During his visit on 13 February 2013, Vydas Gedvilas, Speaker of the Seimas and the head of the Seimas delegation to Tallinn, had meetings with the President of the Riigikogu Ene Ergma, President of the Republic of Estonia Toomas Hendrik Ilves and Prime Minister Andrus Ansip. The Prime Minister of Estonia commended splendid cooperation among the Baltic States at the European Council and successful conclusion of the negotiations on the EU Multiannual Financial Framework for 2014–2020. He invited the three Baltic states to urgent implementation of Rail Baltica project, the infrastructure project of high significance to the whole region. Speaker Gedvilas assured the Estonian Prime Minister that the Seimas and its Committees fully supported the strategically important project and would make every effort to improve European-gauge rail connections between the Baltic States and West European countries by making use of EU structural funds. Vydas Gedvilas believes the project will undoubtedly contribute to economic prosperity of and attraction of investment to the region. A positive impact of the introduction of the euro on Estonia and the whole region was noted at every meeting during the visit. The major regional energy projects, defence funding, Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of the EU and trilateral cooperation among the Baltic states were also discussed.
Speaker Gedvilas honoured the memory of those who died for Estonia in their fight for its freedom and lay a wreath of flowers at the Monument of War of Independence at Vabaduse (Freedom) Square. The Seimas delegation also visited the NATO Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence where the activities of NATO excellence centres and plans for NATO missions and trainings/exercises in the Baltic states were discussed.
The Seimas delegation also took part in the reception hosted by the Lithuanian Embassy in Tallinn to mark the Day of the Re-establishment of the Lithuanian State. It was another opportunity to interact with President of the Riigikogu Ene Ergma, Prime Minister of Estonia Andrus Ansip, former President of Estonia Arnold Rüütel, foreign diplomats, Estonian politicians and members of the Lithuanian community in Estonia. In his welcoming address Speaker Gedvilas stressed the significance of the 16th of February to the Lithuanian state and recalled a complicated historical period of its re-establishment. He underlined the importance of the Baltic states’ unity in consolidating their statehood and congratulated the people of Estonia on the forthcoming 95th anniversary of the Republic of Estonia.
Secretariat of the Speaker of the Seimas, tel: +370 5 239 6002
