19 November 2010,
press release
Members of the European Economic and Social
Committee,
President of the Committee,
Conference organisers and participants,
Ladies and Gentlemen!
The reason for todays meeting is the economic
situation that is common to a number of states. For 3 years already, it has
been forcing us seek solutions to the challenges of the crisis. The processes
that started two years ago shocked us and made the essential corrections in the
global, European, and national economic development revealing the weak sides of
our economic, social, and other areas of life. We are all well aware of the
consequences thereof: the fall of GDP, economic depression, unemployment, and a
new wave of emigration to the more affluent countries. The financial and
economic crisis also caused the crisis of employment.
It is true that today one can more often hear
some optimistic voices about the crisis subsiding. However, I believe that it
is too early to rejoice; it would be more appropriate and wiser to take a
careful approach towards the future and learn the todays lessons the best we
can in order to avoid similar mistakes in the future. Probably most would agree
with the presumption that the crisis is neither the first nor the last one.
Economies and financial markets have experienced ups and downs and will
continue to experience them. It is more important to look for universal and
more efficient ways to address social and employment problems as well as those
related to social security. This is equally topical for the Baltic
States as well as for the other EU Member States. It is not
possible for one single or singled out country to return to the economic
prosperity and economic stability; it can be achieved only through joint and
integrated efforts.
The Baltic countries work on addressing the
problems on their own and at the same time they openly expect the solidarity of
colleagues from the EU Member States. Moreover, the crisis hit the Baltic States just a few years after accession to the EU
following a very intensive period of economic growth. A sudden fall and a
different reality became not only an economic, but also a psychological factor
that strongly affected our societies. Therefore, the Baltic countries are in
great need of the EU consultancy assistance and a greater focus of the EU
institutions on the impact of the crisis on employment and social cohesion,
namely, in the Baltic States. When aiming for
real social cohesion, an appropriate programme on social actions is needed in
order to promote job creation and acquisition of new skills.
Ladies and Gentlemen, the European Economic and
Social Committee has just been renewed for another
five-year term. I sincerely wish the Committee to be proactive. I wish active
and constructive work, abundance of new ideas and proposals. Your new ideas and
proposals are vital, wherever we live in the Baltic
States or elsewhere. I also believe that todays conference will
contribute to economic revival and growth processes and, beyond doubt, to the
mitigation of social tension, finding solutions to employment problems as well
as other efforts aimed at meeting the topical challenges of today.
This is my wish for you and for all of us
involved in this work. I also wish you lively interaction, fruitful work, and
effective solutions.
Irena Degutienė
Speaker of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania
