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“It is important to strengthen Baltic unity because it is as relevant today as it was twenty years ago,” pointed out Solvita Āboltiņa, Speaker of the Saeima, on Wednesday, 12 December, during her meeting with Vydas Gedvilas, Speaker of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania, who is on his official visit to Latvia.

When welcoming the honourable guest to the Saeima, Speaker Āboltiņa expressed appreciation for the fact that the first visit of the Speaker of the Seimas to Latvia is also his first foreign visit and noted that this attests to the close and continuous cooperation between the parliaments of our countries.

During the meeting, the Speaker of the Saeima outlined further steps which can be taken in the cooperation between Latvia and Lithuania, as well as emphasised that especially during the coming months before the next Multiannual Financial Framework of the European Union is adopted both countries should harmonise and coordinate their positions. “If Latvia and Lithuania express their opinions jointly, there is a greater chance for them to be heard on the European level,” said Solvita Āboltiņa.

“We should cooperate just as actively with regard to our upcoming presidencies of the Council of the European Union because Lithuania will be the first of the Baltic States to assume the presidency already in the second half of next year,” said Speaker Āboltiņa; she confirmed Latvia’s readiness to cooperate with Lithuania during its presidency of the Council of the European Union and to ensure continuity of its priorities.

With regard to bilateral relations between Latvia and Lithuania the Speaker of the Saeima indicated that currently they are developing very successfully. “Lithuania is Latvia’s second largest economic cooperation partner. Together we are involved in large-scale regional energy, transport and education projects. There is multifaceted cooperation between local governments, schools and universities, as well as in the sphere of culture,” Speaker Āboltiņa said and noted that both countries are partners in more than 100 cross-border cooperation projects. The Speaker of the Saeima also indicated that as soon as the new Lithuanian government is approved, discussions on such projects as the Visaginas NPP and Rail Baltica will be resumed.

Furthermore, during her meeting with the Speaker of the Seimas, Solvita Āboltiņa emphasised the issue of parliamentary cooperation by highlighting its current and future significance. Speaker Āboltiņa indicated that the group for interparliamentary relations with Lithuania established at the Saeima is a good foundation for cooperation between the Latvian and Lithuanian parliaments and noted that both parliaments are successfully cooperating on the committee level, as well as within the framework of international organisations, including the Baltic Assembly. Vydas Gedvilas, Speaker of the Saeimas, extended an invitation to Solvita Āboltiņa to visit Lithuania on an official visit.

When addressing the issue of regional cooperation, both Speakers were of an opinion that increasingly closer cooperation on regional level is essential, and agreed that Latvia and Lithuania should join their efforts in addressing issues that are relevant to both countries. Speaker Āboltiņa said that Latvia and Lithuania will continue to cooperate within the Baltic Assembly and the Nordic – Baltic (NB8) format.

Photos from the meeting are available at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/saeima/sets/72157632225928459/When using the material, please give credit to the Saeima Chancellery.

Saeima Press Service