A special commemorative event at the CerModern contemporary art museum of Ankara started with the history-making song „Bunda jau Baltija“ (Wake up the Baltics) and was followed by the screening of the documentary „The Baltic Way to Freedom“ by Latvian director Askolds Saulitis. The film captures the main events in the Baltic countries in their quest for freedom and independence from the Soviet Union.

In addition to the film, an exhibition on the Baltic Way was displayed at the CerModern to provide the guests of the event – among them representatives of the academic and business communities, civil servants and civil activists, also foreign diplomats – with more detailed information on the Baltic Way, a unique joint peaceful political demonstration of the Baltic nations.

80 years ago, on August 23, 1939 upon signature of the so called Molotov – Ribbentrop Pact and its secret protocols, the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany divided Eastern Europe into spheres of influence and conquest. 30 years ago, on August 23, 1989 Estonians, Latvians and Lithuanians stood hand-in-hand in a 675 km long Baltic Way from Vilnius to Riga to Tallinn to protest occupation and demand freedom.

In their welcoming remarks, Ambassador Audrius Bruzga of Lithuania, Ambassador Annely Kolk of Estonia and Ambassador Peteris-Karlis Elferts of Latvia reminded of the political and historic significance of the Baltic Way and paid tribute to their respective nationals who did not live to see Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania become independent again.

Minister Hulusi Akar made a positive assessment of the bilateral Lithuania – Turkey cooperation in security and defence which had lasted for nearly 30 years and called on his Lithuanian partners to do more to strengthen this cooperation. At the meeting the Minister put regional security challenges to Turkey in focus and called on Allies to show solidarity in fighting terrorism.

On April 4 Ambassador Bruzga will travel to Izmir to attend the ceremony on the occasion of NATO 70 Year Anniversary to take place at NATO LANDCOM HQ.

Four partners in total joined the project “A Roadmap for Smart City”: Telšiai District Municipality from Lithuania and Szarvas Municipality from Hungary, Hitit University and Chamber of Commerce and Industry from Çorum

Ambassador of the Republic of Lithuania to the Republic of Turkey Audrius Brūzga was the guest of honour of the event. Lithuanian Ambassador, in his opening speech welcomed the efforts of the three municipalities to join forces to employ new and emerging concepts of urban planning and development.

The President of the Alanya Chamber of Commerce and Industry Mehmet Şahin has been appointed as the Honorary Consul. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Linas Linkevičius and the Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu attended the opening ceremony.

Lithuania’s Foreign Minister was pleased that the opening of the new Honorary Consulate in Alanya showed Lithuania’s interest in developing closer ties with this important region of Turkey. According to L. Linkevičius, the Honorary Consulate should pay particular attention to the promotion of bilateral economic relations and investments, as well as to the search for new markets for Lithuanian goods.

The bilateral meeting with the Turkish Foreign Minister focused on issues related to foreign policy, regional security and bilateral cooperation, the situation in the Black and Azov Seas.

“During these difficult times, NATO must increase its support for Ukraine, which has suffered new attacks by Russia. The Alliance’s partners have to unitedly support Ukraine to help the country be better prepared to defend itself from external aggression. Only a solid united response by the international community can stop further Russian aggression,” said Lithuania’s Foreign Minister.

During his visit to Alanya, L. Linkevičius also met representatives of the Lithuanian community in Turkey. The Lithuanian community was registered in the municipality of Alanya in 2014. This is the first officially registered Lithuanian community in Turkey. According to the Lithuanian Embassy, there are currently 600 Lithuanians living in Turkey.

Foreign Minister Çavuşoğlu met with his Lithuanian counterpart Linas Linkevičius, and was received by Dalia Grybauskaitė, President of Lithuania, and Algirdas Butkevičius, Prime Minister of Lithuania during his visit, which bears a particular significance in maintaining the intensified contacts and increasing cooperation with the Baltic countries.

Speaking at the joint press conference held after the meetings, Foreign Minister stated that Turkey was one of the first countries to open an Embassy at Lithuania following Lithuanian independence, that both sides are making efforts to further develop bilateral ties which are already strengthened by reciprocal high level visits and that they aim to enhance bilateral trade volume upto 1 billion Dollars which exceeded 500 million Dollars last year.

Foreign Minister Çavuşoğlu also thanked his counterpart for Lithuania’a support for Turkey’s EU accession process and said “We want to open more chapters, we have managed to open 14 chapters so far but this is not enough.”