Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė met with the Lithuanian Community in Estonia
On June 8, on the eve of the meeting of the Prime Ministers of the Nordic-Baltic Eight (NB8), Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė met with representatives of the Lithuanian community in Estonia at the Lithuanian Embassy in Tallinn.
During the meeting, community members presented the history of the Lithuanian community in Estonia, its activities, and its consistent contribution to the preservation of Lithuanian identity in Estonia. Representatives of the Baltic Defense College (Tartu) provided an overview of the participation of Lithuanian representatives in the college’s academic programs and the historical memory initiatives that they have launched.
The discussion also addressed other issues relevant to the community, including the activities of the Finnish-Estonian Riflemen’s Unit and the business community in Estonia, as well as matters of spiritual guidance and the mobilization of the younger generation of the diaspora, emphasizing their importance for preserving the identity of the Lithuanian diaspora.
The conversation also touched on trends of returning to Lithuania, the causes of emigration and re-emigration, and government measures encouraging Lithuanian citizens to return to live and work in their homeland. According to data from the State Data Agency, in 2025, 50 citizens of the Republic of Lithuania returned to Lithuania from Estonia, while 23 left for Estonia.
At the end of the meeting, the Prime Minister thanked the community representatives for their active involvement, their efforts to strengthen Lithuanian identity, and for maintaining close ties with Lithuania.
