Lithuanian parliament ratifies Croatia's EU accession treaty

87 Lithuanian MPs voted in favor, two were against, and six abstained.

Pursuant to the Statute of the Seimas, a law concerning the ratification of an international treaty should be adopted by a majority vote of the MPs present at the sitting, but no less than 56 MPs.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Audronius Ažubalis said six EU member states had already ratified the treaty, with Lithuania being the seventh.

EU member states and Croatia signed the treaty last December. President Grybauskaitė signed the treaty on behalf of Lithuania. The treaty will come in force after all EU member states ratify it.

Should all member countries deposit the ratification documents in time, Croatia would achieve EU membership on 1 July 2013, immediately after Lithuania takes over presidency over the organization.