On June 12, Latvia signed the Association Agreement with the European Union. In their negotiations for associate mem¬bership, Latvian officials agreed that, during a transitional peri¬od, they will have to integrate Latvian laws with those of the EU, settle border disputes, and harmonize customs laws and policies concerning refugees with the other two Baltic states.
This last EU stipulation was prompted by the recent attempt by a group of refugees to use Latvia as a port of entry inco Scandinavia. On June 30, the Baltic states signed an / Accord on Illegal Immigrants, providing that each country p^l/vn\\ take back any of its citizens residing illegally in the other two countries, as well as refugees who had crossed the border illegally. Many refugees, however, come into Latvia from Russia and Belarus. Although these two countries have been less cooperative, the Latvian government hopes to sign agree¬ments with them as soon as possible.
Even though a year has passed since the agreement “On the Social Security of Russian Military' Pensioners and their Family Members Residing in Latvia” was signed, Russia has vet to begin payments for the health care given to Russian military pensioners living in Latvia. Although retired Russian military personnel are leaving Latvia for Russia in increasing numbers, the Latvian government asserts that Russia owes the country nearly 1.5 million lats, and has informed the Russian ambassador chat medical care for the people in question will be denied until Latvia receives some form of compensation.
Finally, the budget crisis will no doubt make it difficult for the government to take appropriate steps to control the daunt¬ing diphtheria epidemic which has been growing steadily over the past few years. Since tire beginning of the year, 213 eases have been reported in the country, 15 of which have been fatal.
Political parties arc now gearing up for next year’s legislative elections. If die results of the recent municipal elections are any indication of the outcome of the parliamentary vote, the days of Lithuanian Democratic Labor Party (LDLP) dominance arc numbered. The ruling LDLP will be a hard sell to voters, since the government must both introduce austerity measures and face emboldened opposition parties which have never hesitated to criticize its every move. But LDLP cannot yet be written off. The government's public relations campaign got boost from the signing of the popular Association Agreement with the European Union. And ifLDLFs attempt to assuage the public should fail, the party' will probably use its dominant
position m the Seimas (Parliament) to pass amendments i elector* law designed to promote its own incumbency.
Held on March 25. local elections gave a solid win 1 Homeland Lmon (Conservatives of Lithuania) (HUf (See EHCR, Lithuania Update. Vol. 4, No. 2. Spring 1 As expected, mayoral elections in April tracked the part tribution observed in the March elections to the mun councils. IIU(CL) representatives were given mayoralt all the largest cities, and they now control 38 municip; in total. The Ltchuanian Christian Democratic '.
(I.C.DP) won five mayoralties and the Nationalist L (NU) won three. Only in the obscure city of Visagina. an LDLP mayor elected. Hence, a firm coalition of prct nantly right-wing municipalities arc forming a strong s< of opposition to the ex-communist party now in power Association of Municipalities met at the end of June and increasingly powerful and united body, with which the tral government will have to contend.
On June 12, Lithuania and the European Union s: the Association Agreement. This is the first seep in a proc< which Lithuania may become a full-fledged member c EU. The treaty envisages a transitional period, lasting 1999, to harmonize national legislation with EU law, a lined in the “White Book.” Government official’s haile agreement as the most important document for Lith. since the March 11, 1990 “Independence Restoration Prime Minister Adolfas Slezcvicius stated that, exiting»
Russia’s political space, we are entering a completely diff one the family of the EU countries.” Alternatively, some lysts predict that this latest step towards Lithuania’s in, tion into the EU might be the last that Russia is wills, accept without strong resistance, as is suggested by Rv negative attitude towards NATO expansion.
Throughout the negotiations, EU representatives m clear that signing the agreement with Lithuania was cc gent on the adoption of a constitutional amendment allc foreigners to own land. (Sec EECR, Lithuanian. Update 4, No. 2, Spring 1995.) After much encouragement President Algirdas Brazauskas, the Seimas, on May 4, adt a declaration expressing its determination to prepare adopt a constitutional amendment which would allov eigners to purchase land. In its statement, the Seimas en sized that integration into the EU is a top priority for the • try and promised to eliminate all obstacles hindering the ing and ratification of the EU associate membership s merit. This political statement was drafted and approvt the seven main parliamentary parties, including the r LDLP. While the statement docs not lay down any rime for the adoption of the constitutional amendment, it is u stood that its adoption should tak<? place in the near futu Nearly 90 percent of Lithuanians support the corn efforts to join the EU, perhaps expecting such palpable fits as economic prosperity and collective security.The p apparently knows very little about the prospects of ini
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