Baltic Assembly makes recommendations for cooperation, Eastern Partnership
The interparliamentary Baltic Assembly along with the Baltic Council adopted a resolution in Tallinn on Friday that makes recommendations on topics such as security and defense cooperation, joint procurements, and Eastern Partnership.
Beyond that, the resolution makes recommendations concerning cooperation in the acceptance and integration of refugees, economic cooperation, Russian-German gas pipeline Nord Stream 2, and transport and infrastructure, in particular Rail Baltica.
The president of the Baltic Assembly and head of the Estonian delegation, Aadu Must (Center), said he was pleased that in recent years the work of the assembly has been organized based on a model put forward by Estonia, where the focus of cooperation between the parliaments lies on the standing committees in order for the effectiveness of the work of the Baltic Assembly to be bigger, spokespeople for the Estonian parliament said.
Must said that cooperation among the Baltic countries is not only necessary, but essential. "When we speak together, our voice is three times louder. When we act together, our actions are three times as powerful," he said, describing the cooperation among the three countries as trusting, committed, and supportive of one another.
Must said that the Baltic countries are working closely together in the economic, political, social, and other domains.
"As recently as a few years ago the joint procurement of medicines was considered impossible," Must said. He said that other topics discussed during the meeting included cross-border healthcare, security, and strengthening of external borders.
President of the Riigikogu Eiki Nestor (SDE) in his opening remarks at the meeting of the assembly emphasized the importance of ensuring security and engaging in cooperation. "No matter what the future will bring, the basic values of Baltic cooperation will remain. Similar historic experience and common values and traditions provide a strong basis for cooperation in the true spirit of parliamentarism. For cooperation hardened in crises, which has no alternative," he said.
According to Nestor, the Baltic countries are ready and deem it necessary to work closely together also in the fields of a safe living environment, sustainable infrastructure, and energy policy, an innovative system of education and research, and a knowledge-based economy.
A meeting was held in Tallinn also by the Baltic Council, the cooperative body of the governments and the parliaments of the Baltic countries. Estonian Foreign Minister Sven Mikser (SDE), who currently acts as chairman of the cooperation council of the Baltic Council of Ministers, said at the meeting of the Baltic Council that it is important to continue cooperation in the field of Eastern Partnership and security.
At the end of the session of the Baltic Assembly, a resolution was adopted and a final document signed. Estonia then handed over the presidency of the assembly and the Baltic Council to Lithuania.
Editor: Dario Cavegn
Source: BNS