President – Lithuania won’t abandon citizens in Britain

“Dalia Grybauskaitė underlined that Lithuania would not abandon its citizens and would act firmly to protect their interests in Brexit negotiations. The most important thing is to ensure fundamental freedoms and guarantees: the free movement of persons, the right to work and health care, social guarantees, and a possibility to study and work in the UK,” the Lithuanian president’s press service said in a communique.

During the meeting, Grybauskaitė pointed out that there had been cases of discrimination and harassment against foreign nationals, including Lithuanians, and requested May to take all possible actions to guarantee the security of all people in the United Kingdom.

In t he Lithuanian president’s words, Britain is a very important economic and security partner of Lithuania. According to the president, the United Kingdom will continue to play an important and active role in maintaining the security of the Baltic states. The UK will lead an international NATO battalion in Estonia. British troops and navy took part in a number of military exercises in the region.

The two officials met in Brussels before the EU summit meeting.

The Brexit negotiations are scheduled to open next year, with plans to close them by 2019.