The Speaker of the Seimas discussed support for Ukraine and the strengthening of NATO’s eastern flank with her Polish counterpart

“During the interview, I told the Marshal of the Polish Seimas that it is necessary to continue to strengthen NATO’s eastern flank and to practically implement the decisions of the Vilnius Summit. It is necessary not to stop providing support to Ukraine, especially now, with the onset of winter and the Kremlin regime imposing strategic patience on the West,” said V. Čmilytė-Nielsen.

The head of the Parliament added that Lithuania is ready to continue cooperation in the format of the Lublin triangle, which is becoming even more important in finding answers to common challenges, said the report of the Public Relations Department of the Seimas.

Bilateral relations between Lithuania and Poland were also discussed in the remote meeting.

According to the Speaker of the Seimas, this period calls for an even deeper and wider integration of relations between the two countries, which can be accelerated by joint strategic infrastructure projects, actively developing economic relations and people’s cooperation.

The Speaker of the Seimas has said that due to the impasse in Lithuania regarding the appointment of an ambassador to Poland, efforts are being made to maintain relations with the neighboring strategic partner at the parliamentary level.

While the ambassadorial candidacies are usually coordinated behind closed doors, the search for the head of the diplomatic mission in Poland became the subject of public debate between the Presidency and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA).

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gabrielius Landsbergis, stated last week that the appointment of the new ambassador is stalled in the Presidency.

The head of the country, Gitanas Nausėda, responded that the course of the competition allows him to believe that they are trying to patronize “certain people” for the position of ambassador and other applicants who “perhaps are not suitable for the leadership of the ministry” are being passed over.

Lithuania’s ambassador to Poland Eduardas Borisovas has been removed from his position following the end of his term of office since September 7 of this year, the embassy is currently headed by Minister Plenipotentiary Audronė Markevičienė.

Advisor to the President, Ridas Jasiulionis, previously stated that the latter submitted candidate was rejected due to his qualifications, as he does not speak Polish.

During the examination of the issue in the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Seimas, G. Landsbergis stated that the first proposal to the president was a high-ranking diplomat with many years of experience who distinguished himself in the selection process, spoke Polish and previously worked at this embassy, ​​but was rejected.

It has been publicly announced that this is the current director of the Transatlantic Cooperation and Security Policy Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Giedrius Puodžiūnas, former ambassador to Austria and Sakartvel, who also worked as the first secretary of the Lithuanian Embassy in Poland and the temporary charge d’affaires of this embassy.

Ambassadors to Lithuania are appointed by the President at the proposal of the Government and with the approval of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Seimas.