Address by Gitanas NausÄ—da, President of the Republic of Lithuania, at the Lithuania-Czechia Business Forum

Your Excellency, President of the Czech Republic,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

On behalf of the people of Lithuania, I warmly welcome our partners from the Czech Republic to this business forum.

This event, I believe, is yet another step in bringing our countries and business communities closer together.

While our languages differ, our histories rhyme. Lithuania and the Czech Republic understand the cost of freedom. The Velvet Revolution of 1989, as well as the Singing Revolution of the Baltics, were born from the same refusal to let others decide our future.

Today, we meet in a new geo-economic reality. Security is no longer just about soldiers and guns; it entails the resilience of our supply chains, the independence of our energy, and the sovereignty of our technology.

Every dependency creates vulnerabilities. Lithuania has learned this the hard way. We were one of the countries that, over the years, suffered Russian energy blackmail and unfair practices. And we were also the first to stop importing Russian gas and electricity. Economic coercion from the East only strengthened our resolve to diversify.

This hard-won economic independence today underpins our physical security. From our point of view, true sovereignty is not to be compartmentalized. It must be defended on the factory floor just as vigorously as on the front lines.

Mister President, dear Petr,

Your whole career has been dedicated to the defense of your country and our Alliance. I am proud to say that here in Lithuania, we share that same clarity of purpose.

As you well know, Lithuania has made a historic decision to increase our defence spending this year to 5.4 percent of GDP. We do not see it as a burden, but rather as an investment to create a launchpad for future success. We are not just buying military equipment but also building an industrial ecosystem that will stay open to our closest allies.

To turn this vision into reality, Lithuania is busy removing the bureaucratic barriers that once slowed progress. Our Investment Highway has already cleared the path for global giants like Rheinmetall to establish production in months rather than years.

The legendary industrial tradition of the Czech Republic is the perfect complement to Lithuania's proficiency in lasers, sensors, and cybersecurity. Therefore, I invite the Czech industry leaders to bring your manufacturing prowess to Lithuania. Let us build the future of European defence together!

Moreover, there are also other fields beyond the future battlefields. Let us take the example of the struggle for global health.

I am proud to note that Lithuania's life sciences sector is skyrocketing at a rate of 25 percent annually. We have moved "from bench to bedside"[1], contributing to the gene-editing revolution and personalized medicine.

With biotech already contributing nearly 3 percent to our GDP - and a goal to double that - we see Czechia's prestigious research institutions as vital partners in biomanufacturing and clinical research.

Finally, I must go back to the "crown jewel" of Lithuanian industry - our lasers. As important as they are for the defence industry, they may play an even bigger role in civil life.

Today, Lithuanian-made ultrashort pulse lasers hold over 50 percent of the global scientific market. They are found at NASA, CERN, and the world's most elite laboratories. And our manufacturers are far from done with their expansion! This is where the Czech contribution would also be most welcome.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

In the early 90s, Lithuania started as a modest newcomer to global markets. Over time, we were able to turn our economic transformation into a truly impressive success story.

To move forward, we are eagerly looking for new partners in strategic sectors. And we see the Czech business community as exactly that - a strategic partner with high potential for mutually beneficial cooperation. What we offer is an environment that treats speed as a strategic asset and bureaucracy as a relic of the past.

So let the Bohemian Lion and the Iron Wolf work together to ensure that Europe is not just a consumer of technology, but a global creative force. Together, we shall build a future that is both secure and prosperous for all our citizens!