In 1989, two million people joined hands, forming a human chain that connected the capitals of the three Baltic states. This event was the world's largest non-violent demonstration for freedom, democracy, and self-determination, later becoming known as the Baltic Way. Soon after, Lithuania became the first country to break away from the Soviet Union and declare its independence. Over the years, Lithuania has prioritized peace, cooperation, and integration, rapidly transforming its economy and building a modern, innovation-driven ecosystem. Today, the country has made significant progress in IT, biotechnology, and green energy. It has not only become one of the world's leading fintech hubs but also one of the most attractive destinations for startups.
So, how was all this achieved? To explore Lithuania’s development model, we decided to address our questions to the Ambassador of Lithuania to Azerbaijan, Mr. Kęstutis Vaškelevičius.
We present to you an exclusive interview with the Ambassador of Lithuania to Azerbaijan, Mr. Kęstutis Vaškelevičius, for Kitabistan.

- Ambassador Kęstutis Vaškelevičius, first of all I would like to congratulate you on your appointment as the Ambassador of Lithuania to Azerbaijan.

- Thank you.

- And thank you very much for giving your first interview to Kitabistan. So, welcome to Azerbaijan.

- Thank you. Good morning and salam.

- Salam. When we think of Baltic states, we often can see the themes of regional cooperation, integration, innovation, and sustainable development. A notable example of this period is the Baltic chain event in 1989, when nearly two million people joined hands to form the human chain, spanning 690 kilometers. And we can consider this as a symbol of cooperation and integration among Baltic states. So, can you tell us about Lithuania's experiences and contributions to this regional development?

-Indeed, the Baltic Chain is an unprecedented and historical event. Unprecedented because almost 25%, one-fourth of the whole population came outside to protest against Soviet occupation and call for the independence of all three Baltic states. This solidarity was visible, very visible among Baltic states. But it was also very important solidarity among all former captive nations, including Azerbaijan. Because that allowed our countries to regain independence, both for Baltic states and for Azerbaijan. And this solidarity led to one of the biggest victories of the 20th century, the collapse of the Soviet Union. From the start, Baltic states, indeed, as you mentioned, started a very, very intense and very close cooperation on all levels.
We established the Baltic Assembly, which is the joint parliamentary assembly from all three Baltic countries' parliaments. We have regular Baltic Council of Ministers meetings, on the prime minister's level, usually three times per year. Also foreign ministers, presidents.
So on all levels, we have regular consultations and cooperation. This cooperation spreads across all sectors. And just one other example of how close we are cooperating is probably energy security. One of the most important topics, because we have to be interconnected. Before, we had all the connections with Russia, including oil, gas, and electricity. But then we had to connect with the European network because connection with Russia was unsustainable. It was used for political purposes. We paid the highest price for gas in Europe for many years. Whenever our foreign policy didn't fit Russia's interest, they stopped, for example, oil.
So, we had to switch to European networks on energy. And the cooperation among Baltic states here was very, very important. Because Estonia can go to European networks only through Lithuania if you go on ground. On the other hand, Lithuania can reach Finland only by Estonia. So, all this cooperation was very important. And we are continuing, I think, on an unprecedented level. And that close cooperation brings extra benefits for our people, our businesses, as well as for the European Union as well.

- Well, now we are living in challenging times. We see that the democracies worldwide are facing threats. Unfortunately, we even see the foreign influence, foreign information manipulation in elections. And Lithuania is not an exception. So how is the Lithuanian government protecting democracy and promoting transparency and strengthening social stability while addressing challenges such as disinformation and foreign influence?

- You very rightly pointed out that disinformation is one of the biggest challenges now. World Economic Forum report indicated that disinformation is among the top five global challenges. And how can it affect the states? I think also Lithuania's and Azerbaijan's experience shows very clearly. Because in 1990, January 20th, when the Soviet Union tried to crush and kill many civilians in Baku, and a year later, they did it in Vilnius the same, they tried to portray that it's not them. I mean, they tried to lie, to hide and say, in our case, they said that Lithuanians were shooting at Lithuanians. So, it was pretty clear who committed the crimes against humanity, both in Baku and in Vilnius.

So, we have this experience, and we have more resilience. It's like a shot for the flu. So, Azerbaijan and Lithuania had this shot that some of the Western European countries didn't have.

And this is where Lithuania was at the forefront in the European Union, saying, already at the beginning of Russia's war against Ukraine in 2014, when the Crimea was occupied, we were telling the European Union, together with the partners, other partners in the region, that we have to take disinformation seriously. Because it might affect our national security as well. And Lithuania took this approach very seriously.

Already in 2014, there were court decisions in Lithuania that forbidden Russian TV programs based on the law that they violated our legislation, which prohibits hatred on TV and propaganda of war. And based on these decisions, we prolonged. Because it was first prohibited for three months, then for six months, and then it became longer. Because the Russian TV channels which spread propaganda, hatred, and incited the war, they were not taking measures to take away those programs which propagated hatred. And European Court of Justice, European Commission, and Lithuanian courts as well, they said that the decisions were based on the legislation, and that these decisions were correct. And we have to really take it very seriously.

And in Lithuania, it is not only the government that takes care. It is a whole society approach. There are a lot of societal initiatives, NGO’s initiatives, who are trying to counter disinformation and increase society resilience. We have even the grassroots initiative of so-called Elves, because we had Russian trolls. And they were societal. People themselves organized, and they created this informal group of Elves which were countering Russian trolls on the internet. And how much importance it bears also shows the recent example. Because 10 days ago, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia disconnected from Russia's electricity grid and connected to the European grid. Of course, it is very painful for the Kremlin because it loses influence. So, on the internet, they tried to kind of scare people that we will not have electricity, electricity will be stopped, the electricity prices will increase, et cetera. And it was a huge kind of inflow and attack of disinformation. But there was completely no panic. Lithuanian citizens trusted the institutions.

And it showed that connection was synchronized. Synchronization of the European electricity grid went very smoothly, and the price remained the same.

- Well, right now, one of the most challenging issues globally is, of course, climate change. And almost each country has its own climate action plan. Lithuania also has its own Climate Action Plan for 2021-2030, which aims for net zero emissions by 2050 and a significant increase in renewable energy. So, what are the most crucial steps Lithuania is taking to achieve those ambitious goals?

- Indeed, it's one of the biggest challenges. And I congratulate Azerbaijan for the successful organization of COP29. It is really an important step towards rallying global efforts in fighting climate change. 
On Lithuania's side, we, of course, are part of the European Union. And the European Commission has the plans. It is a joint effort. But on our national plans, we strive to have more than 50% of all energy produced from renewables by 2030. One of the most important things is, of course, generation of renewables, energy from solar, wind, and biomass.
We are on the track to achieve our goals. Another very important aspect in our national strategy is innovation. Because innovation allows us to use less electricity, less gas or oil, and more renewables. And we have this energy saving as well. For example, so many old buildings that were built during the Soviet occupation are not energy efficient.
So, there is a huge effort of renovation of big houses, which also gives a lot of extra credit and extra results while we are trying to achieve our renewable energy goals.

- Well, you mentioned your country's ambitions on combating climate change. Also, how in these tough times, you are protecting your democracy while preserving social stability and contributing to regional development. But we know that without proper and good quality education, it is hard to achieve all of this. Let's talk about Lithuania's education model. We know that the tradition of higher education in Lithuania dates back to the 16th century, when the Vilnius University was founded. And Vilnius University is one of the oldest universities in Eastern Europe. So, can you tell us what are the advantages of the Lithuanian education model, and what opportunities does it offer for students?

- The Lithuanian education system is based on inclusiveness. So, we have to include all children from remote areas, with disabilities, et cetera. So, it is one of the important aspects nowadays that we are now trying to put a focus on so-called STEM, like technology, engineering, et cetera. But also, a very important aspect is that we have and provide very widespread and big opportunities for high and higher education. A lot of universities and colleges in Lithuania allow students to select their profession already while they are in the last year at secondary school or high school.

There are all these big opportunities that you can select. It also gives a result. Because a lot of foreign companies, especially in IT, in life sciences, etc, they come with investment into Lithuania, and highlighting that one of the attractive elements that why they chose Lithuania as an investment country is higher education. And the students coming prepared to work in these IT and life sciences sectors.
There is a very close cooperation between high education institutions and businesses. Businesses kind of already engage students while they study at universities. So, the universities know the demands for the business. And businesses can sponsor some of the programs and help students to prepare for their jobs in the future.

- Well, you talked about the education system in general, but let's talk about the lifelong learning program in Lithuania. Because the government is implementing several significant projects within this program. And one such is the Connected Lithuania Initiative. And thanks to this initiative, over 100,000 people gained digital skills between 2018 and 2022. So how has the Connected Lithuania Initiative enhanced digital equity in the country? And what benefits has the country experienced as a result?

- Yes, these programs that you mentioned are very important. And we were able to do that because we also had finances from the European Union, from Next Generation programs, and from other programs. These are very important initiatives. We understand that for young generation, for young people, IT skills are coming kind of naturally. But it doesn't come naturally for older generations. There are a lot of programs that try to connect these people to the virtual world and teach them digital skills. And as you mentioned already, really 100,000 people and a lot of libraries, I think more than 200 libraries across Lithuania participate in that.
And they allow and they invite the senior citizens to come and learn digital skills. Of course, it helps our senior citizens to be a part of those e-systems. They can much more easily use e-services, which are now so much important.
They feel safer online. Because we have, and I guess a lot of countries across the world, have all these attempts to use scam and to steal money or electronic money from the people, not just seniors, but from everybody. And senior people sometimes are more exposed to that. So, these digital skills also help them learn how to be safe online as well. So, these are very concrete, practical skills that people can learn thanks to the programs financed by the European Union.

- You mentioned teaching IT skills to the local people in Lithuania, but let's talk about IT and life sciences in Lithuania because during the years of independence, Lithuania made significant progress in these fields. So, what strategic measures is the country implementing to sustain this progress and enhance its global competitiveness?

- Yes, we are very proud of our IT and life sciences sector. For example, if we are taking IT, we have the fastest public Wi-Fi in the world. 95 out of 100 best universities in the world, in America, in Israel, in Japan, use Lithuanian laser technologies. So, that's another example. Life sciences also. We are very proud of life sciences because it is one of the powerhouses now in Europe.
We have one of the biggest events every two years in Lithuania. And we also hope for Azerbaijani companies and scientists to participate. It will happen this September, this year in September.
Lithuania has one of the fastest annual growth in life sciences in the European Union - 25% per year. 95% of our pharmaceutical products that are being produced in Lithuania, they are being exported to more than 100 countries, including America, Germany, UK, et cetera. And now Lithuania is building even the BioCity, one of the largest in Europe. The size of that BioCity to be like 10 football fields of 200 people working in there.
And we hope that our life sciences will contribute 5% to our GDP, which is very very high. I think it is one of the highest in the world. We have 120 startups which work in the life sciences sector. The government also encourages this ecosystem and it is very open. Our universities also invest into that.
Lithuania ranks third among OECD countries, the leading economies in the world - the third among the investments into research and development into the life sciences sector. This investment and the opportunities, the ease of doing businesses overall, has the results, and we are very proud of that. We hope that Azerbaijan can also use these opportunities and we can cooperate in this field.

- I believe that our audience is also keen on to learn about business opportunities in Lithuania. Because in 2021, Lithuania launched the E-residency program, and this program enables entrepreneurs to start and manage a company in Lithuania without the need to travel there. So, what are the main advantages of the E-residency program in attracting foreign entrepreneurs and facilitating business activities?

- Yes, usually, for foreigners, these bureaucratic hurdles are one of the biggest hurdles, challenges, when trying to do business in a foreign country. So, what Lithuania proposed is an E-residency. You don't need to travel physically, but you can apply online, and the decision is being taken quite fast. And once you receive e-residency, you don't need to get a visa. You just live in a foreign country, apply for e-residency, and that e-residency allows you, for example, to open a company in Lithuania. You can open the company, or you can electronically sign the documents that are needed for many services in Lithuania. So, this e-services really provides a very convenient way for foreigners to start business or to do other business-related or other sector-related things in Lithuania.

- Well, our last question is a traditional one, and it is a classic. Each time we ask to ambassadors and experts that we are interviewing, what book would you recommend to our readers? So, what is your book recommendation to our audience?

- If I may also speak about two books, not only one.

- Yeah, of course.

- First of all, it is a book that has been recently published in Azerbaijan. It is by our classical author, Balys Sruoga, and he was in a concentration camp, Nazi concentration camp. And after returning from the Nazi concentration camp, back to Lithuania, he wrote memoirs. It was one of the first memoirs about the experience in a concentration camp in Europe.
It is, I think the experience that he wrote is also applicable today. Because it is also written about the dangers of authoritarian regimes - how authoritarian regimes try to crush human spirit, so that you feel very much unimportant, unnecessary, your destiny is determined by some authoritarian leaders. And why did it happen? Because two authoritarian leaders were dividing the world before the Second World War. And many countries just appeased them, used the policy of appeasement. These dangerous historical precedents led to the, one of the biggest disasters in world history, the Second World War. So, this book, the memoirs in the concentration camps also teaches us very important historical lessons. It is available here for Azerbaijani readers in Azerbaijani language, translated by a famous translator and essayist, Mahir Hamzaev, who is also the chair of Lithuanian Azerbaijani society, and he lives in Vilnius.
And another book that I don't have with myself, I read in Vilnius some time ago. It was about Winston Churchill, his biography. The reason why I am telling that, because it, very often, if not every day, comes to my mind while hearing the news from Ukraine, because Ukraine is fighting a war that can be compared to David's war against Goliath. And he is today's Churchill. Zelensky, President Zelensky is today's Churchill. In the world of Ribbentrops and Molotovs and Chamberlains, Zelensky provides us the hope and the example of Winston Churchill.
So, this biography, I often remember the one that I read in Lithuania, and I would really recommend it to read. I believe that many people also read that. But to reread and to remember the facts of the leader, of a true leader, who, in the face of insurmountable challenges, he didn't become afraid, and he stood up, and freedom was defended. 
So, the Churchill's and Zelensky's comparison, for me, is very, very kind of visible today. And I think that these books, to read what was in the mind of those leaders, it is very important even today.

- Thank you very much for your comprehensive responses and very insightful interview.

- Thank you.

Malak Hajiyeva
 

25.02.2025