The President of the Republic of Lithuania, Dalia Grybauskaitė, met with the leaders of the Crimean Tatars – Deputy Head of Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People Akhtem Chiygoz and Ilmi Umerov. Chairman of the Union of Tatar Communities of Lithuania Adas Yakubauskas also attended the meeting. The meeting was aimed at announcing the support of victims of Crimean annexation of the Crimean Tatars.

President Dalia Grybauskaitė once again emphasized that Lithuania strongly condemns the annexation of the Crimea and adheres to the principled policy of its non-recognition. Lithuania also seeks to ensure that EU sanctions against Russia imposed after the occupation of the peninsula will be in force until the aggressor leaves the occupied territories.

Dalia Grybauskaitė further emphasized that Russia is responsible for the serious deterioration of the situation of the Crimean Tatars, gross violation of their rights, constant persecution, forcible Russification, oppression of freedom of speech, print and religion. Therefore, Lithuania is making every effort to ensure that information on the hostile policies of Russia directed against Crimean Tatars has always been at the center of the international community’s attention. The President of the Republic of Lithuania invited the Crimean Tatars to apply actively for the development cooperation program. In 2017, Lithuania has already allocated financial assistance for programs of integration of internally displaced persons from the Crimea and for the creation of Crimean Tatar TV programs.