Sunday

24th Sep 2023

Lithuanian President dubbed 'extraordinary European'

  • Dalia Grybauskaite was EU budget commissioner until 2009 (Photo: Office of the Lithuanian President)

Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite on Thursday (9 May) was awarded the Charlemagne Prize for her "oustanding" merits in European politics, just as her country prepares to take over the rotating EU presidency on 1 July.

Coinciding with Europe Day, the award ceremony took place in the German city of Aachen and was dubbed the "EU Oscar" by Lithuanian media.

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Become an expert on Europe

Get instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

It was attended by top EU officials such as council chief Herman Van Rompuy and European Parliament chief Martin Schulz, as well as German finance minister Wolfgang Schaeuble who won the prize last year.

Grybauskaite, 57 years old, is a former EU budget commissioner and minister of finance in her country before being elected the first female president of Lithuania, in 2009.

She has a black belt in judo and has been nicknamed the "Iron lady" for her tough negotiating style and the harsh austerity measures her government imposed to get Lithuania out of the economic crisis, without external assistance.

European Parliament chief Martin Schulz said Grybauskaite is "an extraordinary European woman and an outstanding politician."

Schulz, a Social-Democrat, admitted that he and Grybauskaite are "far from seeing eye to eye on all political ideas, particularly on the policy of one-sided budgetary austerity." But he said he "greatly respects" the Baltic politician for being "courageous and straightforward."

"If we had more people in leading positions in Europe with such courage, we would have significantly fewer problems in the EU," Schulz said.

For her part, Grybauskaite dedicated the prize to the Lithuanian people in recognition of decades of hardship - including the fight for independence from the Soviet rule and overcoming the economic crisis.

She made an appeal for Europe to continue with "responsible fiscal policy" but also insisted on social measures.

"Today Europe will not be able to continue without responsible social decisions. Lithuania recovered from the global economic crisis not only by introducing financial discipline, but also by reaching social consensus," Grybauskaite said.

"Fiscal policies cannot ignore the most vulnerable if people’s trust is to be maintained ... We have to invest today so that disappointment does not become the guiding principle for Europe," she added.

Often compared to Chancellor Angela Merkel, who also won the Charlemagne Prize in 2008, Grybauskaite praised Germany for its leadership on European level.

"Today Germany plays the leading role in ensuring European stability and does not allow us to wander from the path of trust in Europe. That is why it is Germany which gets the strongest criticism – and also our deepest respect," she said.

Handed out every year since 1950 to individuals and institutions for their pro-European policies, the Charlemagne prize was only awarded to four other women before Grybauskaite: Merkel, Dutch Queen Beatrix, Norway's long-serving Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland and Simone Veil, the first female President of the European Parliament.

Lithuania unveils EU presidency logo

With less than two months to go before taking over the rotating EU presidency on 1 July, Lithuania has unveiled the logo that will brand its EU meetings.

Lithuania: In the EU spotlight

Lithuania takes over the EU presidency on 1 July. EUobserver talks to the country's leading politicians about its austerity policy, its euro plans and relations with eastern neighbours.

Agenda

Spain's EU-language bid and UN summit This WEEK

While the heads of EU institutions are in New York for the UN high level meeting, Spain's EU presidency will try to convince ministers to make Catalan, Basque, and Galician official EU languages.

Latest News

  1. Europe's energy strategy: A tale of competing priorities
  2. Why Greek state workers are protesting new labour law
  3. Gloves off, as Polish ruling party fights for power
  4. Here's the headline of every op-ed imploring something to stop
  5. Report: Tax richest 0.5%, raise €213bn for EU coffers
  6. EU aid for Africa risks violating spending rules, Oxfam says
  7. Activists push €40bn fossil subsidies into Dutch-election spotlight
  8. Europe must Trump-proof its Ukraine arms supplies

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. International Medical Devices Regulators Forum (IMDRF)Join regulators, industry & healthcare experts at the 24th IMDRF session, September 25-26, Berlin. Register by 20 Sept to join in person or online.
  2. UNOPSUNOPS begins works under EU-funded project to repair schools in Ukraine
  3. Georgia Ministry of Foreign AffairsGeorgia effectively prevents sanctions evasion against Russia – confirm EU, UK, USA
  4. International Medical Devices Regulators Forum (IMDRF)Join regulators & industry experts at the 24th IMDRF session- Berlin September 25-26. Register early for discounted hotel rates
  5. Nordic Council of MinistersGlobal interest in the new Nordic Nutrition Recommendations – here are the speakers for the launch
  6. Nordic Council of Ministers20 June: Launch of the new Nordic Nutrition Recommendations

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. International Sustainable Finance CentreJoin CEE Sustainable Finance Summit, 15 – 19 May 2023, high-level event for finance & business
  2. ICLEISeven actionable measures to make food procurement in Europe more sustainable
  3. World BankWorld Bank Report Highlights Role of Human Development for a Successful Green Transition in Europe
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersNordic summit to step up the fight against food loss and waste
  5. Nordic Council of MinistersThink-tank: Strengthen co-operation around tech giants’ influence in the Nordics
  6. EFBWWEFBWW calls for the EC to stop exploitation in subcontracting chains

Join EUobserver

Support quality EU news

Join us