I am glad to hear that we can make our best effort so that you are
included in dialogue with the Lithuanian government as a representative
of world Jewry, particularly of Lithuanian origin.
Alina Brazdelienė, Bureau Chief of the Seimas Budget and Finance
Committee, confirmed again to me on Wednesday that the funding for 2021
was eliminated from the Budget which passed on Tuesday. She confirmed
her understanding that it was a political decision by the Prime Minister
and that the project is politically dead for all times. Nevertheless,
we will all surely continue to take all steps to set everything
assuredly right.
Our priority now is to do that as a coherent team, first locally, but
definitely also internationally. Locally, we will start by reviving our
weekly Zoom calls. Ruta will start participating in them. Our
miraculous victory has shown that it is possible, meaningful, rational,
sensible to put in the work that many of us here thought otherwise.
That work of lobbying includes making phone calls, getting information,
writing letters as well as articles to the press. So our focus is that
our team learns to do this in a more or less coordinated way. A
priority is to agree on a statement of principles as to what we want
from the Government so that we can advance that program with both local
and international support.
One thought is to have Zoom calls in Lithuanian every other week and
Zoom calls with all who like in English every other week.
I leave us now for several days to rest during the Christmas holidays.
I look forward to our work together after that.
Thank you all, and our Lord above, for this miraculous year.