News

Today in its sitting the Cabinet has adopted a resolution on flying the flag of Europe alongside the flag of the Republic of Lithuania from state institutions on the occasion of Lithuania’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

“On the occasion of the Presidency, we invite everybody to raise a European flag alongside the Tricolour. We will raise flags as EU citizens whose ideas and works make the foundation of the common home of Europe, thereby demonstrating that Lithuania will hold the Presidency of the Council of the European Union for the next six months”, says Vice-Minister Vytautas Leškevičius.

In accordance with the resolution that has been adopted, the flag of Europe will be hoisted during the entire period of the presidency trio of Ireland, Lithuania, and Greece. Lithuania will hold the Presidency of the Council of the European Union from 1 July to 31 December 2013. Lithuania will take over the Presidency from Ireland and pass it on to Greece.

The flag of Europe will be flown from the Presidential Palace, the Seimas, the Government Office and the Ministries, the Constitutional Court and other courts, the Prosecutor General’s Office, the Bank of Lithuania, the Central Electoral Commission, municipality buildings, and border checkpoints.

At present the law of the Republic of Lithuania provides that the European flag shall be permanently hoisted on the EU’s external border checkpoints. The flag of Europe is also flown alongside the flag of Lithuania on Europe Day (9 May), and the day of elections to the European Parliament or days of referenda organised by the European Parliament from the buildings where voting takes place.