On March 11, in the evening, the Federal President of the Republic of Austria Mr. Heinz Fischer arrives in Lithuania for a two-day state visit. The Austrian leader comes with a delegation of state officials and business, culture and media representatives.

The first day of the visit, March 12, will see the official welcoming ceremony for the President of Austria, to be followed by a meeting between the two Presidents to discuss the opportunities for developing bilateral relations in trade, energy, culture and other fields, and the cooperation between Vilnius and Linz as the two European Capitals of Culture.  Other issues to be discussed in the meeting will include the international financial and economic situation, national and European Union’s anti-crisis plans, European Neighbourhood Policy, and energy security.

The bilateral meeting between the Lithuanian and Austrian Presidents and their respective delegations will be followed by a signature ceremony of the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Lithuania and the Government of the Federal Republic of Austria on Mutual Representation by Diplomatic and Consular Missions in the Visa Application Procedures. The Agreement will be signed by Ms. Christine Marek, State Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Economy, Family and Youth, and Mr. Šarūnas Adomavičius, Viceminister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania.

After the official signature ceremony, President Adamkus will decorate Austria’s President Fischer with the Order of Vytautas the Great with the Golden Collar, for his personal initiative in developing Lithuania-Austrian intergovernmental relations and enhancing political, cultural and people-to-people cooperation between the two countries.

President Heinz Fischer of Austria will decorate President Adamkus with the Grand Star of the Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria.

The two Presidents will give a joint press conference, following which President Heinz Fischer will go to the Antakalnis Cemetery to lay a wreath at the memorial to those killed in the fight for Lithuania’s independence, to honour their memory.

Later in the day, the Austrian leader will have a meeting with Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius in Trakai.

After lunch, President Adamkus and President Fischer will participate in the official opening ceremony of the international fine art exhibition ‘Yearning for Nature. European Landscapes’ arranged as part of the national programme ‘Vilnius – European Capital of Culture 2009’, in the Museum of Applied Arts.

Thursday evening, a state dinner will be hosted in the Presidential Palace in the honour of the Austrian President Fischer.

Friday, March 13, Lithuania’s and Austria’s Presidents will participate and make speeches in the opening session of the Lithuanian-Austrian Economic Forum.

After the Economic Forum, President Fischer will have a meeting with Mr. Arūnas Valinskas, Speaker of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania.

At noon, Austria’s leader will go to Kaunas to have a meeting with Mayor Andrius Kupčinskas in the Town Hall.

Later the same day, Austria’s President will visit the National M. K. Čiurlionis Museum in Kaunas and the Monastery of Pažaislis.

Back in Vilnius, Austria’s President Fischer will host a return hospitality reception in the honor of the President of the Republic of Lithuania Valdas Adamkus.

Austria’s President goes back to Vienna in the evening the same day.

Bellow is the programme of the state visit by the Federal President of the Republic of Austria Mr. Heinz Fischer.

Thursday, 12 March 2009

10:00 Official welcoming ceremony

10:10 Official photograph (White Hall)

10:15 Exchange of decorations and gifts (White Hall)

10:25  Tête-à-tête meeting of the Presidents of Austria and Lithuania (Blue Hall)

10:45 Meeting of the delegations headed by the Presidents of Lithuania and Austria (Negotiations Hall)
 
11:15 Signing of the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Lithuania and the Government of the Federal Republic of Austria on Mutual Representation by Diplomatic and Consular Missions in the Visa Application Procedures (While Hall)

11:25 Joint Press Conference of the Presidents of Austria and Lithuania
 (Press Conference Hall)
 
12:00 Wreath-laying by the President of Austria at the Memorial to Those Killed in the Struggle for Independence in the Antakalnis Cemetery

12:30 Meeting of the President of Austria with the press at the hotel Radisson SAS Astorija

13:50 Lunch hosted by Mr. Andrius KUBILIUS, Prime Minister of the Republic of Lithuania, in the honor of the President of Austria, in Trakai (Restaurant “Apvalaus stalo klubas” (Round table club), Karaimų 53a)

15:52 Visit by President H. Fischer to Vilnius Cathedral

16:10 Tour of the Cathedral Square

16:30 Opening of the international fine art exhibition "Yearning for Nature. European Landscapes” attended by the Presidents of Lithuania and Austria (Museum of Applied Arts)

19:30 State Dinner hosted by President Valdas Adamkus in the honor of President Heinz Fischer (White Hall)
 
Friday, 13 March 2009

09:00 Opening of the Austrian-Lithuanian Economic Forum, speeches by the Presidents of Lithuania and Austria (Hotel Radisson SAS Astorija)
 
09:40  Meeting of the President of Austria with Mr. Arūnas VALINSKAS, Speaker of the Seimas (Parliament) of the Republic of Lithuania

11:20 Arrival by the President of Austria in Kaunas

11:25 Official welcoming ceremony in Kaunas Town Hall (Rotušės a. 15)

11:50 Lunch hosted by Mr. Andrius Kupčinskas, Mayor of Kaunas, in the honor of the President of Austria
 (Restaurant Medžiotojų užeiga)

13:00 Visit by President Heinz Fisher to the National M. K. Čiurlionis Museum (V.Putvinskio g. 55)

14:05 Visit by President Heinz Fisher to the ensemble of the Church and Monastery of Pažaislis (T. Masiulio g. 31)

16:00 Return hospitality reception hosted by President Fisher (Restaurant Stikliai, Vilnius)

17:10 Departure by the President of Austria to Vienna