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We aim to fortify cooperation with our Baltic neighbours in the border areas. As Russian will no longer be taught in Latvian schools, in the future, Estonian could potentially replace it as the second foreign language in the northern border regions of the country, while Latvian could be integrated into the Estonian school curriculum. This would not only reinforce the position of our national languages against other foreign languages, but also address the shortage of foreign language teachers, as stated by Daiga Mieriņa, Speaker of the Saeima, during her official visit to Tallinn, Estonia, on Tuesday, 3 October.
In Tallinn, Mieriņa visited the Estonian Parliament and met with its Speaker Lauri Hussar. She also held bilateral meetings with the President of Estonia Alar Karis and the Prime Minister of Estonia Kaja Kallas. Discussions revolved around bilateral relations and economic cooperation, regional mobility and energy connectivity projects, security collaboration, and unwavering support for Ukraine.
We can achieve more together by fostering strong neighbourly relations and joining forces. We share a common vision of what needs to be done together, both for the growth of the Baltic region and on a broader foreign policy scale—we see it every day at all levels of cooperation, the Speaker of the Saeima told her Estonian counterparts.
Mobility is vital for regional development, which includes promoting the establishment of a rail link between Riga and Tartu. The major joint project Rail Baltica is important not only for economic purposes, but also for military mobility. Equally crucial is the future extension of this railway beyond Tallinn, establishing a connection to the north, thus linking us with our NATO partners in Scandinavia, noted Mieriņa.
Discussing military cooperation, the Speaker of the Estonian Parliament Lauri Hussar appreciated the collaborative efforts of Latvia and Estonia in defence, particularly in joint military procurement and the establishment of a unified air defence system.
As underscored by Mieriņa, there is no doubt that the Baltic States share a unified understanding that providing support to Ukraine is crucial and that Ukraine’s victory must be achieved as soon as possible. Our support to Ukraine is unwavering in its determination. We must continue to lead the way in convincing other countries that the support must remain strong.
The officials agreed on prioritising effective implementation of sanctions against Russia. We need to work together and also mobilise the resources of the European Union to prevent the circumvention of sanctions through third countries. Latvia is opposed to restoring the opportunity for Russian athletes to participate in international competitions under a neutral flag, as this, too, would circumvent sanctions. We need to work together to change the mindset of some Western countries on this issue, said Mieriņa.
Latvia and Estonia are interested in breaking down digital borders so that services provided by one country are available in the neighbouring country as well. For example, to facilitate the lives of citizens in both countries, e-prescriptions issued in one country will be valid to receive medicines in the other one. This solution will be available starting from February next year.
This is the first foreign visit of the Speaker of the Saeima after taking office, and on Friday, 6 October, she will visit Lithuania.
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Saeima Press Service