Lithuanian-Polish parlt assembly could resume work in late 2018 – Mazurek

“We propose that this should happen by the end of the year, but before that, working groups made up of Lithuanian and Polish parliamentarians would have to do some work to define the agenda,” Mazurek said at a news conference.

Mazurek also stressed her wish for the PA to work effectively, not formally.

“We want that assembly to be effective and to address the problems that we have. We don’t have any dates yet, but we want the working groups to meet as soon as possible, by the end of May if possible,” the Polish lawmaker said.

“I believe that the Assembly will gather this fall, toward the end of the year at the latest,” she added.

Arvydas Nekrošius, chairman of the Lithuanian Seimas Delegation to the Assembly of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania and the Sejm and Senate of the Republic of Poland, told BNS Lithuania it was agreed with Mazurek to delegate by May 15 five lawmakers from both countries to a special working group for it to draw up a list of issues that need discussing and decide on what to include into the Assembly’s agenda.

“Education issues will probably be important, and probably the spelling issue will be raised,” Nekrošius said.

In his words, Mazurek confirmed during their meeting that the PA could take place later this year.

“The vice deputy stressed that real work should take place to have a result not a process,” Nekrošius said.

The cooperation format for Lithuanian and Polish parliamentarians was frozen back in 2009.

Stanislaw Karcewski, the speaker of the Senate, the upper house of the Polish parliament, promised during a visit by Viktoras Pranckietis, the speaker of the Seimas, to Warsaw in March that he would initiate a meeting of the Parliamentary Assembly.