Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas has issued a statement saying that along with the six million victims, an immense part of Europe’s and Lithuania’s identity, built over centuries, was torn away.
"With this loss, we were deprived of an entire cultural world and living memory. Today, we are rediscovering the pages of Lithuania’s history, enriched by the achievements and contributions of Lithuanian Jews to the country’s statehood, culture, science, and economy. The most horrible genocide in human history also severed a thread to a different, more diverse and potentially stronger future for the state – we lost many bright minds and talents, loyal citizens, and neighbours who enriched our communities," the prime minister said.
"No matter how many years pass, the tragedy of the Holocaust will always be too great and too painful to ever feel distant. As we say ’Never again,’ we have a duty to remain vigilant and prevent any form of hatred based on nationality, ethnicity, race, or religion from taking root. This is our debt to the millions of victims in Europe and Lithuania," Paluckas emphasised.