President Lech Kaczynski has cut short his visit to Vilnius after news that his mother has been taken seriously ill.

Lech Kaczynski participated this morning in the 20 anniversary celebrations of Lithuanian independence. The President’s mother, Jadwiga, in a serious condition in hospital with heart and lung problems.

Addressing  the Lithuanian Parliament, President Kaczynski said that 20 years ago Lithuania’s declaration of independence was perceived as an act of particular courage, and underlined that the events in Lithuania had even surprised Poles.

“We watched as the Lithuanian nation organized itself just as the Poles had done in 1980-1981. We saw that your situation was more difficult,” he said, focusing on the success of Lithuania, which divested itself of an influence under which it had been for 40 years, to rapidly become a part of the Western world.

Lithuania was the first Soviet republic which adopted an Act of Independence on 11 March 1990, to be followed by Latvia and Estonia. (ek/pg)