Nordic and Baltic Speakers plan to boost cooperation

The President of the Riigikogu Lauri Hussar described closer cooperation between the parliaments and parliamentary committees as an excellent way to solve cross-border issues together, for example in fields like security or transport. Some committees of the Riigikogu are already cooperating with other parliaments in the NB8 format, such as the Foreign Affairs Committee, the National Defence Committee, and the European Union Affairs Committee. Hussar highlighted the joint efforts made by NB8 countries in the European Union enlargement process.

Another important topic at the meeting was support for Ukraine. “Insofar as Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine is concerned, we need an unconditional ceasefire before anything else; it is only after that that negotiations can start to achieve a lasting peace,” Hussar said. He added that Russia could not set restrictions on Ukraine’s accession to the European Union or NATO, and that no decisions could be taken concerning Ukraine without Ukraine. Hussar stressed the need to continue pressuring the aggressor. “We need to strengthen the sanctions and start using Russia’s frozen assets to support and rebuild Ukraine, and Ukraine also needs security guarantees from us.”

The participants also discussed developments in their own countries, followed by a thorough discussion about ensuring the resilience of parliaments in possible crisis situations.

Other Speakers present in the meeting besides Hussar were Þórunn Sveinbjarnardóttir from the Icelandic, Daiga Mieriņa from the Latvian, Andreas Norlén from the Swedish, and Jussi Halla-aho from the Finnish parliaments. The Norwegian and Lithuanian parliaments were represented by Vice-Presidents Svein Harberg and Juozas Olekas. The Speakers also met President Alar Karis this morning. The Secretaries General of the Nordic and Baltic parliaments met yesterday as part of the framework of the Speakers’ meeting.

Photos (Erik Peinar / Chancellery of the Riigikogu)

Riigikogu Press Service
Merilin Kruuse
+372 631 6592; +372 510 6179
merilin.kruuse@riigikogu.ee
Questions: press@riigikogu.ee

Link uudisele: Nordic and Baltic Speakers plan to boost cooperation

Source: Parliament of Estonia