Baltic States – CIS, EU – Baltic States, Legislation, Lithuania, Real Estate

72 years, 6 months and 26 days passed from the moment when ambassador Stasys Lozoraitis senior was forced out by the Italian government from the luxurious Villa Lituania palace in Nomentana street in Rome. The diplomatic dispute of Lithuania and Italy will be settled this Thursday in Vilnius.

A diplomatic victory or a rational compromise? Or perhaps a defeat of the Lithuanian diplomats who lost their patience? The final conclusions in the Villa Lituania story will be, most probably, drawn by historians. So far, it is clear that Vilnius will not get back the former embassy building on Nomentana street and will not demand to return money pad before the occupation for the real estate purchased on lease. Roma, meanwhile, will provide Lithuanian diplomatic mission with prestigious premises that will not cost anything to Vilnius. However, these premises will not become Lithuania's property.

Before the occupation, Lithuania paid around 45% to Banca Nazionale del Lavoro for the purchase of the palace and a large park in a prestigious spot in Rome. Today, the owner of real estate, word around EUR 20 million, is the Russian Federation, who put its consulate general in Villa Lituania.