Lazdijai is a city in Lithuania located about 7 km (4.3 mi)
east of the border with Poland. In 1990 Lithuania declared independence from
the Soviet Union, and new check points between the borders Poland and Lithuania
were established and Lazdijai became the center that oversees and continues to
regulate these operations. It is the birthplace of Lithuanian politician and
producer Arūnas Valinskas and of Russian-American composer and violinist Joseph
Achron
