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Energy and political issues were high on the agenda of Tuesday's meeting of Slovak President Ivan Gasparovic with the Lithuanian head of state Valdas Adamkus. After delegations closed talks and signed bilateral agreements, President Gasparovic stated that the problems of both countries are almost identical in the economic sphere, specifically in the energy sector. Lithuania and Slovakia have to shut down their nuclear power plants. Both countries are considering jointly asking the European Union for a postponement. Mr. Gasparovic said that the countries would welcome better conditions to bridge the period between decommissioning an old nuclear power plants and opening new ones. Unlike in the case of Slovakia, the European Commission has not yet supported Lithuanian's efforts to become a member of the Eurozone. President Adamkus said that this was a political decision and that his country would do its best to fulfill conditions for euro adoption by 2012. President Gasparovic responded by saying that Lithuania needs no advice, as it knows what to do.
The heads of state share opinions on the EU neighborhood policy and stressed the positive development of mutual trade. However, Mr. Gasparovic says that more space should be given to the development of mutual investments.