Speaker of the Seimas opened the 37th Session of the Baltic Assembly

Press release, 26 October 2018

Photo of the Office of the Seimas (author Olga Posaškova)

On 25–26 October 2018, the 37th Baltic Assembly and the 24th Baltic Council took place in Vilnius. At the opening of the event, Viktoras Pranckietis, Speaker of the Seimas, said that this format of cross-border cooperation ensured mediation among the institutions of our three countries and facilitated communication and useful solutions.

Last year, 80 % of the recommendations adopted by the Baltic Assembly were implemented. This year has progressed bringing three important agreements, namely the Agreement on the Automatic Academic Recognition of Qualifications Concerning Higher Education signed by the Baltic States on 28 June; the Agreement on the Establishment of the Baltic Culture Fund signed in Riga on 8 July; and the Agreement on the Cross-border Cooperation in the Provision of Ambulance Services in the Border Area between Lithuania and Latvia signed on 3 October.

In 2019, the Baltic Assembly will prioritise defence and security matters. The implementation of different sectoral projects, including Rail Baltica and synchronisation of electricity networks with the European continental networks, is an important instrument for ensuring regional security and defence.

“We need to give a timely, unanimous and resolute response to cyber, hybrid and nuclear threats. Harmonisation of common policies, establishment of new partnerships, representation of shared interests, experience sharing, and coordination between our national parliaments and governments are among the most important tasks of the Baltic Assembly,” said Mr Pranckietis when opening the Session.

The Speaker of the Seimas highlighted that the current political realities were forcing us to think about new ambitious goals. We are entering a stage of economic processes in the face of a geopolitical reality. It is now time to look anew into the format and operational principles of the Baltic Assembly.

The Baltic Assembly was established in Tallinn on 8 November 1991 as an international organisation for the cooperation among the Lithuanian, Estonian and Latvian parliaments. The Secretariat of the Baltic Assembly is based in Riga, Latvia.

Karolina Frolovienė, Spokesperson for the Speaker of the Seimas, tel.+370 5 239 6016, e-mail: [email protected]