On February the 16th, Lithuania celebrates its main national holiday. On this day the national flags of Lithuania are hang in the Baltic States under the current intergovernmental agreement between the countries.
On this occasion the Honorary Consulate of the Republic of Lithuania in Dnipropetrovsk congratulates all Lithuanians, especially Lithuanian residents of Dnipropetrovsk region with a public holiday. Sincerely we wish good health, courage and confidence in the constitutional cloudless future of Lithuania as well as Ukraine.
Not everyone knows that on February 16, 1918 in Vilnius, Council of Lithuania (Lietuvos Taryba) as representative of Lithuanian people proclaimed the restoration of the independent Lithuanian state (under German control by the end of 1918).
Interesting that on that day resolution of Independence was signed and it reported the following:" The Council of Lithuania in its session of February 16, 1918 decided unanimously to address the governments of Russia, Germany, and other states with the following declaration:
The Council of Lithuania (Lietuvos Taryba), as the sole representative of the Lithuanian nation, in conformity with the recognized right to national self-determination, and in accordance with the resolution of the Vilnius Conference of September 18-23, 1917 proclaims the restoration of the independent state of Lithuania, founded on democratic principles, with Vilnius as its capital, and declares the termination of all state ties which formerly bound this State to other nations.
The Council of Lithuania also declares that the foundation of the Lithuanian State and its relations with other countries will be finally determined by the Constituent Assembly, to be convoked as soon as possible, elected democratically by all its inhabitants. The Council of Lithuania (Lietuvos Taryba) in informing the Government of Lithuania kindly requests the recognition of the Independent State of Lithuania."
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What was on that day in the history of Lithuania:
1918 – In Vilnius the Act of restoration of independence of the Lithuanian state was declared. According to Lithuanian media sources, the text of the Act, adopted in very difficult circumstances – short and concise, but its worth is great. However, so far unknown, where the original Act is. According to witnesses, in summer 1940, when Soviet Army attacked Lithuania, Piyus Belskus, the Head of the Office of the Roman Catholic priest carried out this Act from presidency but still it has not been found. However, Sigitas Yahelyavichyus, professor of the Faculty of History of Vilnius University is still investigating the circumstances of the disappearance of the Act. According to him, "there is glimmer of hope that the original Act preserved – I have to check one version," – the newspaper "Lietuvos Rytas" writes.
