Minister Maris Riekstins: national protectionism must not endanger the principles of European solidarity and single market

On 27 February Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins participated in the informal meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Baltic States in Utena, Lithuania.

Upon the initiative of the Lithuanian Foreign Minister Vygaudas Usackas, Latvian Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins and Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Paet together with the US Ambassador in Lithuania John A.Cloud and the Head of the European Commission's Delegation in Vilnius Kestutis Sadauskas took part in a public debate "Five Years of Experience in the EU and NATO. Lessons learnt and future tasks".

During the tri-lateral meeting the ministers had an open exchange of views on the agenda of the informal European Council Meeting to be held on March 1 in Brussels, as well as transatlantic relations, issues of energy and security policy. While discussing the topical regional energy projects, Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins emphasized that the issue of the Baltic-Swedish interconnection plan must not be politicized and the main principle is the development of a united and integrated Baltic energy market. "The question of whether the Swedish-Baltic energy link should go from Sweden to Latvia or to Lithuania cannot be decided among politicians, but rather experts. Therefore, the conclusions of the High Level Group, expected not later than July this year, are of particular importance," said Latvian foreign minister.

In the public debate, evaluating the advantages for the Baltic States provided by their membership in NATO and the EU, the ministers particularly emphasized the security guarantees after membership in the North Atlantic alliance, as well as the freedom of travel, study and work opportunities in the whole Europe, as well as single market as the main benefits of an EU member-state. The Foreign Ministers of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia agreed that the discussion on the solidarity principle and single market is particularly topical in the current circumstances of global economic crisis, when tendencies of wide-spread national protectionism should be avoided. "Currently in several countries with larger financial resources we experience increasing economic protectionism on national level. However, thus coming into conflict with the European solidarity principle, it is impossible to achieve a solution to the global crisis. Geopolitical consequences of the economic crisis should also not be underestimated," underlined foreign minister Maris Riekstins.

Within the framework of the informal meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Baltic States upon the initiative of the Lithuanian side the ministers visited also Daugailiai Secondary school in Utena County and met with the officials of the school and local government.

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