Yesterday the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy of the European Parliament voted on proposals for the European Commission`s document "New Energy Strategy for Europe 2011-2020". (Suite...)

Last week in the Strasbourg plenary session MEPs had an opportunity assess how the role of the European Parliament changed after the Treaty of Lisbon. It is the first time the European Parliament together with the Council of Ministers has a power to decide on the EU budget including funding for agriculture. Anyhow the way to the decision may be difficult as the process was far away from being finished in this plenary session.
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Leonidas Donskis  called for a virtual discussion on the subject "Nuclear power stations next to the EU borders - should we act or should we wait?" in September. (Suite...)

This Thursday, the 14th of October International Organization "Global Initiative on Psychiatry" held a conference "Mental Heath as an Integral Part of European Development Assistance" in the European Parliament. The conference was held in the European Parliament under invitation of the MEP Leonidas Donskis. (Suite...)

Contest for Professor Leonidas Donskis and Dr. Eugenijus Gentvilas, co-founders of VšĮ "Atvira visuomenė ir jos draugai" (translation - open society and its friends), prizes has been announced for students who will defend best bachelor and master`s thesis in the academic year 2010-2011. This year nominees will receive two prizes for bachelor and two prizes for master`s thesis like the year before.

During its first year of existence the contest that encouraged students to explore both theoretical and practical context has received almost twenty bachelor and masters thesis with recommendations of thesis defence committees from five different Lithuanian universities. Four students from Vilnius, Kaunas and Vytautas Magnus universities were awarded - two for best bachelor and two for best master`s thesis.

Four contestants will be awarded this year as well - two L. Donskis and E. Gentvilas prizes of 1000 Lt for best bachelor thesis and two prizes of 2000 Lt for best master`s thesis. Topics of Leonidas Donskis prizes are he social and political theory, diplomacy, history of liberal thought; topics of Eugenijus Gentvilas prizes are self-government, studies of regional development, analysis Lithuanian local policies.

Award wining thesis of this and last year will be published in the special edition of VšĮ "Atvira visuomenė ir jos draugai" which is expected to be released in the summer of 2011.

The VšĮ "Atvira visuomenė ir jos draugai" address inviting professors, leaders of faculties and student associations to join the project was sent this week. Students are encouraged to choose proposed problem areas for their thesis and if the chosen topics are relevant students are offered to put more emphasis on the proposed problem areas. Students are encouraged to provide the bachelor`s and masters thesis after the graduation together with recommendations of defence committees for the award evaluation.

VšĮ "Atvira visuomenė ir jos draugai" – is constantly immersed in the pursuit of liberal ideas and their implementation. Having in mind our goals, we initiate research on important social, political and public issues, create concepts of liberal reforms, organize conferences, discussions and public lectures to society, carry out opinion polls, and finance the publication of academic literature. Stakeholders of the organization are: Eligijus Masiulis, the chairman of the Liberals Movement of the Republic of Lithuania; Leonidas Donskis, a philosopher, Member of the European Parliament; dr. Eugenijus Gentvilas, politician and signatory of Act on the Re-establishment of the State of Lithuania; Eglė Žiemienė, an auditor and supporter of liberal mind enthusiasts; and public figure Jurgita Choromanskytė.

Although plenary sessions of the European Parliament usually take place in Strasbourg once a month, MEPs also meet up in Brussels for plenary sessions few times a year. As Strasbourg sessions are not sufficient for discussions and voting on all arising issues additional part-sessions are held in Brussels few times a year. (Suite...)