Roundup: Lithuanian president sees social security, defense, economic growth as priorities

Lithuania must pay the highest attention to social security issues and curb violence in families, President Dalia Grybauskaite highlighted on Thursday, naming economic and defense issues as other priorities in 2016.

Grybauskaite gave a press conference on Thursday to summarize on Lithuania's current achievements and highlight the priorities for 2016.

The president's speech was marked with most recent tragedy in rural Lithuania when a father of four killed his two toddlers throwing them into a well five days ago.

The president vowed to initiate a broad rage campaign to increase social security and safety and initiate amendments to tame alcohol consumption in the country.

The latest report from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has shown that Lithuania, a small Baltic country, is among the most drinking nations.

"Violence, suicides, various dependencies, alcoholism, the destructive statistics destroy the development of the country," Grybauskaite said in her speech.

"That's why this year must be devoted to ensure social security," the president told the press conference.

According to Grybauskaite, 2015 was the year of strategic decisions including the adoption of euro, implementation of economic and financial stability, the start of negotiations to join OECD, and the activation of energy interconnections with Sweden and Poland.

She noted that Lithuania successfully implemented decisions to strengthen its national security and defense.

After reintroducing military conscription, Lithuania must maintain the mixed structure of professional personnel and conscripts at the Armed Force, thinks Grybauskaite.

"This is the most effective, the cheapest option for the army of a medium-size country," the president told media, vowing to seek for more security guarantees from NATO allies.

Grybauskaite said economic challenges will be one of the most important priorities for Lithuania this year, noting that the government must increase the effectiveness of state controlled companies and finish the reforms.

"Lithuania has entered into a new period of economic development with information and high-tech, becoming one of the most important fields," said Grybauskaite.

She noted that despite economic potential, Lithuanian economy will face challenges this year.

Last month the country's central bank slashed economic forecast on grounds of ongoing pressure in the Russian economy and the fragile global economic environment. The Bank of Lithuania expects the country's GDP to grow by 2.9 percent this year, compared to the expected growth of 1.7 percent in 2015.

The president also called for joint efforts to tame corruption and increase transparency in public procurement.

Just week ago Lithuania's Special Investigation Service (SIS) brought corruption suspicions against Lithuania's ruling coalition party Order and Justice. The party is suspected of selling influence and money laundering, announced SIS in its statement.

Political scientists said the president in her speech put too much emphasis on administrative issues and details rather than strategic decisions.

"In accordance with the Constitutional functions, the president must first take care of the national security, defense and foreign policy," Algis Krupavicius, a professor from Kaunas University of Technology, told Lithuanian National Radio LRT. Endit