“At the time of the Baltic Way 30 years ago, the unity of our countries was emotional, whereas today it is much more practical. Today it means the ability to combine efforts in the name of important objectives, find solutions where there is a risk of conflict and diversity of opinion, and to act in concert in order to implement joint initiatives and projects,” said Jānis Vucāns, President of the Baltic Assembly (BA) on Friday, 29 November, urging Latvian, Estonian, and Lithuanian MPs to search for solutions to future challenges together.
During the 38th Session of the BA in Riga, Vucāns noted that, in 2019, the organisation has worked together with the executive bodies of the Baltic States to remove barriers and enhance cooperation in the following areas: security and defence, education and research, circular economy, energy and transport, artificial intelligence, and health care. In addition, the Baltic States have intensified their cooperation in the economic sector, joint military procurements, climate policy, joint investments in renewable energy projects; they have coordinated measures for the representation of Baltic interests in distant markets and the creation of a framework for innovation.
The expansion of our cooperation is a positive trend, and, compared to previous years, the Baltic coordination of positions towards the EU agenda has become more intensive and goal-oriented, stressed Vucāns.
Vucāns highlighted Rail Baltica as the largest and most important regional project on the Baltic States’ cooperation agenda now and for several years to come. Another important task, according to the Head of the Latvian delegation to the BA, is the synchronisation of Baltic electricity networks with the continental European network.
In regard to developments in the health care sector, Vucāns underlined cooperation in exchange of organs for transplantation, as well as joint procurements of medicine. Several joint procurements of vaccines have already been carried out, significantly reducing the procurement price, thus saving costs. Plans for the upcoming year include further cooperation by organising joint procurements of not only vaccines, but other medicines and medical supplies as well.
A significant achievement in the field of culture, initiated by the BA, is the launch of the Baltic Culture Fund in early 2019. However, Vucāns pointed out, the activities of the Fund should be improved, namely, the Fund should support not only cultural projects aimed at promoting the Baltic States abroad, but also those with the goal of increasing unity and recognition within the Baltics.
In the field of higher education, Vucāns commended as a major achievement the agreement on automatic recognition of academic qualifications in the three Baltic States. The agreement lessens the administrative burden on graduates, provides an opportunity to enrol in higher education institutions in other Baltic countries, and provides easier integration in the common labour market of the Baltic States, asserted Vucāns.
“The Baltic cooperation is a day-to-day process. Considering the current geopolitical circumstances, it is crucial that the Baltic States support and strengthen one another, act in concert and defend common interests,” stated Vucāns in his address to the participants of the 38th session of the BA.
About the Baltic Assembly:
Latvia assumed the year-long presidency of the Baltic Assembly on 1 January 2019.
The Baltic Assembly is an interparliamentary cooperation organisation of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania established on 8 November 1991. Each national parliament of the Baltic States is represented in the Baltic Assembly by 12 to 16 members of parliament. It is a coordinating and consultative organisation which has a right to express its opinion to the national parliaments and governments of the Baltic States, as well as the Baltic Council of Ministers, in the form of resolutions, decisions, declarations and recommendations; it also has a right to request the above‑mentioned bodies to provide information on cross-border issues that are high on the Baltic Assembly’s agenda.
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