“Latvia and Ireland are like-minded countries with a shared understanding of the most important issues facing the European Union, as well as successful cooperation within international organisations,” emphasised Daiga Mieriņa, Speaker of the Saeima,  during her visit to Dublin on Tuesday, 30 September, where she met with representatives of the Parliament of Ireland.

During her meetings with Verona Murphy, Ceann Comhairle of the Dáil Éireann, and Mark Daly, Cathaoirleach of the Seanad Éireann, Speaker Mieriņa discussed boosting security in the European region, opportunities for deepening bilateral relations, and continued support for Ukraine.

The Speaker of the Saeima expressed her gratitude to Ireland for supporting Latvia in the UN Security Council elections and underlined that Latvia’s priorities include unwavering support for Ukraine, peace in the Middle East, and the promotion of human rights.

On the topic of security, Speaker Mieriņa noted that Russia will continue to test NATO and EU’s readiness and attempt to undermine unity. She highlighted the impact of Russian disinformation on European democracies. “No one in Europe is shielded from Russia’s lies,” she stated.

The Speaker also highlighted Latvia’s economic development priorities. “Our bilateral cooperation shows steady growth in trade and a breakthrough in investment, yet there is still untapped potential. Latvia’s scientific capacity is particularly strong in the field of technology, with notable achievements in quantum technologies, photonics, and artificial intelligence. Our goal is to advance high value-added sectors, such as information and communication technologies, green energy, and the defence industry,” said Speaker Mieriņa.

During her visit, the Speaker of the Saeima also met with representatives of the Latvian diaspora in Ireland and visited University College Dublin’s Centre for Space Research and the Book of Kells Experience.

Speaker Mieriņa was accompanied on her visit by Raimonds Bergmanis, Chair of the Saeima Defence, Internal Affairs and Corruption Prevention Committee.

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Saeima Press Service