On 15 May at Klaipėda University, Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Vygaudas Ušackas opened an international conference “Baltic Marine Innovation Forum”, and welcomed the united forces of the Government, business and science representatives as well as diplomats, who care for the future of the Baltic Sea region.

Minister V.Ušackas drew attention to the fact that strengthening cooperation of the European regions required closer relations with neighbouring Russia and Belarus, and was glad that Russian Minister of Transport Igor Levitin came to the conference.

Minister V.Ušackas remembered that in July Lithuania would begin to preside over the Council of the Baltic Sea States and presented key tasks of its Presidency.

According to the Minister, the Baltic Sea States had to strengthen their cooperation in the area of innovation, so that the region would become the most open, progressive and competitive region in Europe, enhancing the well-being of its citizens in the global world.

“We must pay more attention not only to the development of scientific potential, but also to the development of the infrastructure supporting it, as well as to the legal environment, and also to improving people’s skills. It is important to promote cooperation between companies, research institutes, and universities, using for this purpose various national and international instruments,” said Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Speaking about the second priority of the Presidency of the Council of the Baltic Sea States – clean and safe environment – Minister V.Ušackas expressed his concern about the ecology situation of the Baltic Sea and assured that the Lithuanian Presidency would strive to have the Baltic Sea region not just clean, but also safe.

According to the Minister, the major task of the Presidency would be strengthening of personal links, promoting cross-border collaboration and free movement of people.

“Five years ago we solved the issue of passengers and freight transit to the Kaliningrad Region. Today we can and have to aim at making the visa regime simpler and, in the future, at abolishing it for all citizens of Russia and Belarus, creating the right conditions for them to become participants in European cooperation,” said V.Ušackas highlighting the importance of human ties for the future of the region.

The Minister was pleased that already this year border residents of Lithuania, the Kaliningrad Region and Belarus would be able to travel to each other more freely and in the nearest time Lithuania would be able to develop navigation in the Curonian Lagoon unimpeded.