Europe possessing distorted understanding of situation in Kaliningrad

As the BNS reported the Lithuanian member of the European Parliament Vytautas Landsbergis expressed his doubts whether the European Commission sees the real situation in the Kaliningrad enclave.

In the MEP’s words, the EC only sees “common spaces” with Russia, a nice “exchange of investments” and “cooperation of mutual attraction,” however this impression is far from the reality there.

MEP expressed his concerns during the meeting with member of the European Commission in charge of the exterior EU relations Benita Ferrero Waldner at the sitting of the European Parliament’s foreign affairs committee on 12 of September.

According to the BNS Lansergis said that  the situation in the Kaliningrad enclave is “much different from the official descriptions.”   “The new Putinist axis of xenophobia in Kaliningrad manifests with pushing foreign companies, and Lithuanian businesses in the first place, out using whatever measures”.

CEO of Lithuanian-capital Company Roslitstroj Alexander Siomkin was assassinated in Kaliningrad a month ago.

At the end of June, an attempt was made on the life of businessman Vladimir Juchnievic, a resident of Svetlogorsk for 17 with Lithuanian citizenship who is running a company that builds luxurious apartments on the Baltic seacoast.

In April, Stanislovas Jucius, the founder and president of the Lithuanian Businessmen’s Club, Roslitstroj’s then CEO and a member of the board of the Jupoja concern disappeared in the Kaliningrad enclave and is still missing.

Lithuanian PM criticizes Russia during his visit to Spain

As the BNS reported the meanwhile with an official visit to Spain, the Lithuanian Prime Minister Gediminas Kirkilas expressed his regret because of Russia’s foreign policy getting more aggressive and because of usage of energy instruments in it.

Kirkilas told that at meeting with Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Zapatero.  Nevertheless, Kirkilas also emphasized constructive cooperation with Russia in spheres of economy and transit to Kaliningrad and underlined importance of EU unity and mutuality in relations with Russia.  

Kirkilas invited Zapatero to energy summit forum to be held in Vilnius in mid-October, Spanish prime minister assured that Spain will be represented in the forum by the highest level.