The coins symbolize Lithuania's contribution to strengthening the whole EU, the president has underlined.
"In five days already, Lithuania will take over the helm of the EU Council. It's a huge responsibility and also a historic opportunity for our country," Grybauskaitė was quoted as saying in a statement.
The Lithuanian central bank has issued 4,000 50-litas-worth silver collectible coins and 100,000 1-litas-worth circulation coins for the occasion. People will be able to buy 50-litas-worth coins at the central bank's cash offices in Vilnius and Kaunas, where they will also be able to change ordinary 1 litas coins into the coins issued for the occasion of the EU presidency.
The president believes that the coins will also become symbols of Lithuania's responsible fiscal policy.
"Lithuania supports the Fiscal Discipline Pact and the Stability and Growth Pacts and will put every effort for this political will to be transposed into national law. The president says that maintaining fiscal discipline remains the guarantee of Europe's economic stability and growth," the statement by the Press Service of the President reads.
