Ways to jointly overcome emerging challenges in the Baltic States were discussed at the Session of the Baltic Assembly

Press release, 5 November 2021 

 

Having met at its 40th Session, the Baltic Assembly discussed the current developments in and cooperation among the Baltic States, joint measures to mitigate the impact of the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, energy security in the Baltic region and the role of the Baltic States in addressing the security challenges at the external borders of the European Union and adopted a resolution and a final document of the Session.

 

The Baltic Assembly tabled proposals to the Baltic Parliaments, Governments and the Baltic Council of Ministers on the abovementioned and other matters addressed at the Session.

 

In the opinion of the Baltic Assembly, there is a need to strengthen and broaden defence cooperation of the Baltic States and with the partners in Nordic and Benelux countries. At the same time, the Baltic Assembly emphasizes the significant role of Allied deterrence and defence posture in the region, especially the importance of and necessity for the permanent U.S. presence.

 

In the Resolution, the Baltic Assembly calls on the Baltic countries to enable the development of the potential of the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence, to attract funding for enlarging the cyber defence exercises in the Baltic States, thus improving the cyber defence capacity in the region, and to support initiatives that strengthen the single airspace corridor from Poland to Estonia and solve military mobility challenges in the Suwałki Gap;

 

The Resolution also invites the Baltic States to draw up a plan for effective implementation of border checks during crisis situations and intensify cross-border cooperation of the Baltic States on the situation in Belarus and the hybrid attacks on Latvia, Lithuania and Poland carried out by Alexander Lukashenko’s regime.

 

The Assembly proposes that the Baltic States prepare a joint long-term plan for addressing the health crisis created by COVID-19, thus ensuring efficient coordination of planned activities and measures, the exchange of information, and estimation of potential impact.

 

The Baltic Assembly calls on the Baltic Parliaments and Governments, as well as the Baltic Council of Ministers, to reconfirm the commitment of the Baltic States to prevent the region from being flooded with electricity produced at the Astravyets nuclear power plant.

 

The Resolution also contains proposals for economic cooperation between the Baltic States, the common Baltic electricity and gas market, new partnerships in the field of education, science and research, cooperation on clean energy transition and development of renewable energy projects.

The 41st session of the Baltic Assembly is scheduled to take place in Riga on 27–28 October 2022. Next year, the Presidency of the Baltic Assembly will be held by Latvia. The priorities of the Baltic Assembly for 2022 include rapid recovery and sustainable growth of the Baltic States, socially protected people living in a safe and resilient Baltic region, and interconnected and innovative Baltic States.

Photo by Olga Posaškova, Office of the Seimas

 

The Baltic Assembly (BA) is an international organisation for cooperation established by the Lithuanian, Estonian and Latvian Parliaments three decades ago, on 8 November 1991. The BA Session is the supreme body of the organisation.

 

 

 

Rimas Rudaitis, Adviser, Press Office, Information and Communication Department, tel. +370 5 239 6132, e-mail: [email protected]