Society
Articles by Ludo Segers
Opinion
Opinion: Syrian conflict lands in Brussels
Someone recently described the recent terrorist attacks in Paris as designed in Syria and developed in Brussels. It may very well be. Meanwhile Moscow monitors and actively exploits every turn of the conflict. […]
Foreign affairs
Gediminas Kirkilas becomes an officer of the French Legion of Honour
On Thursday evening, the French Ambassador to Lithuania, Mr. Philippe Jeantaud, bestowed the French Legion of Honour on former prime minister and deputy speaker of the Lithuanian parliament, Mr. Gediminas Kirkilas. […]
Uncategorized
Second day discussing democracy in Vilnius: Putin is very European, the Sicilian variety
During its second day, the Vilnius Democracy Forum moved into high gear with two panel discussions that saw expert insight into various threats to democracy. As autocratic regimes figure high on the list of threats to democracy, Putin’s Russia, China and even North Korea were never far from the discussion. […]
Uncategorized
Vilnius Democracy Forum discusses democracy and lack thereof east of Lithuania
Monday afternoon saw about 200 academics, political scientists, diplomats, members of the Seimas (parliament), democracy promoting think-thanks and action groups gathering in the Presidential Palace in Vilnius for the start of a two-day conference to discuss democracy or the lack thereof, particularly east of the Lithuanian border. […]
Uncategorized
e-Residency, Estonia’s idea for a borderless world
On Wednesday afternoon, the Estonian Chamber of Commerce in Lithuania invited Ott Vatter of the Estonian e-Residency for their season’s opening event in the Estonian Embassy in Vilnius. […]
Society
Back to school
Business has been advertising it for more than a month. Songs have been written about it. But yesterday, reality hit and it was back to school for all young people in Lithuania from primary schools to universities. […]
Global LT
Chicago’s Consulate General moving to new premises in Lithuanian diaspora capital
Sitting on the southern shores of Lake Michigan, Chicago is an important transport, financial and cultural hub. It hosts world-class universities, world-class museums and a famous opera and music scene that make for a fascinating and vibrant place to live and work. The city had to reinvent itself several times, never more dramatically as after the great fire in 1871. Chicago is also known as the centre of the Lithuanian community in the United States. […]
Foreign affairs
Last interview with Ambassador Pavilionis in Washington: ‘We are still in the discovery stage in America’
We meet with Ambassador Žygimantas Pavilionis on a quiet Sunday morning in the Lithuanian Embassy in Washington, D.C., for the last interview before he leaves the USA and returns to Lithuania. […]
Foreign affairs
Cubans spice up life in Lithuanian Embassy neighbourhood in Washington, DC
The building in Washington, DC, formerly known as ‘Swiss Embassy, Cuban Special Interest Section’ became as of Monday midnight officially the Cuban Embassy. Located right next to the Lithuanian Embassy in the US capital, the brass plates outside at the embassy were changed at midnight, after nearly 55 years of frozen diplomatic relations. […]
Foreign affairs
President Obama challenges critics on historic nuclear deal with Iran
US President Barack Obama was fully on the offensive on Wednesday to let the world know that the deal with Iran was the best deal preventing that country from obtaining nuclear weapons. […]
Uncategorized
US Vice President Biden Supports Ukraine’s last chance for reform
During a busy day in Washington, the Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk received plenty of support from the US Administration, including President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and US Secretary for Commerce Penny Pritzker. […]
Foreign affairs
Lithuania and Cuba soon to be diplomatic neighbours in Washington
Early Thursday morning several media teams set up in the neighbourhood of the Lithuanian Embassy in Washington DC. The Swiss Embassy, Cuban Special Interest Section is located next door to the Lithuanian Embassy on 16th Street. It houses the Cuban representation in the US Capital after the Americans severed diplomatic relations with the island nation 54 years ago at the height of the Cold War. The somewhat secretive mission got mainly attention in the past whenever demonstrators would gather to demand the release of Americans or dissidents held in Cuban prisons. All of that is about to end. […]
Foreign affairs
Long goodbye of Ambassador Pavilionis
This week marked the first step in the departure from the United States by the present Lithuanian ambassador to the USA, Žygimantas Pavilionis. After five years of serving his country in the USA there have been a number of farewell ceremonies for Ambassador Pavilionis over the last few weeks in the US capital. During a ceremony earlier this week, a large number of well-wishers, including several ambassadors came to bid the chief diplomat goodbye. Several members of Ambassador Pavilionis staff will also depart this summer for their home country and they too honoured for their time and role promoting and supporting Lithuania in the USA. […]
Opinion
A very good week for President Obama
On Friday morning whilst he was preparing the eulogy for the nine murdered black people in Charleston, South Carolina, United States President Barack Obama received the last piece of good news in a week that had plenty to celebrate for the White House administration. Shortly after the the Supreme Court announcing marriage equality, President Obama issued a statement. “It’s been a significant morning. It’s been a significant couple of days. And it’s certainly been a significant month.” […]
Foreign affairs
Ambassador Pavilionis’ plea for US energy support
Lithuanian Ambassador Žygimantas Pavilionis used a farewell speech at Energy Allies, one of the US energy associations, to review the long struggle of Lithuania to gain energy independence. The ambassador who is returning soon to Lithuania after five years of diplomatic service in Washington, DC, evaluated current energy policy trends and their impact on global politics in front of an audience of company representatives, energy lobbyists, diplomats, politicians and Congress cabinet staff. He urged for more US energy exports to re-balance the current geo-political situation. […]
Foreign affairs
Lithuanian Consulate General feted in Ronald Reagan Library in California
The memory of former American President Ronald Reagan loomed large over the ceremony celebrating Lithuania’s opening of a Consulate General that was feted on Monday, 1 June 2015. Hosted by John Heubush, the director of the Ronald Reagan Library, the celebration took place in the presence of the Lithuanian Foreign Minister, Linas Linkevičius, and the Lithuanian Ambassador to the USA, Žygimantas Pavilionis, a large number of diplomatic representatives, dignitaries and friends of Lithuania, including the former movie star Ruta Lee and Albinas Markevicius. […]
Foreign affairs
New Lithuanian Consulate General inaugurated in Los Angeles
Following a very busy Sunday of activities with the Lithuanian community in Los Angeles, the Lithuanian Foreign Minister, Linas Linkevičius, formally opened the new Lithuanian Consulate General in Los Angeles. […]
Global LT
Lithuanian Diplomatic Star awarded to Dr. Richard Maullin
On Sunday evening, the Lithuanian Foreign Minister, Linas Linkevičius, awarded in Los Angeles the diplomatic start to Dr. Richard Maullin. […]
European Union
EU’s Ansip takes the Digital Single Market to Washington
The EU’s Vice President in charge of the Digital Single Market, Andrus Ansip presented on Thursday his proposals to Washington’s influential Brookings Institute. During a press conference on Friday the pragmatic Mr. Ansip provided some more insights as to how the EU and its 28 membership states faces the complexities of a fast changing internet and how they plan reducing existing regulations and harmonize the EU into one single, large economic block. […]