The cooperation format for Lithuanian and Polish parliamentarians was frozen in 2009 at the initiative of Polish politicians. Warsaw then started to strongly criticize Lithuania over the situation of the Polish community.
However, a thaw has lately been observed in the bilateral relations between the two neighbors, with Karczewski being the fourth high-ranking Polish official to visit Lithuania in February and March.
“This can only mean one thing – we are developing warm relations with our closest neighbors amid Russia‘s information and cyber hostility, as well as military aggression in Ukraine. It is very important and beneficial for Lithuania,” Pranckietis said in a press release issued by the parliament’s Public Relations Division.
Lithuania was visited by Poland’s President Andrzej Duda in mid-February, followed by Poland’s Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and Polish Sejm Speaker Marek Kuchcinski last week.
The Polish Senate speaker came to Lithuania at the invitation from Poland’s ethnic community.
Poland‘s support is important to Lithuania in its efforts to synchronize electricity networks with Western Europe and step up defense capacities. Poland, in its turn, seeks Lithuanian support in the dispute with the European Union over the controversial judicial reform and wants to secure good conditions for its Orlen concern that operates an oil refinery in Mažeikiai, northern Lithuania.