Belarus' future lies in Europe - Lithuanian PM
Updated 2009-03-30
VILNIUS, Mar 27, BNS - Lithuanian Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius on Friday's meeting with the academic community of the European Humanities University (EHU) rejoiced in the university's successful activity in Vilnius for five ongoing years and presented Belarusian students with certificates for successfully completing Lithuanian language courses.
"Lithuania has always spoken out for making room for Belarus in Europe. We also fought hard for our independence and had a bumpy road towards integration to the Western community. Lithuania's European Union membership once seemed like naive hopes (...). However, determined efforts made this happen. I therefore urge you to stay idealistic - you are the future leaders of your country," Kubilius spoke to the Belarusian students studying in Vilnius.
Lithuania never doubted that Belarus has a place and a future in Europe, and it never agreed that violations to human rights could tolerated for the sake of pragmatic aims, noted the prime minister.
EHU was established in 1992 in Belarus and operated as a private university, until its license was withdrawn in 2004 due to the authoritarian regime of Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko. Courtesy of the efforts of the European Commission (EC), European and US governments, organizations and private sponsors, EHU renewed its operation in Vilnius in 2005, and was granted the status of Lithuanian university in 2006. Its diplomas are now recognized in Lithuania and other countries of the European Union (EU).
