Other events in Baltic States

President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso has sent a letter of congratulations to Lithuania's President Dalia Grybauskaite and the people of Lithuania on the 20th anniversary of the Restoration of Lithuania's Independence, writes ELTA/LETA.

"I want to congratulate Lithuania and its people on the occasion of the 20th Anniversary of the Restoration of Lithuania's Independence. You showed a strong commitment to freedom, independence and respect for democratic values. It inspired the entire world and demonstrated the power and strength of democratic values.

Lithuania's achievements have been impressive over the recent twenty years. Today Lithuania is proud to be a member of the European Union together with the other twenty-six member states which support the values enshrined in the Act of Independence of Lithuania – human, national and ethnic communities' rights. Lithuania has given new dynamism to the European Union.

Since the restoration of independence, Lithuania has grown a new generation of Europeans. They use the opportunities given by the Europe which has been united again.

They can be proud of their parents who have made a fateful decision and taken bold reform in difficult circumstances. On this solid basis, a new generation of Lithuanian should continue work so that Lithuania and the European Union will continue to flourish," Barroso said in his letter of congratulations.