Speech Holznagel ENG

Contributionof the1st Vice-President of theLand Parliament Mecklenburg-Western PomeraniaRenate Holznagelon the occasion of the18th Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference„New Security Challenges“Third session„New threats to security“Discussion1st September 2009NyborgDenmarkEmbargo until deliveryCheck against delivery1Ladies and Gentlemen,With the ship hijacking of the cargo vessel „Arctic Sea“ in the Baltic Sea the threat tosecurity by criminal activities has reached a new dimension. We hope that this is anisolated incidence and that the people living in the Baltic Sea States won’t have to copewith incidents like this in the future.Twenty years after the fall of the Iron Curtain the freedom of movement without borders istaken for granted as well within the Baltic Sea Region. In order to fully exhaust theresulting economical, social and touristic potential organized cross-border crime has to befought consistently.This concerns drug trafficking, corruption, prostitution as well as trafficking in humanbeings and illegal migration – topics the working group on Labour Market and SocialWelfare is concerned with, as these crimes reflect the dark side of cross-border labourmarket and mobility.Ladies and Gentlemen,Another field is Maritime Safety, of which at least trade and security of energy supply aredependent as the fundamental basis of our economy:Therefore, the Southern Baltic Sea Parliamentary Forum supported the establishment ofthe Surveillance Cooperation Baltic Sea – SUCBAS – in July, not only to improve maritimesafety with view to environmental dangers and accidents but also with view to theprevention and prosecution of criminal action. For this reason it is important and proper tosupport the establishment of a sea surveillance system for the Baltic Sea as a whole in thisyear’s resolution of the BSPC.Of course, this is not only a matter of support! Most important is – and that is how wecomprehend this passage and I think we all share that opinion – that all Baltic Sea Statesjoin in to make this system most effective.With view to improving safety in ports I informed you about the GALILEO-System of theResearch Port Rostock-Warnemünde in Visby last year which in the meantime hasachieved good progress. I would like to invite the Baltic Sea States to take part in thisnetwork to improve maritime safety and to support innovative navigation technology.In this respect we carry on conversations with Polish and Finish institutions at the moment.The support of such a network by all Baltic Sea Regions would be helpful as well.2Ladies and Gentlemen,The Southern Baltic Sea Parliamentary Forum demands a close cooperation of thesecurity authorities in the Baltic Sea States to fight cross-border crime as well as toforcefully exhaust existing remedies, ladies and gentlemen. Insofar I really welcome thatthis matter has been taken up in the section of civil security in the region in this year’sBSPC resolution.In this context I would like to refer to the good and successful cooperation with our Polishneighbours. In addition to a close networking on working level events like the annual„Gdansk Talks” organized by the Land Bureau of Criminal Investigation and thePomeranian Voivodeship Office contribute to this cooperation. Focus of the “GdanskTalks” is exchange of information and data between the police authorities asprofessor Weitemeier has already summed up. The conference shall contribute to anutmost extent of concerted cooperation on international level.Exchange of information important for security and law enforcement is primarily carried outby different bi- and multilateral agreements at the moment. The pan-European aspect hasto be intensified in the future.The Security Conference with 140 partaking experts of 14 countries took place for the firsttime in Rostock in October last year under the topic “International cooperation to assurePublic Safety“. This year the main focus is “Security in tourism”. As well in this connectionthe protection of sensitive infrastructure is very important as for example cruise terminalsin ports.The meeting of the Attorneys General of the Baltic Sea Region will take place in Lübeck on30th September – 2nd October organised by the Federal Ministry of Justice and theMinistries of Justice of the Lands Schleswig-Holstein and Mecklenburg-WesternPomerania. Subject of the conference will the question of legal assistance.It is welcomed that the new EU-strategy for the Baltic Sea Region takes up cooperationapproaches already existing within the framework of the Council of the Baltic States in thefield of cross-border criminal action, as well. Therewith, we hope to give additionalimpulse so that the big advantage of the Baltic Sea as a means of connection is notreduced by organised crime.Thank you very much for your attention.3Landtag Mecklenburg-Vorpommern1. VizepräsidentinRenate HolznagelSchloss SchwerinLennéstraße 119053 Schwerin (DEUTSCHLAND)Telefon: +49 385 525.2213Telefax: +49 385 525.2255eMail: renate.holznagel@landtag-mv.deWeb: www.landtag-mv.de4