OECD membership among Lithuania's foreign policy priorities: president

Lithuania's membership in the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) is one of the country's foreign policy priorities, Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite said on Monday after meeting here with OECD's secretary-general, Angel Gurria.

"Only developed, economically strong and stable countries become members of OECD; the conditions that must be met in order to become a member of the organization are very strict, however, they prompt for bracing up," the president was quoted as saying in a statement.

All Lithuania's people would feel the benefits of the country's OECD membership, she underlined.

During the meeting with Gurria, the two discussed Lithuania's accession proceedings, the country's economic progress, and areas where reforms were needed.

The OECD welcomed Lithuania's efforts to ensure safety in the energy supply area and its economic advance, nevertheless, a few more important reforms needed to be implemented. Better governance of state-owned enterprises, improving the health care and education systems, more effective tax collection, fostering market liberalization, and moving towards a digital economy were mentioned as among the most important targets for Lithuania to reach.

In July 2015, the OECD adopted a roadmap for Lithuania's accession. As part of the accession process, the OECD evaluates Lithuania's implementation of the organization's policies, practices and legal instruments.

Final accession will depend on the country's capacity to adapt and adjust to meet the organization's standards. Endit