Minister Sabutis Heads to Istanbul to Meet Türkiye’s Transport Minister and Participate in the Global Transport Connectivity Forum

Lithuanian Minister of Transport and Communications, Eugenijus Sabutis, is departing for Istanbul today, where he is scheduled to meet with Türkiye’s Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Abdulkadir Uraloğlu. Minister Sabutis will also participate in one of the year’s most prominent international transport events – the Global Transport Connectivity Forum – which will be officially opened by the President of Türkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, with the valued support of the World Bank.

The Ministers of Lithuania and Türkiye will discuss cooperation in intermodal transport, road transportation and civil aviation, as well as other key issues related to bilateral collaboration.

The meeting will also explore opportunities to link the Trans-Caspian International Transport Corridor – which passes through Türkiye and forms a key part of the EU’s Global Gateway strategy – with European transport corridors and the Baltic Sea region. Such a route would enhance regional ties, expand multimodal connectivity, and increase freight flows between Europe and Asia.

During his visit, Minister Sabutis will participate in the Global Transport Connectivity Forum, where he will join a high-level panel discussion titled “The Power of Transport Corridors in Driving Development.”

Bilateral meetings are also planned between Minister Sabutis and his counterparts from the transport ministries of Spain, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, and other countries.

Türkiye remains one of the most popular travel destinations for Lithuanian citizens, with Istanbul serving as a strategic hub for connecting flights to many Asian countries.

In 2024 alone, more than 432,000 passengers travelled from Vilnius and Kaunas to Türkiye on charter flights.

As part of broader efforts to enhance connectivity, direct flights between Palanga and Antalya commenced in April 2024.