MEETING WITH THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE OF LITHUANIA

Member of the European Parliament Javier Zarzalejos held a working meeting with the Minister of Justice of Lithuania, Ewelina Dobrowolska, in his capacity as Chair of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) of the European Parliament. The meeting provided an opportunity to exchange views ahead of Lithuania’s upcoming presidency of the Council of the European Union, which will begin in July 2027, and to address several of the main legislative priorities in the field of justice and the rule of law.

During the meeting, the role played by the LIBE Committee in defending the rule of law within the European Union was discussed, particularly with regard to monitoring compliance with the values set out in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union. In this context, Zarzalejos stressed the importance of strengthening European mechanisms aimed at safeguarding judicial independence and ensuring the proper functioning of democratic institutions in all Member States.

The meeting also examined European judicial cooperation in criminal matters and the role of agencies such as Eurojust in combating transnational crime. Zarzalejos highlighted the importance of continuing to strengthen its mandate and operational capacities in order to improve coordination among judicial authorities of the Member States.

Both parties also addressed progress on the European directive against corruption, one of the European Parliament’s legislative priorities in this term. Issues related to internal security were also discussed, in particular the ProtectEU strategy, as well as the challenges posed by the digitalisation of justice and the need to adapt European judicial systems to new technological realities.

During the meeting, Minister Dobrowolska also reiterated Lithuania’s firm support for Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression. The conversation likewise included issues related to international cooperation in criminal matters and the strengthening of cross-border cooperation with the United States in areas related to security and law enforcement.