VILNIUS, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Lithuania is ready for difficult negotiations on the new multiannual EU budget, however, the country would not accept the compromise at any cost, Lithuania's Minister of Finance Vilius Sapoka said on Friday.
"We are seeking for gradual, rather than drastic, reduction of funding from the EU Cohesion and agricultural funds, equal conditions for Lithuanian and European farmers, sufficient funding for the closure of Ignalina nuclear power plant and Rail Baltica project," Sapoka was quoted as saying in a statement released by the ministry.
He was commenting on the outcome of his meeting with the EU's Commissioner on budget and human resources Gunther Oettinger, which took place earlier in Brussels, Belgium.
Sapoka also pointed to Lithuania's new statistical division into two territorial units, Capital City region and Central-Western region, based on the EU's regulation adopted in 2016.
According to Sapoka, the European Commission should take into account these changes in its new budget's proposal as regards funding from the Cohesion Funds.
The Lithuanian government expects that the country's statistical division into two territorial units will lead to bigger EU's funding for less developed Lithuania's Central-Western region.
The European Commission aims to achieve the agreement on the EU's 2021-2027 multiannual financial program by the election of the European Parliament which will take place in May 2019.
