Lithuania marks 20 years of independence
The Lithuanian president at today’s ceremony
Photo: www.lrp.lt
Lithuania today celebrated 20 years of independence from the Soviet Union. Heads of state from Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Finland and Slovenia attended the events. Lithuania’s historic secession launched a wave of similar declarations throughout the USSR.
This morning’s ceremony marked the 11 March 1990 Act of Independence. The Act announced succession from the Soviet Union, which had occupied the country since 1940.
"Independence was the ultimate goal that united the people. Let us remember the immense joy and hope that the act of March 11 brought us," President Dalia Grybauskaite told the assembled crowd.
Lithuania was the first Soviet republic to secede from the USSR. It was followed swiftly by Estonia and Latvia.
And while respected heads of state gathered to mark the events, Russia chose not to send President Medvedev or Prime Minister Putin but the man in charge of Russian road and rail - transport minister Igor Levitin.
Russia has had a strained relationship with the Baltic nations since they declared independence, especially since all three joined the EU in 2004.
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