Lithuanian Foreign Minister calls EU financial perspective proposal unacceptable

Ažubalis also added that Lithuania expected Germany's support.

"Saving allowed Lithuania to return to growth. We have overcome the crisis through our own effort. But the provisions of the new financial perspective regarding the cohesion policy, proposed by the European Commission, are only punishing the Baltic states despite our efforts and great abilities to absorb aid. It's absolutely unacceptable for us. We hope for understanding from EU partners and Germany's support for decisions evaluating our efforts," the minister said.

The German minister said the Baltic states were a positive example of countries effectively absorbing EU aid and using it for ensuring long-term growth.

Lithuania has expressed dissatisfaction over the European Commission's proposal to link the size of EU support to a member state's GDP over the period of the last three years. Such linking would lead to capping of funding for Lithuania to 2.5 percent of the country's GDP.

Prime Minister Kubilius has said earlier that Lithuania is proposed 1 billion litas (EUR 0.29 million) less in the new financial perspective then it has received so far.

The Lithuanian government said earlier the principle did not match the goal of the EU cohesion policy aimed at closing the development gap separating regions. Besides, Lithuania's example in absorbing funds of current EU financial program, according to the Lithuanian government, shows that the 2.5-percent-GDP capping cannot be linked to capabilities to absorb large-scale EU structural support, and changes would mostly affect those regions where GDP dropped most during the economic crisis.

Lithuania was allocated EUR 6.8 billion in EU structural support in 2007-2013.