Leaders of the three Baltic States, President Dalia Grybauskaitė of Lithuania, President Valdis Zatlers of Latvia, and President Toomas Hendrik Ilves of Estonia, met in Vilnius today (E.N. - December 16) and agreed that Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia would stand united in their aspiration towards energy independence and would seek European funding for regional energy projects.

"We, small countries, have similar economic and political interests in the European Union. All three Baltic States are interested in having independent energy market, creating a common market for electricity, and securing EU financing for energy projects. Therefore, we have decided to charge our Governments with a task of producing a list of projects for which we would jointly seek financing under the new financial perspective commencing in 2014," President Dalia Grybauskaitė said after the traditional meeting of the three Baltic Presidents in Vilnius.

The Baltic Presidents also discussed the construction of the new nuclear power in Lithuania, the formation of a new diplomatic corps of the EU started with the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, and the representation of the Baltic States in this corps.

This was the second meeting of President Dalia Grybauskaitė with Latvian and Estonian Presidents. The past meeting of the three Baltic Presidents took place in October as part of the Security Conference in Riga.

In the afternoon, Lithuanian and Latvian Presidents together with EU Commissioner Vladimir Špidla will open the European Institute for Gender Equality - the first and the only EU agency located in the Baltic States.
  
   
Press Service of the President