President Jānis Vucāns: The Baltic Assembly is an excellent format for setting up dialogue with parliamentarians all around the world

Today in the Parliament of the Republic of Latvia, the annual report by the Minister for Foreign Affairs Edgars Rinkēvičs on progress and planned action on national foreign policy and European Union matters was presented. He informed that the international security situation is dangerously fragile and that the impact on the development of the international situation is influenced by the geopolitical rivalry – the antithesis of democracy and authoritarianism. “Latvia, like the other Baltic states, is currently in the most institutionally stable situation. There is no better alternative than our membership in NATO and the European Union,” Edgars Rinkēvičs noted by adding that, however, security is a process, not a destination. During the debates, Speaker of the Saeima Ināra Mūrniece highlighted the high value and importance of the work of the Baltic Assembly by noting that the priorities will continue to be the security of the region, the economic recovery and growth of the Baltic states, innovation and social protection of the population.

President of the Baltic Assembly Jānis Vucāns participated in the debate and informed the parliamentarians on the work of the Baltic Assembly and the plans for 2022. “It is very important that the cooperation between the Baltic states at the parliamentary and governmental level is mutually consistent and complementary,” Jānis Vucāns stated. He informed that the Baltic Assembly is an excellent format for setting up dialogue with parliamentarians all around the world, given that many of today's challenges need to be addressed more broadly and in close cooperation. Jānis Vucāns also reconfirmed that the Baltic Assembly will continue to support the efforts of the Eastern Partnership countries to move closer to the European Union..

Member of the Presidium Inese Voika also noted that together with colleagues in the Baltic Assembly, they have used the opportunity to raise attention and the focus of counterparts in other countries in the European Union and interparliamentary organisations on regional security issues. “This year is the Latvian Presidency in the Baltic Assembly and we will continue to be active,” Inese Voika promised.