NATO PA Standing Committee meets at the Riigikogu

NordenBladet —

Head of the Estonian Delegation to the NATO PA Raimond Kaljulaid said that the direct dialogue between the representatives of the parliaments of the NATO countries was the great value of the Assembly, and the various meetings of the Assembly provided a good opportunity for this. “Naturally, we wish to explain to our colleagues Estonia’s positions and vision regarding helping Ukraine and strengthening collective defence,” he added.

The meeting of the NATO PA Standing Committee will begin with a welcome address by President of the Riigikogu Lauri Hussar in the Riigikogu Session Hall on Saturday afternoon. On Saturday, the Committee, chaired by NATO PA President Michal Szczerba, will discuss the declarations on the Washington Summit, which will be held at the beginning of July, and on further support to Ukraine. The discussions will continue at the Assembly’s Spring Session in May. For the first time, the delegation of Sweden, which joined NATO at the beginning of March, will participate in the meeting of the Assembly as a full member.

On Sunday at 9, Prime Minister of Estonia Kaja Kallas will speak at the Session Hall of the Riigikogu. She will also reply to the questions of the participants of the meeting. The Prime Minister’s address and question time are public and will be live streamed online in English. Members of the press can watch the public part of the sitting of the Committee, which will last around 45 minutes, on the Press Gallery of the Riigikogu. The video recording will be available to watch later on the Riigikogu YouTube channel.

On Sunday, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Ruslan Stefanchuk will deliver a video address and Head of the Ukrainian delegation Yehor Cherniev will make a speech at the sitting of the NATO PA Standing Committee.

Head of the Estonian delegation to the NATO PA Kaljulaid, members of the delegation Marko Mihkelson and Meelis Kiili as well as Chairman of the National Defence Committee of the Riigikogu Kalev Stoicescu and Deputy Chairman of the National Defence Committee Leo Kunnas will have a separate meeting with the Ukrainian delegation on Sunday.

Before the sitting, the members of the Standing Committee will visit the Miinisadam Naval Base, where they will meet with Commander of the Estonian Navy Commodore Jüri Saska.

Photos (Erik Peinar / Chancellery of the Riigikogu)

Riigikogu Press Service
Karin Kangro
+372 631 6356, +372 520 0323
karin.kangro@riigikogu.ee
Questions: press@riigikogu.ee

Link uudisele: NATO PA Standing Committee meets at the Riigikogu

Source: Parliament of Estonia