Other events in Baltic States

As Lithuanian national holidays – February 16 and March 11 – are approaching, Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Audronius Azubalis urges the participants of the planned patriotic march "to overcome radicalism and rally around the tricolour", reported BC the MFA.

 "During the national holidays, let us emphasize not our differences and ambitions, but public spirit and maturity in freedom. Public spirit, as you know, is determined not by the length of the hair, exclusive attitude or ethnic background. It is the outer manifestation of respect of Lithuania and its people," Azubalis said.

Participants of the march must make it clear and understandable that the love of one's fatherland has nothing to do with neo-Nazism or xenophobia. – One should not confuse the love of homeland with specific personal desires," the minister says.

He stresses that public holidays are for all Lithuanian citizens regardless of their background or attitude. "There should be no outcasts. On those days we must not forget the colours that are most important and we should not discard it for the interest of some group," Azubalis said.

The minister believes that the Lithuanian society "has always been and will be a dynamic, sustainable, and patchy fabric". Therefore, the patriotic march must demonstrate that there are more uniting threads than dividing ones in our society.

"Let us not give reason to defame Lithuania under the pretext of racism, xenophobia and Nazism. We have to express the love of our country responsibly and evaluate the impact of personal emotions," the minister says.