The Secretary General of the 46-member Council of Europe, Alain Berset, will pay an official visit to Vilnius (Lithuania) on Monday 11 and Tuesday 12 May.
Speaking ahead of the visit, the Secretary General said: "In these turbulent times, it is essential that we work together to address pressing issues, guided by our shared core values. These include threats to democracy and the rule of law and ensuring accountability for Ukraine."
Talks with senior Lithuanian leadership
Secretary General Berset will meet President Gitanas Nausėda, Speaker of the Seimas Juozas Olekas, Seimas Ombudsperson Erika Leonaitė, Seimas Ompudsperson and Ompudsperson for Equal Rights Jolita Miliuvienė, Ombudsperson for the Protection of Children's rights Edita Žiobienė, Minister of Foreign Affairs Keștutis Budrys, Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Audra Plepytė, and Minister of Justice Rita Tamašunienė.
Discussions are expected to focus on the importance of democratic security in the face of significant challenges to the international rule of law, support to Belarusian civil society and democratic forces, and the Council of Europe's priority work in support of Ukraine.
The forthcoming meeting of Council of Europe foreign ministers in Chișinău (Republic of Moldova) on 15 May, including ongoing negotiations towards a political declaration on issues related to migration and the European Convention on Human Rights, and the responses to information manipulation and foreign interference, will also be discussed.
In addition, the Secretary General will meet Birutė Vėsaitė, chairperson of the Lithuanian national delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly, representatives of Lithuanian non-governmental organisations, as well as Vilmantas Vitkauskas, head of the National Crisis Management Centre.
During the visit, the Secretary General will give a lecture at Vilnius University (Monday 11 May, 3 p.m.) on the importance of democratic security in addressing growing threats to the international legal order.
Dialogue with Belarusian civil society and democratic forces
On Tuesday, 12 May (7 p.m.), the Council of Europe Information point for Belarusian people will be inaugurated at the Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania, in Vilnius (accreditation with the Foreign Ministry). Statements will be delivered by Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė, Foreign Minister Keștutis Budrys, Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset and Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, head of the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus. The Secretary General will also meet representatives of the Belarusian civil society before the inauguration.
The information point will raise awareness among Belarusian people, including civil society and media, of the Council of Europe's fundamental values and legal instruments, and will support activities carried out under the Council of Europe Contact Group on cooperation with representatives of Belarusian democratic forces and civil society.
New Democratic Pact for Europe
Cooperation with Belarusian democratic forces and civil society
