Lithuania on the up

New Internationalist, June, 2004 by Roderick Tuck

The reports in West goes East covered some of the worst countries in Eastern Europe and reflect the dismal state of conditions that I have met in my travels in these sad places. But the issue tended to give the impression that the whole region is a failure. I have lived and worked in Lithuania since 1991 and the progress in the Baltic States is miraculous. After independence little happened for three years. Then we had a period of cosmetic improvement, but during the last five years development has been really solid. Lithuania has a growth rate of about 7 per cent, pollution is well under control, old towns are being beautifully restored and new supermarkets, shops and restaurants open daily. Taxes are being effectively collected and corruption is greatly reduced. Average salaries are about 30 Euros a day and morale is steadily rising.

Roderick Tuck Kaunas, Lithuania