Minister Peter Burke visits Vilnius
Minister Peter Burke visited Vilnius on 9-10 November to further bilateral relations between Ireland and Lithuania, as well as to give keynote speeches on Ireland's commitment to media freedom and democracy.
The Minister's visit began with his attendance at the Seminar on Media Freedom and Belarus organised by the Embassies of Ireland, Norway and Finland in partnership with the Belarusian Association of Journalists and Vilnius University Institute of International Relations and Political Science. In his speech, the Minister highlighted the importance of media freedom and Ireland's efforts to assist the work of Belarusian journalists.
This was followed by a meeting between the Minister and Mrs Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, a leader of the Belarusian democratic movement. The focus of the meeting was on how Ireland can further assist the democratic movement.
The Minister was then hosted by Vice Minister of the Interior Arnoldas Abramavičius for a visis to a Border Guard station on the Belarusian border to the east of Vilnius, close to the Medininkai crossing point. Minister Burke was also brought to see a section of the border fence.
Following this, the Minister attended the commencement dinner of the Forum on the Future of Democracy. He held a short bilateral meeting with State Secretary of Norway Eivind Vad Petersson. Minister Burke then made a keynote speech at the Forum, where he outlined Ireland's support for an international order based on the rule of law.
The following day the Minister met with Ms Marija Pejčinović Burić, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, to discuss human rights issues of concern across Europe, including in Ukraine, Turkiye and Northern Ireland.
The Minister then met with his Lithuanian counterpart, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Jovita Neliupšienė. They discussed the situation in Ukraine, EU enlargement, Belarus, and preparations for the upcoming EU Presidencies of Ireland and Lithuania in 2026 and 2027.