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“The small and medium European Union (EU) member states have to cooperate more actively to succeed in representing their interests in the EU decision-making process,” said Solvita Āboltiņa, Speaker of the Saeima on Monday, 11 June, during her meeting with Barbara Prammer, President of the Austrian National Council, upon whose invitation from 10 to 12 June Solvita Āboltiņa is officially visiting Vienna, Austria.

“As small EU member states, Latvia and Austria should engage in mutual consultations to foster creation of cooperation network among the small and medium member states,” said Āboltiņa. “It is essential for the EU to take into account the interests of these countries as well. Therefore, the smaller countries should engage in mutual consultations about their interests regarding important issues. A good example would be the current negotiations about the EU’s Multiannual Financial Framework,” said the Speaker.

As a part of discussion about the current economic situation in Europe, Barbara Prammer pointed out that Austria has not been exempt from experiencing the negative impact of the crisis. Āboltiņa, in turn, shared Latvia’s experience in overcoming the crisis, pointing out that Latvia’s success had been forged through the solidarity of its people, who agreed to bear the burden of austerity measures. The Speaker of the Saeima also referred to Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, who, during her recent visit to Latvia, not only praised Latvia’s achievements but also noted that they had even exceeded everyone’s expectations. “This is why Latvia has to maintain its current course – joining the euro area, and in this process it is important for us to be able to rely on objective Maastricht criteria unimpeded by political obstacles,” said Āboltiņa.

During the meeting, the Austrian counterpart expressed interest in regional policy issues, including cooperation among the three Baltic States and on a broader scale. The Speaker of the Saeima described the multilayer cooperation established by the three Baltic States, including the parliamentary level; she also pointed out the ever increasing cooperation in the so-called NB8 format, that is, between the Baltic States and the Nordic countries. Āboltiņa stressed that such regional cooperation has political significance and practical benefits.

Both sides agreed that relations between Latvia and Austria are genuinely good and diverse on all political levels, including the parliamentary level. During the meeting, Speaker Āboltiņa noted that Austria and Latvia are also linked by close cooperation in culture, especially in music. “Latvia takes pride in its Opera House and talented musicians many of whom give concerts in Austria as well. We are proud that Latvian conductor Mariss Jansons has twice directed the Vienna Philharmonic at the famous Vienna New Year's Concerts,” said Solvita Āboltiņa.

The Latvian Speaker reminded her counterpart that in 2014 Riga will become the European capital of culture and invited Austrian people and MPs to visit Latvia during this time to learn about our rich and multifaceted cultural life.

During the visit, Āboltiņa will also meet with members of the European Union Affairs Committee of the Austrian National Council, and Wolfgang Waldner, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs. During the visit, the Speaker of the Saeima is accompanied by Jānis Vucāns, Deputy Secretary of the Saeima, and Inese Lībiņa-Egnere, MP representing Zatler’s Reform Party.

Saeima Press Service