Prime Minister has met with Secretary of State of the Holy See

Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė has had a tête-à-tête meeting with Cardinal Secretary of State of the Holy See Pietro Parolin.
 
‘Bilateral relations with the Holy See are excellent. We are deeply grateful to the Holy See that it has never recognised the Soviet occupation of Lithuania. This September, we will celebrate the symbolic 30th anniversary of the restoration of our diplomatic relations,’ said the Prime Minister.
 
The Prime Minister and the Cardinal Secretary of State have discussed the Lithuanian-Vatican bilateral cooperation and the human rights situation in Belarus.
The Prime Minister has emphasised during the conversation that Lithuania supports the call by the Church for a peaceful and just solution to the situation in Belarus, based on sincere dialogue, rejection of violence, and respect for justice as well as fundamental human and civil rights.
 
The meeting has also addressed response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Belarusian regime-sponsored irregular migration to the EU, the situation in the occupied Crimea and Donbas, support for Taiwan, and relations with China.

At the beginning of September, Šimonytė is scheduled to pay a visit to the Vatican, when she will have meetings with the Pope, the Secretary of State, and the Secretary for Relations with States.

The main purpose of the visit by Cardinal Secretary of State Parolin to Lithuania is the ordination of newly-appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Ukraine Visvaldas Kulbokas a bishop.