Lithuania should join the Nordic energy system

As the BNS informed Lithuania is interested in building an energy link to Sweden and joining the Nordic energy market without delay.  Lithuanian PM Kirkilas said this during his one day trip to  Stockholm on Tuesday.

As the  PM’s press office wrote at a meeting with Swedish PM Fredrik Reinfeldt, Kirkilas also informed him about the course of development of the new nuclear power plant project, the governmental press service reported.

The heads of the Lithuanian and Swedish governments discussed possible ecologic risks of laying the gas pipeline Nordstream on the bottom of the Baltic Sea. In Kirkilas’ opinion, it requires an independent assessment of environmental effects and consultations with all countries to be influenced by the project.

PM Kirkilas also met with various officials from the sister Social Democratic party and the Trade Unions, addressed the SAMAK’s Annual Meeting 2008.

Lithuanian political Right and Left are looking to Sweden for inspiration

Since the Lithuanian parliamentary elections are to be held in this Autumn the Lithuanian political parties starting to gather their momentum in the preparation for the election campaign.

The election is not going to straight forward since the populist left and right are gathering the strength and the ‘traditional’ parties such as Social Democrats and the Conservatives will have to be satisfied with bigger or smaller role in one or another coalition.  Still, it is a long way to go, and in Lithuanian political reality it is possible to turn a political tide in one month.

Nevertheless it is interesting that Lithuanian traditional parties ‘discovered’ socially just Sweden ruled by the Centre Right government.

The Conservatives often mention success story of the Swedish Alliance.  Since the Centre Right forces are fractured the Conservatives and the Liberal Movement came up with idea to form a similar Alliance in Lithuania.  This ‘Alliance for Lithuania’ will be presented in Vilnius this Friday.

The Social Democrats, who are in the ruling minority coalition government, and pretty much ‘ruling’ the government also would like to use some of the Swedish experience in the Progressive Taxes.

As daily Respublika mention Prime Minister Kirkilas, meanwhile on the official to Sweden asked the Swedish Social Democrats to help enlighten Lithuanian public about the Progressive Taxation benefits.  According to the paper Kirkilas has invited the head of the Swedish Social Democrats Mona Sahlin to make a speech on the topic in an international conference which will be held next month in Vilnius.

Hence, it will be interesting which party will benefit the most form the positive experience of Lithuanian neighbour.  It might be useful for the both parties to benefit from the same ‘source’ since some commentators predict that the both parties might be forced to create a rainbow coalition after the elections.