MEETING WITH THE LITHUANIAN MINISTER OF THE INTERIOR

On 4 March, Member of the European Parliament Javier Zarzalejos held a working meeting with the Lithuanian Minister of the Interior, Vladislav Kondratovič, in his capacity as Chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs. The meeting provided an opportunity to exchange views on the main internal security challenges facing the European Union, as well as on the priorities of Lithuania’s upcoming Presidency of the Council of the European Union, which will begin in July 2027.

The discussion first addressed challenges related to organized crime, as well as other key issues for European security such as migration management, the protection of critical infrastructure, and cooperation among Member States in the field of internal security. Both sides agreed on the importance of strengthening European coordination in the face of increasingly complex and transnational threats.

Zarzalejos recalled that the new Pact on Migration and Asylum will fully enter into force in June 2026 and highlighted the legislative work being carried out by the European Parliament to complete its implementation. In this regard, he noted that Parliament has already approved regulations concerning the concept of safe third countries and continues working on new measures to strengthen the EU’s return policy.

The meeting also addressed the need to update the mandates of key European agencies such as Frontex and Europol, as well as discussions on the next Multiannual Financial Framework and the resources required to respond to security challenges. In addition, participants examined the impact of the war in Ukraine on European security and on the Union’s political agenda in the coming years.