Lithuanian leaders urge to step up fight against terrorism

Lithuania's top officials on Friday urged European countries to step up fight against terrorism while extending their condolences to France over attack in Nice.

Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite on Friday extended her condolences to French president Francois Hollande and the French people.

The president strongly condemned such unjustifiable brutality against unarmed people and emphasized that it had to face rightful justice, according to the president's office in an announcement.

Lithuanian defense minister Juozas Olekas conveyed condolences to French secretary general of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defense and Armed Forces of the Senate Helene Conway-Mouret while on her visit to Lithuania.

They also discussed fight against terrorism.

"We must stand united even more closely and step up the fight against terrorism," Olekas was quoted as saying in a press release from the defense ministry.

Olekas also thanked France for the country's help in strengthening security in the Eastern Europe.

Lithuanian foreign minister Linas Linkevicius, who expressed his condolences to his French counterpart Jean Marck Ayrault, said the Baltic country is shocked by the tragic events and stressed the need to "strengthen the fights against terrorism in a more robust manner."

In his interview to Lithuanian business website vz.lt, Linkevicius criticized European security authorities for the lack of cooperation.

"Let's admit that particularly those closed systems, for example secret services, usually share information reluctantly, and the consequences have become tragic," said Linkevicius.

Lithuanian foreign ministry said in a press release it does not have any information on Lithuanian citizens having suffered during the attack. Endit