“No, My Friends, We Won’t Go Slow”. The Restoration of Lithuania’s Independence in the Pages of the World Press in 1990

Sweden

“We don‘t care about Gorbachev”

Vytautas Landsbergis showed us a telegram from Mikhail Gorbachev and said: “This is not an ultimatum, but neither is it a standard telegram.” In the telegram, Gorbachev urges Lithuania not to pursue independence. “I will wait 3 days for an answer.”

Iceland

“I trust Icelanders. From an interview with Lithuania's President, Vytautas Landsbergis”

Yesterday, in an interview with the daily newspaper Morgunbladid, Lithuania's President Vytautas Landsbergis expressed gratitude to the Icelandic people for their support. He stressed the importance of formal recognition of Lithuania and of establishing formal relations with foreign countries. “I trust the Icelanders,” said the President. This telephone interview took place right after Soviet interior forces took over two floors of the building where the most important newspapers of the Republic are printed.

Full article (in Icelandic)

Norway

“Old lies in new clothing”

Vytautas Landsbergis: Our elections of February 24 were legitimate and democratic. Those supporters of independence, who were chosen by Sajudis, conducted a fair election campaign for an independent and democratic Lithuania. The political platform of Sajudis differed from that of the independent Communists, since we needed absolute political independence and the establishment of diplomatic relations with Moscow as an equal partner as soon as possible.