Story: Ray Vyšniauskas

On first meeting Žydrūnas Savickas you are simply astounded by his size. Though he stands at 191 cm (6’3”) it is not his height that impresses, it is his girth. At 175 kilograms he is a giant of a man with forearms the size of logs and a chest that belittles a barrel of any kind.
The softly spoken Žydrūnas also surprises with his almost baby-face looks and defied all my attempts at branding. The Beast from Biržai or the Behemoth from Birštonas were considered, but the only title that really sticks is: World’s Strongest Man.

With a list of world records wider than even his arms or 26 victories in international competition, the master of the log lift and true Lithuanian Ambassador spoke to us about his career.

Žydrūnai, were you strong as a boy, and what took you into strongman competition?

At first I wanted to be a bodybuilder, I wanted to be like Arnold Schwarzenegger and so I took up bodybuilding. Strongman competitions were not very popular back then, and they only started competitions in Lithuania when I was 16, and that’s when I competed for the first time, and I liked it. Then for a while I tried to do both, but there came a time where I had to choose between the two, and I made the decision to concentrate on strongest man competitions and took it from there.

I started working out when I was 13. I was lucky that I was tall and strong. My father and grandfather were very strong; my grandfather was blacksmith, and I think all his hard work rubbed off on me. My father was very strong and my mother was also a tall and strong woman, so I had good genetics.

I remember my first competition in 1992, it was in Joniškis and I was 16. I was nervous for the whole month before and hardly slept. I didn’t do that well overall, but I took second place in one event. That is a great memory, and from then I understood that I could achieve something in this sport.

How did Lithuania become a world power in strongest man competitions?

At first in Lithuania there was just a small group of us, and we didn’t know what was happening elsewhere in the world back in 1988, there was just not much information available to us. From 1993 international competitions started, and we saw that we were at a comparatively low level. We looked upon the international competitors as giants, and didn’t believe that Lithuania could ever even compete with them, let alone dominate the sport. We didn’t even think about it back then.

After 10 years everything has changed of course, and now Lithuania is the champion country and I am the individual world champion.

Why are Lithuanians so good in this sport?

Lithuanians are well suited to the sport, we are tall and strong, which is a great start, and second we grew up at a time when we were lucky there were so many good strong competitors here. It helped that we competed against each other, and so the level grew. And now our success is attracting more youth to the sport so it continues.

Are there any young Lithuanian champions on the horizon?

Vilmanatas Bliujus is one young champion from Alytus, he was seventh in an open championship competition and close to the leaders in some events, so I think he’s someone with a good future.

Then there are two brothers from Mažeikiai, Vytautas and Marius Lalas. They are very strong. These three are the best prospects at the moment. Marius Lalas took 3rd in an up to 105 kg class event. At 25 he is very young in this sport.

What is the optimum age for strongman competition, and what are your own future ambitions?

A strongman usually peaks between 30 – 35. You can build strength up to the age of 40, but you can lose some speed. I’m 34 and see that I am still improving.

Next year I will compete less, only in the most important events, probably five or six at most. With age you need more time to recover.

I plan to compete three or four more years, and even then just selected events like the Schwarzenegger Classic and some other major competitions, all so I won’t be working out all year, it’s just too hard on the body.

My most active years were from 2005 – 2008 when I was taking part in up to 20 competitions a year. It is hard on the body and you get tired. This year I relaxed for six month, then trained hard, I reached peak form and was looking forward to competing. This year I took part in 11 competitions and won them all.

What about your training and diet?

Training needs a lot of energy, I need to eat a lot, and eat well, but you also need supplements because it’s just too hard to get all you need out of just food. I try to eat healthy and often.
I train two to four hours per day depending on whether I am close to competition or not. When I am training for competition, then I spend up to four hours on each discipline.

For the most important competitions there are about five events which are most popular, and you need to train for them. There are other events that don’t appear so often so you don’t need to train for them every session. You always know in advance what events will be staged at your next competition, so you train accordingly.

Log lift, the farmers walk, stone lift and super yoke are disciplines that are held most often, so you concentrate on those.

This year you won the combined strongest man competition. You noted elsewhere that this was a special moment for you.

Yes, from 2005 – 2007 World Strongest Man competition wasn’t recognised as the official world championship as the sport was split into two groups. In the other camp was the IFSA.
The World Strongest Man had the best name in the sport, but not the best sportsmen. I wanted to test and prove myself against the best, and that’s why I went with the IFSA, but there was always the uneasiness about the split, probably more in the eyes of the public.

None of us really thought that the two camps would ever join again, but in 2009 the international strongman title was re-united. Of course some were not so happy about having to face such tough competition again, but there was once more just the one international title. I won and put all the doubt behind me, and so I was then properly recognised as three time world champion.

You have a long and distinguished history at the Arnold Schwarzenegger Classic, how did that come about?

The Arnold Schwarzenegger Classic started in 2001 and I really wanted to take part, but I had an injury in the first year and didn’t get past the qualifying tournament. That made me more determined to work hard to make the next one.

Then I came second in 2002, and I was fully fit in 2003 and prepared the best in my career and determined to do my best, probably not really thinking about winning.

I met Arnold Schwarzenegger during the warm-ups in 2003 and he watched the whole competition. He was not the governor then, so he had more time on his hands. I won and he presented the award and congratulated me and that is one of the best memories I have.
I won six times in a row and we met up this year again when I was invited as a guest and judge because I was injured, and we spent more time together. And next year I hope we will meet for an eighth time to accept the winning prize.

What are your interests away from the sport?

I am engaged and getting ready to marry soon. I do a lot of travelling so when I get the chance I like to spend time at home. I read a lot.

I have lived in Vilnius for five years now. My mother lives in Biržai and I go there often.
I trained in Birtonas in my early years, and even now I go down there to train once a week and during the season I will be there twice a week.

Through your actions and ability have become a great ambassador for Lithuania. Are there any official duties you perform?

No, I’m not officially anything, but I am one of the best known Lithuanians around the world. Often I have the role of having to tell people about Lithuania, where it is, its history.

All around the world Lithuanians come to see me and I see Lithuanian flags in the crowd, and it makes it easier to compete and win. You feel you can’t lose when you see so many people there to support you, you can’t let them down and ruin their day.

What are your favourite moments in sport?

It’s hard to pick a best moment. All competitions are memorable, always in different places, all with their own intrigues, always interesting.

I was in Australia for the first time recently, and it’s one of the best countries I have visited and would like to visit again. We competed in Brisbane and the zoo left a very good impression. Next time I’ll try to stay a bit longer and have a look around, and visit New Zealand as well.
It was their first international competition and organisers hope to do it every year.

We spent three days competing at Dreamworld (Australia’s largest theme park) and after competition all the strongmen went on all the rides and everyone enjoyed it. We pretended not to be scared, but we only managed to relax when we were taking rides for the third time, but it was a lot of fun.

Story: Deimantė Dokšaitė

Photo: Jurga Galvanauskaitė

Inga Lukauskienė (pictured) is the founder and owner of the online linen store - LinenMe. Origi­nally from Plungė, and a graduate of KLC School of Design, she now lives in the UK. Inga started selling Lithuanian linen products to British customers, but now LinenMe sells their products throughout the world.

Inga, who is a textile and profes­sional interior designer tells us about her inspiration, and her ABC of business which she learnt back in Plungė working for her parents as a young girl. She also talks about her thoughts on the new trends in linen fashion and the varying tastes of customers from different countries.

Let’s start from the beginning - how did linen come into your life? How did you start making money from it?

Linen production was not the first business area I got involved in. Firstly, my family had a florist business and as a little girl I used to help them sell flowers at a local market. Another task for me as a little helper was to assist with the gardening at the rose greenhouse, and at one point there were nearly a 1000 rose shrubs! I loved arranging flowers into bouquets, so I suppose that was the first time I had to do colour arrangement and design!

Once Lithuania gained independence, my mother who has worked for over 35 years in the linen industry, established her own linen production company in Plungė. For many years this company has been manufacturing luxurious hand-made linen tablecloths, towels, bedding and other home accessories, but all this production was for foreign clients.

How did you start LinenMe? How did the idea of selling linen to the British come about?

I have been involved in this process since the very beginning, and it always struck me that no matter how high the quality is of our Lithuanian linen, it will still bear the name of some foreign brand, sold on a famous high street shop or department store with just a tiny mention on the tag of Made in Lithuania.

We decided that it would be excellent to develop our own Lithuanian linen brand and try to establish it on a European, or perhaps even global level. This is how LinenMe was born in 2007. In November 2007 the online shop was officially opened and Linen­Me products became widely available to the UK market.

What makes your linen production unique?

At LinenMe we have remained focused on producing hand-made linen items such as hemstitched tablecloths, linen napkins, towels, cushion covers and luxurious bedding. Old tradi­tional Lithuanian crafting skills are highly appreciated worldwide, for instance stunning embroidery, intricate hemstitching, crocheting and so on. For many years linen in Lithuania was just ‘something you would see at your grandmother’s place’, old-fashioned, un-cool and dated, however, linen is going through a revival. Pure linen is getting more popular, vintage weaving and designs are fashionable again, and linen shops are not just for tourists!

I would say the main difference is that our high quality linen reaches the customer without going through all the unnecessary designing/branding/marketing circles that inflate the cost of linen. We are the designers and manufacturers in one, offering affordable luxury.

Please tell us about taste in different countries.

Tastes and preferences differ depending on local traditions, popular styles and standards. Shoppers from certain regions adore coloured linen products, while others go solely for the natural unbleached/un-dyed linen look. Shoppers from the US prefer natural, earthy colours – browns, greens, oranges, while the British love blue. At the same time, blue-dyed linen is not to the European taste. Scandinavians absolutely adore natural and white linen, but from our perspective we try to cater for all styles and tastes.

Home improvement is extremely popular in the UK, and updating your home with soft furnishings, a set of new curtains, a couple of colourful cushions or new upholstery fabrics for your sofas can be financially rewarding and much easier to achieve than to repaint and refit the whole living space.

Could Lithuanian linen be something like tulips for Holland, vodka for Russia, or Guinness for Ireland?

Absolutely! Even though Lithuania, as a small country in the Baltic region, it is better known for its basketball achievements and amber jewellery, I am a strong believer that Lithuanian linen also represents the country in a global context very well. I think flax growing and linen weaving as an industry has withstood many difficult periods in its history, but without doubt Lithuanian linen is well-known for its quality, traditional methods of processing, weaving, embroidery, hemstitching and so on.

Baltic linen is highly appreciated by textile experts all over the world, and many globally-known brands produce their linen in Lithuania. The Lithuanian climate has always been perfect for growing high quality flax. Baltic linen is unique for its naturally darker shade; the darker the fabric the better. It is unfortunate that Lithuanian flax industry is struggling at the moment and is not being treated as an important industry that deserves to be cherished. Traditional flax growing and linen production techniques are a significant part of the Lithuanian heritage.

How popular is linen back in Lithuania?

I would say that linen wouldn’t be as popular in Lithuania if it wasn’t for the global trend – people all over the world are tending to switch back to using natural textiles, investing in good quality affordable linen products. Perhaps we haven’t learnt to properly appreciate what we’ve had for centuries right under our noses?

Linen bedding, soft furnishings and accessories are coming back into fashion, and Lithuania is no exception. The home design specialists started offering wider ranges of linen products, in many cases labelled with foreign brands, but most likely manufactured and produced in Lithuania.

The partnership of linen and amber is already well appreciated – do you think this Lithuanian ‘couple’ have a good perspective in the international market?

Traditional Lithuanian folk outfits always included linen garments and amber jewellery. Lithuanian amber is valued for both its looks and healing qualities, while Lithuanian linen is unique for its dark natural shade and durability.

The look of a linen dress paired with an amber necklace is one thing, but using pure linen and amber in in­terior design is a completely different story. Linen napkins look great with silver napkin rings, but they also can be decorated with amber-bead rings. We have added some table accessories made from Lithuanian amber to our assortment this summer, but it’s a matter of preference really.

While exhibiting at The Spirit of Christmas Fair in London last November we had some amber bead napkin rings displayed in our stand. Surprisingly, hardly anyone assumed the accessory was made with real amber. They thought it was plastic!

Tell us how everything is organized. I mean, creating collections, making them in Lithuania, ordering goods in your e-shop, paying, shipping, advertising etc?

As Lithuanian fashion designer Aleksandras Pogrebnojus once joked: “The reason why each year new colours are announced fashionable is to allow the designers to sell exactly the same garment over and over again.” But on a more serious note, we attend textile fairs and industry shows (such as Heimtextil in Germany) where new trends for the next season are announced. Knowing and understanding the forthcoming trends is essential when creating new linen col­lections.

We do not hire any external designers at LinenMe products. As a recent graduate of London’s KLC School of Design, I am the main designer behind each and every product.

Inspiration comes from everywhere, any time of a day. We also offer linen design services, and are encouraging our customers to become home interior designers themselves. DIY is extremely popular nowadays, and if someone is looking for a specific soft furnishing, we are glad to produce it.

Once items are designed, they are produced in Lithuania and sold exclusively online. The process of running an e-shop is not that different from any other online business, but what is really convenient is that whatever the design, we can produce it and deliver it within the shortest possible period of time.

Marius Jovaiša became quite well known after releasing his photo album “Unseen Lithuania” a couple of years ago.

It became one of the most sought after gifts for anyone who was already in love with Lithuania, or for those who had never seen the beauty of the country.

Now Jovaiša has come up with a  new project – a trademark for Lithuania as the heart of the Baltics.

Jovaiša hopes that his idea will get public attention and they will start using this trademark in their email signatures, power point presentations, business cards and any other communication.

We asked Jovaiša a few questions about his project and intentions.

You were known for criticizing Lithuanian brands, for example the trademark of Lithuania as a brave country. Why you think your trademark is better?

I am not an outspoken critic of commercial Lithuanian brands, I just happen to take interest in country branding and so I was very disappointed with Lithuanian government’s decision to brand our country as brave.

I think it does not produce any value for the country, and does not increase its attractiveness. My proposal is to use something which is much more broadly recognized worldwide and based on that to build our communication. This ‘something’ is the Baltic Sea.

Why heart? Because we are much more emotional than other Baltic nations? Or for some other reasons?

Heart is a very powerful symbol with multiple layers of meanings. On one hand, we are the biggest of the three Baltic countries, we have the widest heritage of history, culture, architecture and archaeology. We were the only ones to have a national state back in thirteenth century.

On the other hand, we were the center of Baltic tribes named after the Baltic Sea. Lithuania serves as a bridge from east to west, from north to south.

And yes, we are emotional and so every Lithuanian can easily come up with more explanations as to why it is us and not the Latvians or Estonians who are heart of the Baltics.

Don’t you think that only we believe that the Baltic Sea is well known, but other people, especially those who don’t live in this area have no idea where it is? So is saying the Baltic Sea is even more meaningless than saying Lithuania?

Absolutely not. I have developed this approach during my numerous worldwide travels. It as a fact that the  Baltic sea is much more well known than Lithuania. If you happen to be among people who don’t know the name Baltic Sea, you can easily tell them that it’s a see in northern Europe around which there is Sweden, Finland and Germany, and then you’ll be OK.

How can you explain your generosity? People find it hard to believe that somebody is doing something for free - just because it is good. What are your intentions?

It is not the first time I am doing something for free. Some people will still never believe that, and will keep looking for hidden reasons, but I honestly just want to solve this problem for once and for all. I feel like I have a strong proposal and I hope it will work.

Any plans to develop this idea of Lithuania – Heart of Baltics? Any future ideas to work with the Lithuanian image?

I have established a public enterprise – a not for profit organization “Lithuania – heart of the Baltics”. It will develop the brand and spread it both in Lithuania and abroad. So far I am its sole financier but I hope more sponsors will be attracted and maybe the government will begin to participate in this process eventually.

We were grateful to Kęstutis Kemzūra (pictured) for sparing some time to talk to us about his appointment as Head Coach of the Lithuanian Men’s National Basketball team.

What are your first impressions of your new job as Head Coach of the Lithuanian Men’s National Basketball team?

What can you say? Like all jobs it has its pressure. It has a big responsibility and like everyone I will work as hard as I can, but hopefully with more energy and enthusiasm. I know there will be more pressure later on, but that is something you have to deal with when the time comes.

What about the team itself – what are you first thoughts on its formation?

There has been a lot of talk about bringing more youth into the team. For me I just want the best and the most motivated players, and then of course a lot depends on whether we will be playing in the world championships.

If not, then I think it’s worth giving players an off-season to relax and recuperate.

Age is not the criteria from which you choose your team. All of them could play well in 2011, but no-one knows what might happen in that time in terms of form, injury or retirement.

What is Lithuania’s chance of getting a wildcard invitation to the world championships?

December 13 is when the final decision will be made and only then will we know for sure whether we have to prepare for the World Championships, but I don’t know what will happen. I do know that the Lithuanian Basketball Federation is doing all it can to find a way for us to compete. I haven’t heard about the latest developments, but someone made a suggestion that the final places should be decided by a qualifying tournament, and I like that idea.

In the end is it a matter of paying for the ticket?

No, it is not totally a matter of money, but it seems an important consideration. The sum of 500,000 euro was mentioned.

Have you spoken to the players?

I haven’t spoken to the players as yet, and that will be one of my first jobs. I will try to meet them when I can, others I will have to talk to over the phone.

It’s not just a matter of talking about them playing or not, and not just about basketball, I want to learn about their life plans. It’s more a question of where they are and what they want to achieve. Every team has different problems and concerns which have to be dealt with. I want to know how they look at their role and to see what they want for themselves.

I have worked with many of the players, some less so, but I have good relations with them all. I think that in the future it will stay that way. I have no worries with any players, and I can’t say that they would have any towards me.

How would you describe the job – diplomatic, psychological or just physical training?

The psychological aspect is present in every club. Any team is like an organism and every organism is different, you have to pay more or less attention to differing aspects. You have to see and feel the processes that are taking place. There are different players, and groups of players that create different dynamics, which all has to be taken into account.

You pick players not just for their basketball ability. You want to know about their off-court life as well. The national team is a bit different, but you still have to gather the best players available. That is one step, but then they have to become the best team, and that all has to be done in a very short space of time.

The job is to sell your ideas and vision to the team and for them to accept it and move forward together as a unit. They need to know that the coach knows what he’s talking about.

On the one hand it’s easier than coaching at a club from the view that players arrive and are committed and want to play for their country and not just money. In the national team you come for sporting principles.

In a club you play for money. There can be monetary problems with players, late wages, and this creates a whole new set of problems. This isn’t a factor in the national team.

When do you start the serious work of coaching?

The job is already taking place. Planning, staff, and looking to the future. What’s happening now is unseen, it is the creation stage. It is like an artistic composition, it looks like nothing is happening but much of the future is being planned and idealised.

Will you also coach at club level?

I am a hired coach on contract with the Lithuanian Basketball Federation, but my requirement was that I have the right to work with club teams, and that was approved, and my agent is looking for clubs for me to coach.

What is your agreement with the Lithuanian Basketball Federation regards the aim and strategy of the team?

With the Lithuanian Basketball Federation I have the final say on what happens with the team. Of course we have discussed strategy, aims and goals. Mostly I talk with Mindaugas Balčiūnas, he has become my liaison there, and it is usual that most communication goes through a particular person, and we have had many discussions. There are always many technical questions as well as game plans to decide. We have talked about everything.

I am open about my work and what I do, but at the end of the day the responsibility is mine. I am ultimately answerable for the success or otherwise of the national team.

You have a quiet and reserved character for such a high profile position.

I don’t like to boast and it is not necessary for me to seek attention for its own sake, and I understand that attention only usually gets in the way. At the moment I haven’t won or lost a game, but there is a lot ahead.

The most important thing is that we don’t take short cuts and work solely for the win. In this business you are judged by your results. Even though it doesn’t always fully reflect the effort you put in. In previous championships teams have played well but not achieved results, and vice versa.

What is your coaching style? Do you demand discipline to stick to a system, or do you give players more freedom?

You always start with a plan and it changes over time. Basketball is a game and you’ll find very few teams with such a tight system that players can’t move out of.

I work more on establishing principles that the players can then use as a basic structure, my strategy is based more on principles than a rigid structure.

What is a good shot, what is a bad shot? - it’s often not easy to make that judgement. The players are on the court, you can’t expect them to be robots. But a lot depends on the player. One might have more ability which gives them more freedom to move away from the rigidity of the structure.

So what have you been doing while waiting for the decision on the world championships?

I’m still picking my support team. We have no time pressure so I can look at it properly and give it full consideration. You have to talk to people, find a time to meet, then they have to have time to think about their answer. It’s not a process that can be rushed, and if it’s done properly it will be much better in the long run. The full team should be in place before too long.

In regards to the championships, it’s not just me waiting for the decision, all Lithuania is waiting. I am keeping an eye on the form of players.

As I don’t have a club I have more time to see how all our players are performing, and now I have the time to look deeper into each of them. It is as much a hobby as a job and it is lucky I have the extra time to do that at the moment.

How do you plan to deal with the pressure when it does arrive?

Expectations are always high. In Lithuania I know this.

I don’t know what happened in the last championship, why some players didn’t go and why we still expected a medal. The chances to achieve good results are rare enough already, and to put extra pressure on everyone concerned just makes the task harder.

There are a lot of components you need to put together and you also have to have realistic expectations. There are not many teams that can put pressure on themselves and still perform, Spain was one and they stated before the games that they came to win, and then achieved that despite a slow start. They were good enough to recover. And the USA can state at the start of a tournament that they are there to win, but those teams are rare.

You have to set your maximum goals and they need to be achievable. The Serbs went there with much lower expectations and they came home with the silver.

Have you noticed a change in your life since taking the job?

No. There has been no reason for it to change yet.

Do you get advice from strangers?

Not so far. Maybe I’m not as easily recognised as yet, and I believe a lot will depend on when we start playing and how we will go. So far I can walk calmly down the streets.

Can I ask if you are a Žalgiris or Rytas fan?

I’ll be diplomatic. When either team plays in the European championships

I support both teams. But generally I look at games more professionally - what they do and how they do it. I know people in both of the teams so there is a personal aspect as well.

While we teach our children that competing is more important than winning, as a coach your only option is to win. How does that manifest itself in the real world?

Wining is number one, no discussion, but with the kids it’s more about competition, but I see that even they want to win. There is a sporting instinct that is needed to be an elite sportsman, and all elite sportspeople have that desire to win.

But it still requires passion. If you come home from a win or a loss and don’t care then it’s time to give up the game. The passion has to be there.

I forget who said it, but I agree with the quote that after each loss a small part of you dies.

His articles in Lietuvos Rytas are very sharp and drive most of his readers insane; they go mad and flood the newspaper’s website with angry comments.

His programs on Lithuanian Radio (Lietuvos radijas) are totally different – in a calm, gentle voice he talks about the UK, where he has lived for the past 15 years, and impressions from his travels around the world.

On 17 December Andrius Užkalnis (pictured), a journalist, is going to launch his first book England: About those people and their country (Anglija: Apie tuos žmones ir jų šalį). Andrius agreed to share with us his thoughts about the similarities and differences between Lithuanian and British people and to tell us a little of what the book will be about.

Your book ‘England: About those people and their country’ will be published soon. How did the inspiration to write it come about? Is it from the your love of the country?

I am not a great believer in inspiration. It is overrated. Except where one is so depressed and tired that they can hardly physically get out of bed, I do not think mood should stop someone from writing. If one has something to say, that is. I love writing and never had to wait for inspiration.

I spent 15 years in England and often noticed how people of my country (of whom there are tens of thousands here) viewed it in a simplistic and critical way, and most of this criticism came out of ignorance. I wanted to help them. I hope it does not sound too arrogant or pretentious, but God is my witness, many of them could do with some help on the understanding front. Why are houses in England so small? Why there are two separate cold and hot water taps? Why is an Indian meal not a foreign meal but part of the national diet? Why do many single malts reek of peat? All these things need explaining. I hope to have done it in a sympathetic and engaging way.

We Lithuanians are not the most open-minded of nations, and travelling does not sit well with us, generally. We have some brilliant travellers but they are not the norm. And the first reaction of a Lithuanian abroad is ridicule and derision. It is not just about being impolite. The bone-headed peasant approach is, first and foremost, hurting the Lithuanians themselves. Instead of seeing another country and learning from it, they forever search for proof of how inferior and nonsensical it is.

I particularly wanted to be helpful to people of the older generation: those who now travel to UK to see their grandchildren as their children moved to this country, and often it is one of their first opportunities to travel abroad. They hold a lot of stereotypes and myths about England, fostered by Russian textbooks and TV decades ago. I wanted them to be better informed than that.

In this way, I am both cruel and kind in my writing. I debunk myths mercilessly but at the same time I hope that the information and understanding that people are left with in the end is helpful.

I would never say that I fell in love with England. I came to know it quite well, and many of the things here I admire. There are things that I like less - like the encroaching childishness, political correctness, the peculiar fascination of the educated classes with the wackiest left-wing ideas. But I tend to try and understand the reasons behind them even when I know full well I could not accept them.

As I said on one occasion, when people like Polly Toynbee or George Monbiot of the Guardian can write what they like, it is called freedom of speech. However, when their lunatic rants are seen as the mainstream thought of the educated class, it is creepy.

Still, I think the country is great: the layers of history, the openness to the world and the sheer taste for travel and exploration of the world is astounding. Coming from a small country with very insular, peasant-like mentality and parochial approach to almost everything, the scale of the best in British ambition and aspiration is awesome. I tried to communicate this in my book.

What will the book be about? Is it some kind of travel guide? Or intended for those who want to move to England?

It is not a travel guide as such. Not that it would not be useful for someone who travels to the UK (indeed, in the last chapter I included some practical tips and suggestions about enjoying the best that the country can offer).

I would not like to be part of anyone’s decision to relocate to another country, and not because “incitement to emigration” has only been recently decriminalised in Lithuania (this legal provision did exist although I never heard of anyone prosecuted on these charges - call it a bizarre anomaly). A decision to move has to be one’s own; however, the more you know about the country, the better.

I think this applies to all travel - whether it is for ten days or ten years. Many disappointments stem from ignorance and lack of homework. The same happens when half-baked myths and stereotypes take the place of some old-school preparation. I have nothing against stereotypes and generalizations - I think it is part of human nature to draw conclusions, that’s what analysis process is about - but the trouble with lazy stereotypes is that they are unhelpful. I believe that the best aspect of travel is catching glimpses and reflections of our own memories and bits of knowledge. If you are working on shoddy knowledge, it is very difficult to do.

In your opinion, what are the main similarities and the biggest differences between Lithuanians and English people?

English life is all about individuality. It is not about collective. Being a naturally private person and not a great fan of ideas of communal work, play and amusement, I took to England very well. I enjoy privacy and people minding their own business. I appreciate the understatement and hints rather than theatrical, Baroque display of emotion that most Lithuanians are so fond of.

This does not make me a very good and typical Lithuanian, but I guess it takes all sorts.

I also enjoy the concept of a personality-centered world. I like it when people refer to “I” and “my” when talking about their job, their role and their authority. When I came to England, it surprised me to hear a middle-level manager of a company say “on MY payroll, I have 20 people”, “people whom I pay” - it was unusual but I thought it was brilliant. A Lithuanian manager would never say that. He would refer to the company, the organization, any large entity, or any entity, for that matter. He would never use “I”.

I like it when a judge, a policemen, even a tax inspector says “I”, and does not believe he must hide behind an organization or a body. This is the single biggest difference that I can admire.

Next to it, the natural mistrust that an Englishman feels toward people who take themselves too seriously. Someone who is not able to laugh at themselves is seen as seriously socially deficient, or at best pompous and humourless. In Lithuania, pompousness comes with social status and often needs to be engaged so that a person is respected as a figure of authority. I always disliked that and England was a breath of fresh air for me in this respect.

The English are famous for their peculiar humour. Do you have a favourite English joke and would share it with our readers?

My main observation - and I note this in my book - is that the principal aspect of English humour is that it is not separate from serious activities and thoughts.

We in Lithuania think that joking is an activity which has to know its time and place. A normal Englishman would not imagine a presentation without a joke, a bit of self-mockery, a tongue-in-cheek reference. The only person in UK who can go on for an hour with a sombre expression on his face and be an absolute killjoy, Lithuanian-style, is Prime Minister Gordon Brown, but he is not English anyway and I am not really sure if he is truly a person. He would also qualify for the best English joke, albeit a macabre one. He is also a proof that not only Lithuanians can have scandalously inept and socially maladjusted people in high offices.

You recently marked 100 days in office as the Foreign Minister, what have been the most pressing issues you have needed to deal with as the new Minister of Foreign Affairs?

You know the key topic in the world today economic crisis. Those currently in the government (be it in Lithuania, Germany or Singapore) are to certain extent runners on the track of growing hurdles. The faster and smarter the governments sprint, the bigger the chances for their countries not to fall over one of these hurdles. So, the diplomatic service of Lithuania has also been seriously engaged in fighting the economic crisis.

We are searching for potential investors all over the world and we are working actively with the Lithuanian business community in helping them to export. I have already participated in two trips with the foreign ambassadors residing in Lithuania to iauliai and Alytus in order to promote the investment environment of the two towns. We are also working very actively inside the EU stressing the European principle of solidarity and seeking that the EU would stand united in the light of today s challenges and the member-states outside the EU zone were not left alone to struggle severe economic problems they are currently facing.

One thing is clear - foreign policy is an extension of internal policy. So, if a country wants to conduct efficient diplomacy, it must do its homework properly. We are trying to do the same now. We are working with the Ministry of Economy in order to form concrete proposals ready for significant investment. Moreover, we are working in close cooperation with the Ministry of Energy in order to prepare the energy sector for European electricity and gas links. Not only we are in constant contact with the Ministry of Culture on issues of Lithuania s image and our Diaspora abroad but also we work with the Ministry of the Interior in order to improve our consular services.

Believe me, no minister in the current Government of change has a privilege of resting or relaxing. However, this active and hopefully efficient way of life suits us just fine.

You have traveled to the UK, America, Brussels and Latvia, among other countries, what have been your impressions of how the rest of the world sees Lithuania?

I would like to point out that I have not only met officials of foreign countries during my visits. I have also met business people, the academic community and others. The thing that delights me most is that Lithuanians are known in the world. Somebody has friends from Lithuania, business people from the East and the West do business in our country, some people have enjoyed our wonderful lakes and calm farmsteads as tourists, some artists cannot forget our marvellous sand dunes in the Curonian spit. This proves that Lithuania exists in everyday life of Europe and the world.

Regarding the foreign officials I have met, I got the impression they all treat Lithuanians like trustworthy partners, placing confidence in words, commitments and responsibilities.

During your recent trip to America Hilary Clinton paid you some nice personal compliments, and you signed some significant agreements during your visit. Can you tell us more about it?

During my working visit to the US, on 9 March I had a warm and friendly meeting with the Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. We had a good and open exchange of views on a broad range of subjects: transatlantic agenda, policy towards Russia and EU Eastern Neighbourhood countries, energy security, Afghanistan, Guantanamo. I personally underlined the necessity for closer EU-US co-operation and that one with NATO allies. Specifically, I pleaded for the need to develop a joint transatlantic policy towards Russia and Eastern European countries, namely Ukraine and Georgia, in particular in the light of the economic crisis.

We agreed on the importance of engagement in the dialogue with Russia. However, the renewal of the dialogue should be not only constructive but also principled. We need to be as firm and clear as we can in this case. It is not easy to engage with Russia, when this country fails to comply with its commitments. At the same time, we need to strengthen our engagement with Eastern Neighbourhood countries, especially Ukraine and Georgia. We also highlighted the importance of energy security issues, the necessity to work on diversification of energy supplies and independence from single energy source. We also agreed that Afghanistan is a major priority for NATO at the time being.

After the meeting, Secretary Clinton and I signed the Protocol of Exchange of Ratification on the Treaties of Bilateral Extradition and Mutual Legal Assistance. These twin agreements between the United States and Lithuania will allow police and prosecutors in both countries to employ state-of-the-art tools to cooperate more effectively to bring criminals to justice on both sides of the Atlantic. The agreements will form part of an important network of similar agreements that the United States has reached with all the countries of the European Union. This exchange is the first of 27 that the United States will undertake in coming months with all EU member countries.

Lithuania is a small country, but we play an important role in mediation between the EU and Georgia, Ukraine and Belarus, among others. Is Lithuania a major player in the EU family, or are our efforts just a sideshow to decisions beyond our control?

I don’t think the distinction between the major players and the “sideshows” is really valid here. I believe that our task should not be gaining the status of a major player, or a regional power, or the centre of the region. Our task and vital interest, instead, is a stable, democratic and prosperous neighbourhood. I’m convinced that this interest is rather universal; it unites us with the people of our partners in the Eastern neighbourhood. That is why we are engaged in assisting the people of Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia and Belarus to reach this task.

Our efforts of mediation between the EU and Eastern Neighbourhood countries are also aimed at this very task, as we often feel that we grasp the situation in the region better than some older members of the EU, that we have a deeper knowledge of internal processes and inherent mentalities. This expertise is an important asset for the EU as a whole, and not merely a “sideshow”. Not all our efforts have immediate tangible results; nevertheless, we gain experience ourselves, and we earn sincere appreciation by our partner countries.

There is always opposing schools of thought in Lithuania, those that seek better relations with Russia, and those that want to hold them to task over the crimes of the Soviet era. How do you see the future with our largest neighbour?

There are questions over which Lithuania and Russia don t have a common ground, but that doesn t stop Lithuania from continuing to pursue its goals and seeking closer contacts with Russia that could lead us to a constructive dialogue. We have noticed signs of more constructive attitude from Russia on our bilateral agenda. We welcome this sign towards more dialogue.

Over the past 18 years Lithuania succeeded in establishing a solid legal basis for bilateral cooperation in the areas of economy, culture, trade, etc. Russia is main Lithuania s trade partner. Trade turnover is gradually rising and in 2008 it amounted to more than 7 billion euros. I am convinced that mutual efforts of both countries will contribute to the successful development of our relations in the future and will generate positive results on our bilateral agenda.

Let me remind you that Lithuania seeks to pursue principled and constructive cooperation with Russia, expand mutually beneficial economic and cultural ties, as well as pursue dialogue with Russia based on democratic values, truth and justice. Lithuania dedicates specific attention to the Kaliningrad region of Russian Federation, with a perspective to promote openness of the region and its cooperation with the EU, particularly in the context of the Lithuanian Presidency in the Council of Baltic Sea States in 2009.

There is a lot of controversy over restructuring of the Department of National Minorities and Lithuanians Living Abroad, and the closing of the Lithuanians Returning to the Homeland Information Centre. What will be the eventual outcome of these changes?

Having in mind the large and permanently growing Lithuanian Diaspora, the 15th Government of Lithuania has obligated to strengthen ties between Lithuania and Diaspora. Among the measures of strengthening ties it envisaged preservation of the Lithuanian language, traditions and culture within the Diaspora, consolidation of the Lithuanian identity, implementation of the concept of Global Lithuania - wider involvement of Lithuanians living abroad into social, cultural, economic and political life of Lithuania - adaptation of Lithuania to live in the Global World.

The Department of National Minorities and Lithuanians Living Abroad has administered two unrelated tasks, both of which are important in the life of a democratic society. Disconnection of these tasks will give more prominence both to the issues related to the national minorities and Diaspora.

The issues of national minorities will be coordinated by the Ministry of Culture and the issues of Lithuanians living abroad by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Department of Lithuanians living abroad will be established at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which will participate in shaping of the policy of the state towards Lithuanians living abroad and administer financial support of the state to the Lithuanian Diaspora. This Department will also take over information functions, which currently are performed by the Lithuanians Returning to the Homeland Information Centre.

On the level of Government, Board of Diaspora issues will be established. It will be a forum of the Ministers and representatives of Diaspora for discussing and articulating the main strategic trends of relations between Diaspora and the state (homeland). The Board will be chaired by the Prime Minister. Governmental institutions will be obliged to implement decisions and recommendations of the Board.

A new structure of administration of issues related to Lithuanians living abroad will not only improve coordination of activities among state institutions on this issue, but will also help to administrate the state s finances allotted to the issues of Diaspora.

An issue of some controversy has been the allocation of two prisoners from The Guant namo Bay Detention Camp to be held in Lithuania. What is the latest on this?

After receiving the official request from the US administration to help to solve the Guantanamo problem and to accept two detainees, the State Defence Council of Lithuania instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to start consultations with the US administration on this issue and to explore all the aspects needed to make a decision.

Currently, we are in the process of consultations between relevant institutions inside Lithuania, we are also consulting with the US administration. At the same time, we are engaged in the process of discussions and consultations within the European Union with a view to find a common EU platform on the issue. Lithuania will make a final decision only after considering all political, legal, economic, humanitarian and other aspects of possible acceptance of detainees from Guantanamo. This process can take up to several months.

There has been talk about the closure of some Lithuanian embassies, what are the priorities in Lithuania’s diplomatic presence around the world in the current economic and political climate?

Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already notably cut its expenses: representation expenses were reduced by half, almost by half were reduced expenses for business trips and telecommunications. There have also been cuts in other administration expenses, including allowances for diplomats working abroad. In 2009, the budget of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already been reduced by 45 million Litas or 16 %. According to the assignations to the Ministry, currently we are at the level of year 2006.

When it comes to the closure of our embassies, I don t deny that there is a possibility of closing some of them. Although I still believe it can be avoided, since a closure of an embassy has both, financial and political costs. Therefore we have to consider this option properly together with the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the Seimas and the Government. Now we are making some calculations on whether it is better to close the embassy utterly or leave one or two representatives in a particular country. We will present these calculations by the end of April.

Although the expenses are being reduced, the tasks for our Diplomatic service and challenges are increasing. We are committed to improve our consular services; we aim to put even more effort into search of new export markets for the Lithuanian business and to attract investments. The energy security and Eastern Partnership, as well as an effective Lithuanian European policy and links with the USA and NATO are among top priorities of our foreign policy.

Even in current economic climate embassies have the same long-lasting objective to represent Lithuania duly, assert citizens rights, take part in propagating democratic values and human rights, create safe and stable international environment.

And finally, is it true that you are a tough but fair boss, and often call your various departments at 8.00am to make sure that they start work on time?

I am convinced that the most important thing is to accomplish work and to perform given tasks on time. It is less important whether it is before or after eight o clock.

But as a matter of fact, the time that we have to perform our tasks is limited, so the departments of the Ministry, as well as me, do start work early there is no time to lose.