Conference Report (English)

Baltic Sea Parliamentary ConferenceBaltic Sea: Quest for Harmony23nd Baltic Sea ParliamentaryConference23Baltic Sea:Quest for Harmony23nd Baltic Sea ParliamentaryConferenceOlsztyn, Poland, on 24–26 August 20142Baltic Sea: Quest for Harmony The Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference23rd Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference (BSPC) was established in 1991 as a forumfor political dialogue between parliamentari-ans from the Baltic Sea Region. BSPC aims at© Landtag Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, raising awareness and opinion on issues ofSchwerin 2015 current political interest and relevance for theText: Piotr Krasnowolski Baltic Sea Region. It promotes and drives var-Editing: Bodo Bahr, Georg Strätker, ious initiatives and efforts to support a sus-Florian Lipowski tainable environmental, social and economicLayout: produktionsbüro TINUS development of the Baltic Sea Region. ItPhotos: Office for International and European strives at enhancing the visibility of the BalticUnion Affairs, Chancellery of the Senate of the Sea Region and its issues in a wider EuropeanRepublic of Poland context.Print: produktionsbüro TINUS BSPC gathers parliamentarians from 11Copies: 250 national parliaments, 11 regional parliamentsPrinted on environmentally-friendly paper and 5 parliamentary organizations around thePrinted in Germany Baltic Sea. The BSPC thus constitutes aunique parliamentary bridge between all theEU- and non-EU countries of the Baltic SeaRegion.BSPC external interfaces include parlia-mentary, governmental, sub-regional and oth-er organizations in the Baltic Sea Region andthe Northern Dimension area, among themCBSS, HELCOM, the Northern DimensionPartnership in Health and Social Well-Being(NDPHS), the Baltic Sea Labour Forum(BSLF), the Baltic Sea States Sub-regionalBaltic Sea Parliamentary Conference Cooperation (BSSSC) and the Baltic Devel-www.bspc.net opment Forum.BSPC shall initiate and guide political ac-Bodo Bahr tivities in the region; support and strengthenHead of BSPC Secretariat democratic institutions in the participatingbb@bspc.net states; improve dialogue between govern-ments, parliaments and civil society; strength-en the common identity of the Baltic Sea Re-gion by means of close co-operation betweenBSPC Secretariat national and regional parliaments on the basisc/o Lennéstraße 1 of equality; and initiate and guide political19053 Schwerin activities in the Baltic Sea Region, endowingGermany them with additional democratic legitimacyPhone (+49) 385 525 2777 and parliamentary authority.The political recommendations of the an-nual Parliamentary Conferences are expressedin a Conference Resolution adopted by con-sensus by the Conference. The adopted Reso-lution shall be submitted to the governmentsof the Baltic Sea Region, the CBSS and theEU, and disseminated to other relevant na-tional, regional and local stakeholders in theBaltic Sea Region and its neighbourhood.3IntroductionLadies and Gentlemen,The 23rd Parliamentary conference took place in Olsztyn, the cap-ital of Warmia and Mazury: the land of lakes and forests, situatedin the centre of the southern Baltic region. The Library of the Uni-versity of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn provided the meetingvenue for 200 parliamentarians, experts, and officials to discuss thefuture of the Baltic Sea Region in the context of its valuable cul-tural and natural heritage.Juxtaposed against the dramatic events in the near vicinity of theregion, the title of this year’s conference – Baltic Sea: Quest forHarmony – has acquired a special significance. I am glad that rep-resentatives of all the countries of the Baltic Sea Region arrived inOlsztyn despite the political turmoil. Open, honest, and in manycases heated debate made us clearly aware that the future of the re-gion depends on all of us, and we must all cooperate to achieve it.I believe that by looking into the past, discussing the history, herit-age, and culture we share, we are capable of drawing appropriateconclusions for the future. We have, moreover, become aware ofthe value of the political dialogue conducted for the last 23 yearsat the BSPC forum and of its achievements. I am convinced thatits continuation lies in the active interest of all the people of theregion in view of the number of challenges that we are facing. Thestill burning ecological problems, including the fight against the4eutrophication and pollution of the Baltic, should always remainthe focus of our attention. Activities in support of sustainable de-velopment and building up an economy founded on clean tech-nologies and innovation will only be efficient with an extensive in-volvement of our communities and the potential vested in youngpeople. We are not yet fully aware of the threats and dangers thatresult from the demographic processes in the region, yet these maysoon have a significant impact on its condition.Let me thank all the speakers and participants who contributed tothe success of the conference. May I be allowed to address specialthanks to the President of the Senate of the Republic of Poland,H.E. Bogdan Borusewicz, for the opening address and to the Mar-shal of the Warmia and Mazury Region, Mr Jacek Protas, for thewarm welcome given to the conference participants.I also thank the administration of the Senate of the Republic ofPoland and my collaborators from the University of Warmia andMazury in Olsztyn for the perfect preparation of the conference,and also to all who have contributed to its success.Let me thank the Secretary of the Polish Delegation, Mr Piotr Ko-perski, for his support and involvement throughout the PolishPresidency of the BSPC, and to the BSPC Secretary-General, MrJan Widberg, for leading me so confidently through all the BSPCpractice, and for his precious advice.Entrusting the BSPC Presidency to Ms Silvia Bretschneider, theChairwoman of the BSPC in 2014–15, I wish her plenty of suc-cess and satisfaction, and I already look forward impatiently to ournext meeting in 2015.Ryszard Górecki, Senator of the Republic of PolandChairman of the BSPC 2013–145ContentsOpening of the Conference ............................ 7Session oneCooperation in theBaltic Sea Region ................................... 11Session twoEnvironmental legacy –environmental challenges ............................ 29Session threeBaltic Sea Cultural Heritage – Providing orientationfor a good partnership ............................... 37Session fourThe Baltic Sea Region in search of a harmoniousand sustainable future ............................... 53Closure of the 23rd BSPC ............................ 63Annexes:Conference Resolution .............................. 69Programme ........................................ 74List of participants .................................. 816 Opening of the ConferenceOpening of the Conference 7Opening of the ConferenceMr Ryszard GóreckiMr Ryszard Górecki, member of the Polish Parliament, Chairman ofthe BSPC, welcomed those participating in the conference held inthe building of the Library of the University of Warmia and Ma-zury in Olsztyn. The Conference followed the central theme –Quest for Harmony: cultural and natural heritage as an element ofharmonious development of the Baltic Sea Region. Mr Chairmanexpressed his hope that the papers delivered during the conferencewould contribute to a lively discussion concerning the planningand implementation of joint projects on the protection of the nat-ural environment and cultural heritage in the Baltic Sea Region.He also emphasised that the mission of the BSPC is to increasepublic awareness and prepare joint opinions on current politicalproblems and other issues in the Baltic Sea Region.H.E. Bogdan Borusewicz, President of the Senate of the Republicof Poland, emphasised that it is the third time that Poland hashosted the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference – the most impor-tant forum of parliamentary exchange in the region. He expressedthe opinion that the Baltic Sea Region is an area of growing poten-tial for cooperation, ever better integrated and prosperous, whichis currently facing an opportunity to reinforce its position in boththe European and global dimension. Realistic opportunities for8 Opening of the ConferenceH.E. Bogdan Borusewiczimproving the competitive edge and innovation and for furtherdevelopment of infrastructure and transport routes are present inthe region. The region boasts high economic development indices,with European integration providing the driving force, and theEuropean Union providing good prospects for preventing crisesand ensuring the continuation of cooperation and development.Furthermore the speaker emphasised the fact that the potential forcooperation is increasing, as validated by a broad range of initiativesand an array of forms of cooperation in various fields. Yet taking ad-vantage of new opportunities calls for the joint action of all the part-ners to develop better conditions on the scale of the whole region.Thanks to the cooperation structures and links developed at variouslevels, the region has the tools to let it reinforce the sense of commu-nity and regional identity at its disposal. The Baltic Sea Region,however, stands predominantly for its vast human potential.He emphasised that trust is the foundation for the harmony thatwe would like to see functioning at the scale of the entire region.Nevertheless, as an aftermath of the Russian-Ukrainian crisis, theBaltic Sea Region is facing the most significant challenge since theend of the cold war. There exists a real danger of a significant dete-rioration in the climate of cooperation, cessation of progress, low-ering of the level of trust, a slowdown if not blockage of significantinitiatives and projects. He expressed the conviction that whatmust not happen is that the unique achievements in the develop-ment and integration of the Baltic Sea Region, unique on a globalOpening of the Conference 9Mr Jacek Protasscale, are lost. The speaker emphasised that there is no develop-ment without mutual trust. ‘We are looking for harmony to feelsafe and to look hopeful into the future’.Mr Jacek Protas, Marshal of the Warmia and Mazury Region,welcomed the representatives of the conference to the region onbehalf of its authorities. He presented the Warmia and MazuryRegion, its natural and cultural wealth and variety, and empha-sised that it belongs to the family of the Baltic Sea Region. Refer-ring to the guiding theme of the 23rd BSPC, the Marshal em-phasised that the region shares a vision in which economicgrowth and success is aligned with the protection of universalvalues, notably nature and stewardship of the environment andcare for the heritage of previous centuries and bygone cultures.He emphasised that the region’s priorities in development focuson the challenges of modernity. ‘We want to be an open societyin an economically competitive region with modern infrastruc-ture’, he said. The strategic plans of the region speak of the needto respect nature, which is the hallmark of Warmia and Mazury,and an element of sustainable growth. Until 2020, the regionstrives to further develop the high-tech and knowledge-basedeconomy, in line with its sustainable development vision.10 Opening of the ConferenceSession one 11Session oneCooperation in theBaltic Sea RegionMr Ryszard Górecki, Chairman of the BSPC, pointed out the factthat the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference, a forum for politicaldialogue between parliamentarians of the whole region, was set upin 1991 at a difficult time of profound political transformations inthe region and great uncertainty concerning future development. Henoted that currently we observe that the Eastern neighbourhood ofthe region is ravished by violent and dramatic events. The crisis inUkraine continues, and the number of victims is mounting. He em-phasised that the vicious circle of violence should be broken by hon-est initiatives that will make it possible to find a lasting solution toMr Ryszard Góreckithe crisis. It is very important to condemn acts of violence and casesof the breaking of international law and breaching human rights.The already existing mechanisms, networks, and institutions shouldbe fully involved in the support of political dialogue leading to thereconstruction of trust so as to find means and ways of solving thatcrisis. He recognised that today, much like in 1991, a forum like theBSPC is highly needed in a time of crisis.12 Session oneFurthermore, he pointed out the fact that a few years ago the Bal-tic Sea Region was still submerged in a deep and profound eco-nomic recession. The savings initiatives undertaken, at times pain-ful for the communities, helped to fuel the economy, but nonethe-less, while problems continue both in the economy and in the la-bour market, the Baltic Sea Region is proving to have the highestpace of growth throughout the European Union. The proper useand implementation of innovations, not only for industrial pro-duction but also in administration and management, is of specialsignificance for the region’s economies.The speaker emphasised the significance of the Baltic Marine Envi-ronment Protection Commission, that is HELCOM, which playsa leading role in the efforts to further the promotion of the sus-tainable use of natural resources in the region. He expressed satis-faction that HELCOM notices a progress in the environmentalprotection of the Baltic Sea Region, and pointed to the need tospeed up the works furthering the implementation of the HEL-COM Baltic Sea Action Plan.He advocated the expansion of the BSPC’s external contacts, em-phasising that the BSPC runs a permanent dialogue with CBSSon the political and administrative levels, and strives to coordi-nate its political priorities with those of the CBSS. He notedwith satisfaction the report of the Finnish Presidency of CBSSpresented in January 2014 during the BSPC Standing Commit-tee in Brussels in which the CBSS recognises the BSPC as an im-portant partner and considers BSPC annual conferences and res-olutions an important contribution to the development of re-gional cooperation. He emphasised the need for the involvementof NGOs and youth organisations in various structures of coop-eration in the region, and furthermore expressed satisfaction inreporting on contacts between the BSPC on the one hand, andSEECP and PABSEC on the other.Ms Satu Mattila, Chairwoman of the CBSS Committee of SeniorOfficials 2013–14, presented information concerning the activi-ties of the Finnish Presidency in the CBSS. The Finnish prioritiesunder its Chairmanship were coherence, cooperation, and conti-nuity.As such, she emphasised the significance of long-term cooperationbetween the CBSS and BSPC. One of the examples of such coop-eration was a joint seminar of CBSS, BSPC, and BASREC on en-ergy efficiency, with participation of the Finnish Minister of For-eign Affairs, Mr Erkki Tuomioja.Session one 13Ms Satu MattilaThe CBSS also further intensified its cooperation with HELCOM.Ms Mattila cited a conference in January 2014 on the use of alter-native fuels in maritime transport as an example of work withinthe ‘maritime policy’ priority composed of the promotion of cleanshipping with a special focus on alternative fuels, support forsmart and safe maritime transport, and support for the competi-tive edge of the Baltic Sea Region. During the Baltic Sea Days inTurku in June 2014 a roadmap for the implementation of greentechnologies was developed.The following priority was ‘civil security’: assuring closer coopera-tion in nuclear and radiation security, the development of mul-ti-sector management of maritime accidents, and the reinforce-ment of cooperation between border control institutions. Ms Mat-tila emphasised that no country lying on the Baltic can cope witha major catastrophe on the sea on its own and this pointed to theneed to set up a rescue forum that would cover the entire region.She also informed those present about a conference in Helsinki onassistance for the victims of Trafficking in Human Beings, organ-ised by the CBSS Task Force against Trafficking in Human Beings(CBSS TF-THB) and the CBSS Expert Group on Children atRisk.With the intention of reinforcing the role of civic society and thepromotion of questions of labour as part of the ‘interpersonal con-tacts’ priority, the Finnish Presidency supported the organisationof a forum of non-governmental organisations in Turku and theBaltic Sea Labour Forum (BSLF) meeting in Helsinki.14 Session oneMr Raul MälkThe speaker emphasised the significant role of projects financed bythe CBSS, especially in the field of education and university col-laboration. She informed that the CBSS Committee of Senior Of-ficials also debated questions of culture.During the Finnish Presidency, the CBSS changed the list of itslong-term priorities from five to three. The renewed priorities are:regional identity, a sustainable and prosperous region, and a safeand secure region.Closing, Ms Mattila noted that the political atmosphere changedmidway through the Presidency and the planned CBSS summit inTurku was not held owing to the situation in Ukraine. She consid-ered that, despite the political uncertainty, cooperation in the re-gion should continue on legal, expert, and parliamentary levelswithin the framework of the BSPC.Mr Raul Mälk, Chairman of the CBSS Committee of Senior Offi-cials, representing the Estonian Presidency informed that the pri-ority of the Estonian Presidency will be the practical implementa-tion of the CBSS new long-term priorities implemented duringthe Finnish Presidency and the implementation of activities aimedat the achievement of the goals contained in the Vilnius Declara-tion approved at the CBSS summit in 2008.He emphasised that the Estonian Presidency initiated its work in achanging political and economic environment and it remains un-Session one 15Ms Lina Marcinkutknown how the situation is going to develop, with this uncertaintymaking an impact on numerous processes throughout the region.The situation provides a threat to the stability of the system of se-curity that has developed in recent decades and ensured politicalstability, military restraint, and economic growth. He noted thatthe region continues to struggle with the impact of the economiccrisis from five years ago and that the economic rebound after thecrisis is taking place slowly, and varies from country to country.The Estonian Presidency drew attention to the practical dimensionand efficiency of actions. The new areas of CBSS interest includescientific and research and development efforts. The Estonian Pres-idency supports better cooperation between the existing formatsand a better division of tasks to avoid duplication. The plannedjoint meetings of a wide array of bodies for the attainment of thegoals they share are an example of such an approach. He also pro-vided information on the meetings planned in 2014 and 2015,and emphasised that the CBSS finds the Baltic Sea ParliamentaryConference an important partner.Ms Lina Marcinkut, a representative of the European Commission,Directorate General for Regional and Urban Policy (DG REGIO),presented a report on the EU Baltic Sea Strategy and Northern Di-mension.A series of 21 meetings organised by the DG REGIO with theparticipation of leaders and action coordinators within the EU16 Session oneBaltic Sea Strategy was held in the winter. A number of problems,both policy-related and of a political, technical and financial na-ture, were identified. She informed those present that the docu-ment presenting the results of the meetings was drafted and pre-sented for consultation to Member States. One of the significantquestions is that of the operation of the steering groups.She further informed about the Report on Managing Macro-re-gional Strategies produced in May 2014. The report finds that pro-gress is needed primarily in reinforcing the political leadership anddecision-making process and in increasing the transparency ofwork. The report lists the conditions necessary for ensuring an ef-fective system of managing macro-regional strategies. The reportnames the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference as a good practicein regional high-level discussions concerning the Strategy.The speaker emphasised the significance of the Northern Dimen-sion Environmental Partnership (NDEP) which has significantlyhelped to improve the condition of the Baltic Sea by undertakingwastewater treatment projects in north-western Russia. Such pro-jects have also been launched in Belarus which lies within thecatchment of the Baltic Sea. She presented information about thesuccess of a joint session of interregional working groups in cul-ture: CBSS, the Barents Euro-Arctic Council (BEAC), and theNDEP. At the close of the presentation, the participants in the23rd BSPC Conference were invited to the 6th Annual EU BalticSea Strategy Forum to be held in Latvia in June 2015.Mr Hary Liiv, Chairman of HELCOM, presented the Report onthe HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan. He presented informationon the results of the meeting of HELCOM ministers in Copenha-gen in October 2013, and the declaration that was ratified. Theministers of environment assessed the progress of the implementa-tion of the Baltic Sea Action Plan: one in three actions planned in2007 have already been completed, 10% are still waiting to belaunched, and six out of ten have been partially completed or areat different levels of implementation in individual states.During the meeting, special attention was paid to questions of eu-trophication. It was emphasised that despite the actions undertak-en to mitigate the process, the Baltic Sea is still in a difficult posi-tion and the areas devoid of oxygen have never been larger in thesea’s history. A positive fact is the decrease in the dumping of nu-trients into the Baltic by approximately 10% from 1994 to 2010,with the deposition of nitrates being reduced by 18% and of phos-phates by 16%. It was emphasised that the analyses proved thatSession one 17Mr Hary Liivthe benefits from fighting eutrophication exceed their cost. A de-crease in the emission of pollutants is also the priority of the two-year Estonian Presidency in HELCOM (2014–16), which espe-cially intends to pay attention to development plans in rural areas,the management of water resources, and options for nutrient recy-cling. Another strategic goal of the Baltic Sea Action Plan, namelythe assurance of biodiversity, has not been attained. The numberof protected areas that have grown in the last year by anythingfrom 11% to 12% has been increased, and these areas have alreadyobtained appropriate plans for their development.A regional action plan to limit the level of waste dumped into thewaters of the sea has been drafted and the final version should beapproved the following year. The amount of dangerous substancesdumped into the sea has diminished.Ms Valentina Pivnenko, member of the Duma of the Federal As-sembly of the Russian Federation, informed the participants aboutthe Strategy of socio-economic development of the North-WestFederal District.The strategy defined the respective directions of socio-economicdevelopment of the region and the results that should be achievedat the scale of the entire region. The main goal behind the strategyuntil 2020 is to increase the well-being of the population and off-set and/or reduce the differences in the standard of life in individ-ual territories that lie within the districts.18 Session oneMs Valentina PivnenkoActions have been taken since 2012 in support of the developmentof the economy and innovation, and of removing limitations intransport, energy and infrastructure, which includes 24 nationalprogrammes totalling circa 390 million rubles. Both governmentand the civil society structures will be involved in the implementa-tion of the Strategy.Session one 19The area where the Strategy is being implemented borders with EUmember states. That is why Russia is also interested in combiningthe forces of Russia and the European Union to jointly solve theproblems of the region as part of the coordinated implementationof both the regional strategies embracing the Baltic Sea Region, i.e.the Russian strategy and the strategy of the European Union.Merging the potentials of both strategies is one of the fundamentaltasks of the working group on dialogue, operating in the EU-Rus-sia format set up in 2013. Moreover, Russia participates in the pro-gramme of border cooperation ‘Baltic Sea Region’ designed for2014–20. The priorities in cooperation include innovation in busi-ness, environment and agriculture, transport and safety at sea, civilquestions, and civil safety. The speaker expressed the hope that thepriorities will be taken account of in all forms of cooperation in theBaltic Sea Region.Furthermore, the speaker presented her point of view on the Rus-sian-Ukrainian conflict, considering it an internal conflict inUkraine, and emphasised the humanitarian nature of Russian ac-tivities. She expressed hope for the success of the diplomatic effortfor the peaceful resolution of the crisis.Ms Päivi Kärnä, Project Coordinator at the Baltic Sea NGO Net-work, presented the report from the 12th Baltic Sea NGO Forumheld in Turku (Finland) in June 2014 which brought together 23020 Session oneparticipants. The Forum focused on its main theme: NGOs Creat-ing an Active and Innovative Civil Society.The plenary session of the Forum focused on questions of co-op-eration between the European Union and Russia, the financingof cooperation between non-governmental organisations in theregion, and the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region. The maindocument emphasised interpersonal cooperation and the factthat the Baltic Sea Region should be an area of peaceful coopera-tion. The relationships between Russia and its western neigh-bours should not impact on the cooperation of NGOs withinthe region. Constant cooperation between citizens promotes sta-bility in the region by decreasing tension, promoting traditionand a good neighbourhood, mutual trust, and tolerance. For theNGOs to have an opportunity to fulfil the role, appropriate in-struments for financing their operation should be developed. Theforum also emphasised the question of human rights and minor-ity rights.Ms Daria Akhutina, General Director of the Baltic Sea NGO Fo-rum and Network, shared her remarks on the future and role ofNGO networks in the Baltic Sea Region. She emphasised the spe-cial significance of interpersonal cooperation in our times. Fur-thermore, she recognised that the actions of NGOs can have animpact on the harmonisation of relations within the region. Sheexpressed her belief that interpersonal diplomacy will have an ex-ceedingly important role to play in future, and that currently it isnot sufficiently exploited and appreciated. In her opinion, parlia-mentarians, in their capacity as promoters of contacts within thecivil society of the region, are a natural partner for the activationand streamlining of such activity. She appealed for the launchingof permanent cooperation between the BSPC and the network ofnon-governmental organisations.Recognising the significance of the existing programmes that makeit possible to finance the operation of NGOs, she appealed for anopportunity to also have their funds used by small organisations inthe region. She pointed out that major EU programmes are inac-cessible to small NGOs.Mr Rumen Gechev, member of Bulgarian Parliament and Chair-man of the Economy, Infrastructure and Energy Committee ofthe SEECP (South-East European Cooperation Process), pre-sented information on the development of parliamentary cooper-ation within the SEECP. Collaboration between the SEECPmember states has developed over 15 years. The ParliamentarySession one 21Assembly of the SEECP was set up in Bucharest in 2014 to fur-ther peace, security, solidarity, and neighbourhood cooperation.Recognising that the future of all members of the organisationlies within the European Union, the SEECP Parliamentary As-sembly focuses its activity on the initiation of various forms ofexchanges of experience related to law and its harmonisationwith EU law, the reinforcement of civil dialogue with civil socie-ty, and taking the leading role in the achievement of synergy be-tween actions in regional initiatives and forms of cooperation ineconomic and social development, development of infrastruc-ture, energy, internal affairs and justice, and cooperation in safe-ty and the development of human capital, intensification of dip-lomatic and parliamentarian activity, and the development oflinks with regional, European, and international organisationsand institutions.The speaker informed those present that the model of Baltic coop-eration was to a great extent the role model for the SEECP in thedevelopment of its Parliamentary Assembly. He greatly appreciatedthe cooperation between the secretariats of the SEECP and theBSPC and thanked Ryszard Górecki, Chairman of the BSPC, forhis participation in the inaugural meeting of the SEECP. Further-more, he expressed the conviction that the SEECP will soon applyfor observer status at the BSPC.Ms Alexandra Ehlers, President of the Regional Youth Council ofSchleswig-Holstein, presented a Report on the situation of theMs Alexandra Ehlers22 Session oneBaltic Sea Youth Council. She stated that up to 2012, the Councilhad been financed by all the states of the Baltic Sea Region, andthat after the curtailment of that support, the operation of theCouncil was significantly hampered. Beginning in 2013, theCouncil began collaborating with other youth organisations. In2013 funds were obtained from the EU Strategy for the Baltic SeaRegion. The Baltic Sea Youth Forum in Kiel was successfully or-ganised as part of the Kiel Week 2014 thanks to the support of theSchleswig-Holstein Parliament. The forum is an exchange of opin-ions, positions, and views that are transmitted to politicians. Thespeaker requested support for the Youth Council so as not to losethe achievements of the earlier efforts. She also appealed for strate-gic cooperation with parliamentarians of the Baltic Sea Region.CommentsMs Karin Åström, President of the Nordic Council, emphasisedthe very good parliamentary cooperation that has served thecitizens of the Baltic Sea Region well since the establishment ofthe BSPC. She recognised that in recent years we had witnessedmany crises that have affected Europe, including the currentRussian-Ukrainian conflict, which is having an impact on theclimate of cooperation within the region. On behalf of theNordic Council, she supported the initiation of robust, con-Ms Karin Åström,Session one 23Ms Riitta Myller,structive systems of communication for the setting up of goodcooperation with Russian parliamentarians, appealed for actionin support of avoiding a new Cold War, and expressed hope forgood cooperation and political communication between theNordic Council, the CBSS, and BSPC parliamentarians in thefuture.Ms Riitta Myller, member of the Finnish Parliament, emphasisedthat from the moment of its establishment, the BSPC has helpedstrengthen democratic institutions and the building of trust withinthe Baltic Sea Region. She recognised that it is more importantthan ever before to build up democracy, dialogue and cooperationbetween all the actors in the region.In addition she noted the main problems that many countries inthe region are struggling with, notably the economic slowdownand unemployment among the young. She recognised that inno-vation, development of the digital economy and clean technolo-gies, and green and blue growth, are an opportunity to increasethe level of well-being and the robustness of the region’s societies.Another shared concern is the environmental condition of theBaltic Sea, while the implementation of the goals contained inthe HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan provides the opportunityto improve it.She furthermore recognised that a special emphasis should be laidon the implementation of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region.24 Session oneMr Atis LejišMr Atis Lejiš, member of the Latvian Parliament, pointed to theneed for a reference to the Russian-Ukrainian conflict in the finalresolution of the 23rd BSPC. He pointed to alleged proofs of Rus-sian military activity in Ukraine, and to the events that have animpact on the situation in the Baltic Sea Region, including thesanctions imposed in the response of the Western states to theRussian military actions in Ukraine and the increase of military ac-tivity in the Baltic Sea Region.Mr Bernd Heinemann, Vice President of the Parliament of Schle-swig-Holstein, recognised that the cooperation of young people inthe region provides the grounds for future peaceful development.He informed about the success of the Youth Forum in Kiel inJune. He also recalled that an agreement about the importance ofthe Youth Council was reached during the 22nd BSPC in Pärnu,Estonia. He appealed for action to be taken to support the joint fi-nancing of the Youth Council.Mr Jochen Schulte, member of the Parliament of Mecklenburg-Vor-pommern, BSPC Rapporteur on Integrated Maritime Policy, pre-sented information about the events taking place in Bremen as partof the European Maritime Day. The participants in the eventsagreed that the sustainable consumption of resources will becomeincreasingly significant for the region in the future. To achieve that,it is necessary to use new, green technologies, which in turn requirescooperation between politicians, industry, and scientists. In his com-ments, Mr Schulte emphasised that the BSPC endeavours to initiateSession one 25Mr Jochen Schultesuch cooperation. He furthermore appealed for continuation of thecooperation that has so far taken place in line with the conference’soverarching theme, the Quest for Harmony.Mr Franz Thönnes, member of Parliament of the Federal Republicof Germany, referred to the difficult past of the region and empha-sised the lessons that have been drawn from it, which have resultedMr Franz Thönnes26 Session onein the multitude of levels of cooperation in the Baltic Sea Region.He noted the cancelling of the most recent summit of the Councilof the Baltic Sea States, and expressed his concern at the way thesituation in Ukraine had been developing. He emphasised that theannexation of Crimea is a violation of international law and, assuch, is unacceptable. At the same time, he recognised that anymilitary solution to the conflict is not an option. Furthermore, hepointed out the need for dialogue and constructive de-escalationof the conflict. Mr Thönnes was looking forward with hope to theapproaching meeting of the presidents of Ukraine and Russia. Hefurthermore encouraged a return to the principles agreed in Hel-sinki in the Helsinki Final Act (Helsinki Declaration) of the Con-ference on Security and Co-operation in Europe, and emphasisedthat the level of cooperation achieved around the Baltic Sea cannotbe sacrificed. In his opinion the greatest guarantor of peace is mu-tual trust and the belief that we can act jointly for our overall safe-ty and security.Ms Sylvia BretschneiderMs Sylvia Bretschneider, President of the Parliament of Mecklen-burg-Vorpommern and the BSPC Observer at HELCOM, em-phasised the fruitful cooperation between the BSPC and HEL-COM, which has been continuing for 12 years now. She informedabout her participation (together with Ms Christina Gestrin) inthe Ministerial Meeting of the Helsinki Commission in Copenha-gen and addressing the participants on behalf of the BSPC. SheSession one 27wished every success to the Estonian Presidency of HELCOM,and expressed the hope that HELCOM will maintain its leadingrole in the endeavours to ensure that the Baltic Sea is in good envi-ronmental condition.28 Opening of the ConferenceSession two 29Session twoEnvironmental legacy –environmental challengesMr Andrzej Jagusiewicz, Chief Inspector of Environmental Protec-tion of the Republic of Poland, presented information about se-lected activities carried out by Poland to protect the Baltic Sea en-vironment.He expressed his optimism that Poland would attain the goals ofthe Baltic Sea Action Plan by 2021, including through the imple-mentation of the National Programme of Construction of Waste-water Treatment Plants. The programme, with a budget of €20 bil-lion, covers the construction, expansion and/or modernisation ofwastewater processing plants in all clusters of 2000 or more resi-dents by 2015.The Inspector referred to the problem of chemical munitions lyingin the Baltic. He recalled that Poland leads the UMBRELLA (Un-derwater Munitions Baltic REmediation cluster LeAgue) clusterproject as part of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region, and isactively involved in other projects in the field, namely CHEMSEAMr Andrzej Jagusiewicz30 Session twoand MODUM. He advocated the complete cleaning of certainareas of the Baltic from the chemical munitions that are deposit-ed there and informed members about ambitions to develop thefirst pilot project aimed at the complete clearing of the GdańskDeep of noxious chemicals used in warfare.Furthermore the speaker updated the participants about the effi-cient action that had been taken in order to protect and monitorthe condition of phosphogypsum deposit sites in Poland, andemphasised that the deposits are safe and that their state is beingmonitored in real-time. His account contained news of the jointPolish-Finnish investigation into their condition, and the expres-sion of interest in the situation in phosphogypsum productionplants in other countries.In his closing remarks the inspector advocated open and trans-parent cooperation between all countries lying within the catch-ment of the Baltic Sea, including Belarus and Ukraine, in thespirit of mutual trust.Ms Christina Gestrin, member of the Finnish Parliament, pre-sented a Progress Report on Eutrophication in the Baltic Sea Re-gion recognising that it is the worst problem faced by the BalticSea. She noted that the question has repeatedly been discussed atthe forum of the BSPC. She also recalled that the BSPC had de-veloped and ratified the Clear and Clean report in 2007. This re-port included 25 recommendations on how to reduce the releaseof nutrients into the sea. She emphasised the significance of theHELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan. Its approval in 2007 markedthe start of a more ordered processes of combating ecologicalproblems in the Baltic. A further step was the acceptance of theEU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region in 2009. The inclusion ofthe HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan in the strategy increasedits significance. The speaker also emphasised the significance ofthe Northern Dimension Environmental Partnership in therealm of the environment and environmental protection as itplays a significant role in combining the efforts of non-EU – es-pecially Russia, Ukraine and Belarus – and EU member states inendeavours to overcome environmental problems in the BalticSea Region.Her remarks on the success of multiple projects in support of theenvironment, and especially the withdrawal of the use of phos-phates in detergents, were followed by ones about improvementsin wastewater treatment in the south-western part of Saint Pe-tersburg and investments in wastewater treatment plants in Rus-Session two 31Ms Christina Gestrinsia, Poland, and the Baltic States. She drew attention to the factthat the success of many projects was possible thanks to the loansawarded by a variety of institutions, notably the InternationalBank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), The Euro-pean Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Nor-dic Investment Bank (NIB), NEFCO, and also national grantsand private foundations. Furthermore, a fund to support techni-cal improvements in order to implement the Baltic Sea Actionplan has been launched with support of the Nordic Council andthe BSPC. Between 2010 and 2013 more than 30 projects havebeen supported. Currently, there are no more means availablethrough that fund; a future financing would have to be ensured.In recognition of the success of a wide array of actions and thereduction of the deposition of nutrients in the Baltic, she high-lighted the need to expand research on new technologies to solveproblems related to the phosphorus burden which has a directimpact on the increase of oxygen-depleted areas on the sea bot-tom and speeds up blue-green algae blooms.The Finnish MP recognised that the current political situation inthe region is a threat to the lasting positive process of protectionof the Baltic Sea. With respect to the current conflict on the ter-ritory of Ukraine, the EBRD and the NIB have frozen financialsupport for new projects in Russia. The speaker emphasised theneed to continue cooperation between Russia, Belarus, Ukraine,and the EU in the rescue of the Baltic Sea. ‘We should do ourutmost to guarantee a continued cooperation and not to let po-32 Session twolitical differences cause irreparable damage to the successesachieved and put a halt to the promising path ahead’, she said,and expressed hope for a prompt return of the political situationto normal.Dr Jacek Bełdowski, an expert of the Institute of Oceanology ofthe Polish Academy of Sciences, presented a report entitledChemical Munitions in the Baltic – from Search to Monitoring,and informed members of the Conference about the most recentresearch in the area. He placed emphasis on the fact that thechemical munitions lie not only in the Gotland and Bornholmbasins (deeps), but also in other areas of the Baltic Sea, and notall the deposition sites are known. Besides the threat to the envi-ronment, lack of such knowledge has also influenced economicactivity on the sea.Information about the CHEMSEA project, with the participa-tion of governmental research institutions from Poland, Germa-ny, Sweden, Finland, and Lithuania, included news of it havingreceived support as part of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Re-gion. The research teams participating in the project undertookto identify the locations of chemical munitions in areas that havenot yet been investigated, and around the Gdańsk Deep andGotland Basin, secondly, to estimate the concentration of thechemical warfare agents and the products of their degradation inthe sea bottom sediments surrounding the finds, and thirdly – toassess the risk related to the natural or accidental release of suchDr Jacek BełdowskiSession two 33substances into the ecosystem of the Baltic Sea. An approxima-tion was made that approximately half of the munitions deposit-ed in the Gdańsk Deep are corroded and leaking. A much higherindex of fish diseases was documented around Bornholm com-pared to other regions. Yet the most significant achievement ofthe CHEMSEA project was the harmonisation of methods usedto analyse the samples of polluted water, sea bottom sedimentsand tissue (fish and mollusc), and the standardisation of detec-tion procedures in polluted regions. The model developed allowsquantitative and qualitative estimation of the spreading of pollu-tion should elements of the chemical munitions be affected, andmaps of the polluted areas have been updated.The speaker also informed members of the MODUM Projectwhich had recently commenced. Its objective is to conduct amore detailed investigation within smaller areas to stocktake anddetermine the condition and types of munitions, and to definethe ecological condition around the area of their deposition. Theproject involves institutions from Estonia, Finland, Lithuania,Germany, Poland, Russia, and Sweden.The long-term goal of the above-mentioned projects is the for-mulation of standard procedures for monitoring on a larger scaleand the development of new methods for conducting analysesfrom ship decks in the future, and the setting up a network forthe permanent monitoring of chemical munitions deposited inthe Baltic Sea.Professor Urmas Lips, Head of Department of Marine Physics,Chair of Oceanography, Institute of Marine Systems, Tallinn Uni-versity of Technology, made his presentation on the operational in-formation on the state of the Baltic Sea based on novel approachesand regional cooperation, and remarked that appropriate actionneeds to be taken to achieve the objectives contained in the BalticSea Action Plan, and their efficiency can only be assessed againstthorough and solid knowledge of the condition and functioning ofthe maritime ecosystem. This is why scientifically credible systemsfor monitoring and evaluation must exist. Moreover, he remindedmembers that HELCOM had approved a new strategy for moni-toring and assessment in 2013. Monitoring activities are coordi-nated between the countries, and – wherever possible – made ac-cessible throughout the region. This is achieved by, among otheractions, the application of joint initiatives including question-naires, campaigns, cruises, and joint stations; the use of teledetec-tion and autonomous measurement tools to obtain data fromcruise ships; the use of modelling for data aggregation and the34 Session twoProfessor Urmas Lipsconstruction of optimised data layers, and the provision of accessto infrastructure. Moreover, the speaker counted the SeatrackHELCOM Web operating system and the Baltic OperationalOceanographic System (BOOS) among the significant elements ofthe monitoring system.The speaker recognised that due to significant variability of themaritime ecosystem, the development and use of new tools formonitoring, ones that collect and transmit data in real-time, isvery important. He further disclosed that operating forecasts andthe use of models for the assessment of environmental impact re-quire high resolution data from sufficiently large areas. He alsoconsidered remote detection applications, sampling along ferrylines, and the use of autonomous buoy-type stations and vehiclesmost efficient and economically justified. He pointed out that in-ternational cooperation is the most efficient way of reducing thecosts of research and monitoring, both as far as investments andthe necessary activities are concerned.Session two 35Mr Danne SundmanCommentsMr Danne Sundman, member of the Parliament of Åland, in-formed members that a mass growth of algae was observed aroundthe islands in 2014. He emphasised that the life of the inhabitantsof the islands depends on the condition of the sea, and algae aretoxic both for people and animals. He expanded on the informa-tion by pointing to the need to fight eutrophication and take stepsto improve the well-being of the Baltic Sea. Furthermore, he em-phasised the importance of the eutrophication clauses in the finalresolution of the 23rd BSPC. His closing remarks were that theresidents of the Åland Islands are undertaking steps to reduce thepollution of the sea, and he asked for adequate steps to be taken byothers.Mr Dietmar Eifler, member of the Parliament of Mecklen-burg-Vorpommern, informed that Mecklenburg-Vorpommern ison a good path of reaching HELCOM goals in eutrophicationeven though some farms still exceed the emissions of nutrients.Continuing, he expressed the opinion that authorities should takeactions towards deficient farms in such cases. He also pointed tothe need to undertake steps to reduce soil erosion and appealed forthe instigation of actions in support of limiting the seepage of nu-trients to ground waters and to the Baltic. Furthermore, the MPstated that a programme for the protection of peat bogs has beencarried out in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern since 2000 and thatmeans of using such areas for the storage of nutrients are being36 Session twoMr Ryszard Góreckiconsidered. In his closing remarks the speaker emphasised the det-rimental nature of the long-lasting plastic waste that finds its wayinto the maritime environment.Mr Ryszard Górecki, member of the Polish Parliament, informedmembers of the Conference that, thanks to his work for the BSPC,he had intensified his involvement in activities supporting envi-ronmental protection, for example, he had inspired the implemen-tation of the Green University programme in the University ofWarmia and Mazury in Olsztyn which includes student education,scientific research in energy and environmental protection, ther-mal modernisation of university buildings, and the setting up of abotanical garden. Moreover he inspired the setting up of a new sci-entific institute devoted to questions of environmental protectionwith a special focus on limnology. A new course: Cultural andNatural Heritage will start this year so as to increase the number ofspecialists in the field.Session three 37Session threeBaltic Sea Cultural Heritage –Providing orientation for a goodpartnershipMr Piotr Żuchowski, Secretary of State at the Polish Ministry ofCulture and National Heritage, stated that the Baltic Sea Region isone of the priorities of the Polish cultural policy, which finds itsexpression in their activity and involvement in cultural coopera-tion in the region.Since 2013, Poland has co-coordinated the Culture Priority Areain the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region. The speaker notedthat the strategy announced in 2009 covered 15 priority areas,leaving culture aside. Following a joint initiative of Poland and theLand of Schleswig-Holstein, culture was brought within the scopeof the Strategy and selected as a priority. He recognised the factthat culture had acquired a priority status in a micro-regional strat-egy of the EU which was a success of the entire region.In parallel, since 2014, Poland has presided over the NorthernDimensional Partnership Culture (NDPC). The Partnership con-Mr Piotr Żuchowski38 Session threeSession three 39centrates on supporting the culture and creative sectors in the re-gion which form one of the priorities in the development of cul-ture in Poland. The realm of NDPC’s interests also extends overcultural heritage construed as the development of new touristproducts. The speaker disclosed that the strong involvement ofPoland in the area of culture will be intensifying in the region inthe coming years. In July 2015, Poland will assume its Presiden-cy of the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS), and culturewill be one of the priorities of the Polish Presidency, with specialfocus on increasing the efficiency of cultural cooperation and thesignificance of culture and cultural heritage for the developmentof regions.The speaker recognised the idea of the Baltic Heritage Atlas (an in-teractive atlas of the Baltic Sea Region) which is highly significantas it accounts for the most important cultural heritage sites in theregion. The project leader is the Maritime Museum in Gdańsk.The project also covers information and educational activities, andthe introduction of state-of-the-art communication tools related tothe key cultural heritage of the region.Ms Anke Spoorendonk, Minister of Justice, Cultural and EuropeanAffairs of Schleswig-Holstein, referred to culture as a new priorityin the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region. She emphasised thatthe strategy, in which culture is one of 17 priority areas, providesan opportunity to give the region a shared political framework.The speaker believes culture to be a value in itself, as it buildsbridges, unites, and brings people and regions together. Joint ac-tions in culture are significant for the inclusion of Russian partnersin Baltic cooperation even during the conflict in Ukraine, and em-phasised that the conflict cannot result in the breaking of commu-nication. She recognised that a part of regional identity means thathaving different views, we shall tolerate them while discussing andcooperating with one another.The speaker emphasised the significance of the business aspect inculture and the creative industries which provides the EU with4.5% of its added value. Culture is a significant catalyst for inno-vation and is important for other sectors as well. Culture is whatdefines the quality of life in cities and regions. She pointed to theleading culture-related goals within the EU Strategy for the BalticSea Region in relation to the above. These are support for cultureand the creative industries in the region, maintenance of culturalheritage and its visibility, support for cultural dialogue, and sup-porting structures for its efficient operation.40 Session threeMs Anke SpoorendonkFurthermore, she emphasised the significance of the project entitledthe Academy of Baltic Cultural Heritage Management whose goal is tobuild – as part of the Strategy – an expert network for cultural heritagemanagement. The speaker also informed participants about the meet-ing on cultural dialogue that took place in Turku (Finland) in June2013 during the Baltic Maritime Days. The participants identified theneed for the improvement of the framework for financing cultural pro-jects. It was recognised that cultural dialogue should focus on cultureand social development and the speaker pointed out that the creativeindustries are important not only for the development of innovationand prosperity, but also material for the civil development of the re-gion’s communities. Art and creativity are the forces driving social in-novation and the reinforcement of social cohesion.The Minister also professed her support for the involvement ofyoung people and her support for the operation of the Baltic SeaYouth Forum.Professor Henryk Samsonowicz focused his considerations on thetheme The Baltic Sea – a Frontier or a Meeting Point, pointing tothe historical multitude of economic, cultural, and social contactsacross the southern Baltic.He emphasised the role of the Baltic as the keystone for the lands in-habited by the tribes that evolved into the Polish state, and the areasinhabited by various Germanic peoples, as has been noted since an-tiquity. He pointed to the special historic significance of the first cit-Session three 41Professor Henryk Samsonowiczies of the Baltic: Liubice/Old Lübeck, Strzałowo/Stralsund, Wolin,and Truso. Later, he proceeded to highlight the cultural and eco-nomic significance of 13th-century colonisation based on Germanlaw and later to grand historical processes, the development of theHanseatic League headed by Lübeck, and the establishment of themonastic states of the Order of Teutonic Knights and the LivonianBrothers of the Sword in Prussia and Livonia respectively. The signif-icant role of cities and Baltic merchants in European trade, and thesignificant role of the region in its capacity as a link to the East wereboth mentioned. Such links resulted in the development of specificcultural forms, enriched by influences from Europe’s East and West.The speaker emphasised that despite the plethora of conflicts, cul-tural differences, and language barriers, the area of contacts that de-veloped in time connected Slavic and Germanic countries, thus con-tributing to the development of European culture.Professor Jörg Hackmann, University of Szczecin, presented infor-mation on the Baltic Sea History Project which is a flagship pro-ject of the culture priority area in the EU Strategy for the BalticSea Region. The objective of the project is to look at the history ofthe Baltic Sea Region from a new perspective and to present vari-ous perceptions of Baltic Sea history.The project is coordinated by Academia Baltica from Flensburg(Germany), and its main partners are Tallinn City Archives (Esto-nia), the Aue Foundation from Helsinki (Finland), and the Uni-versity of Szczecin (Poland).42 Session threeMs Anke Spoorendonk,The main features of the project include a constructivist ap-proach to history, promotion of supranational disputes includ-ing local and regional initiatives, focus on collective memory,and online publications.The speaker referred to the fact that shared history is common-ly perceived as the starting point for cooperation and that thereis interest in the development of post- or supra-national identi-ties, e.g. European, Nordic, and Baltic. He recognised thatmultiple perspectives can operate as a tool for coping withmonocultural, ethnocentric, and/or exclusive worldviews.In future, the project envisages involving a broader target group(teachers, students, representatives in cultural stages, etc.) invit-ing them to cooperate, develop a network of partnership organ-isations and transform the pilot module into a broad interac-tive platform, using it for workshops, seminars, etc.Mr Mikko Härö, Director of the Department of Cultural Envi-ronment Protection of the National Board of Antiquities ofFinland, defined heritage in his paper on heritage and sustaina-bility; trends and challenges as infrastructure consisting of theresources inherited from the past that people identify as the re-flection and expression of their – ever-changing – values, be-liefs, knowledge, and traditions. The paper furthermore sug-gested that the only constant feature of heritage is permanentchange.Session three 43Mr Mikko HäröThe new approach to heritage assumes that the definitions of herit-age should be developed by communities and not by administra-tions. The speaker mentioned the Faro Convention on the Value ofCultural Heritage for Society of the Council of Europe of 2005 onthe value of cultural heritage to society, which makes it possible toinscribe heritage into human activity and disassociate it from politi-cal associations.The speaker recognised the European Commission Communica-tion entitled Towards an integrated approach to cultural heritagefor Europe (July 2014) as a milestone in the EU’s approach to her-itage. Thus heritage is considered an important factor that permitsthe development of business and trade, and a comfortable environ-ment for life. Moreover, he advocated support, if not promotion,of changes in the cultural environment should such changes occurin line with the criteria of sustainable development.Dr Hanna Hagmark-Cooper, Director of the Åland Maritime Mu-seum, described the role of maritime museums as guardians of ma-rine heritage and promoters of marine culture. She expressed theconviction that maritime museums have a key role to play in themaintenance and promotion of the marine cultural heritage, bothas part of traditional museum assignments and also as a unifyingforce for external initiatives and actors. Through their activity, mu-seums become involved in cooperation and attract the commit-ment of local communities. This feeds economic growth and socialcohesion. Moreover, museums become involved in external activi-44 Session threeDr Hanna Hagmark-Cooperties. The director described plans to rebuild the historical port inMariehamn. Another important aspect of the operation of muse-ums is international cooperation. Five Baltic Sea Region CulturalHeritage Forums have been organised since 2003.Furthermore, the speaker encouraged the strengthening of ties be-tween museums, research institutes and other institutions.Ms Anita Vaivade PhD from the Latvian Academy of Culture andexpert of the Latvian National Commission for UNESCO dis-cussed Prospects for Regional Cooperation on Intangible CulturalHeritage.In the last decade, intangible cultural heritage has become a conceptrecognised all over the world and a current question in policy devel-opment in various parts of the world. The UNESCO Conventionfor the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage was ratifiedin 2003. It has been agreed that such heritage encompasses knowl-edge, know-how, skills, practices, and expressions that communities,groups, and individuals recognise as part of their own cultural herit-age that requires protection. Nearly all the countries of the BalticSea Region have become parties to the Convention. There are eightcentres dealing with the question worldwide, although their profilesdiffer. Cultural heritage, both material or tangible and intangible, isalso increasing in significance in the European Union and the BalticSea Region. In 2014, with the support of the French-Latvian re-search programme Osmosis, an international research project beganSession three 45Ms Anita Vaivadeon the development of a network of reflection on intangible culturalheritage law. Its purpose is to develop a network of researchers deal-ing with the legal questions related to intangible cultural heritageand the development of a methodology for comparative analysis ofsuch heritage in the legislation of individual states.The speaker mentioned The Baltic Way, a human chain developed inthe Baltic States on 23 August 1989, as an example of intangible cul-tural heritage in the Baltic Sea Region. The event also received recog-nition from UNESCO. In addition she discussed examples of intangi-ble heritage in the region, notably polyphonic singing, traditions ofsmoke sauna, and the recognition of places important for the Vikingera. Furthermore, she emphasised that intangible heritage was of thegreatest significance for the functioning of local communities.CommentsMr Jörgen Pettersson, member of the Parliament of Åland, empha-sised the significance of the maritime heritage of the Baltic Sea Re-gion. The marine history and maritime culture which has devel-oped over centuries in the Baltic area is what brings our civilisa-tions together. The MP expressed the conviction that there are newopportunities available today which make it possible to set up apeaceful, clean and prosperous Baltic Sea Region founded on46 Session threeMr Jörgen Petterssongreen and blue energy. He furthermore considered that the regionsets an example to the whole world of joint effort in support ofsustainable development.Mr Piotr Bauć, member of the Polish Parliament, addressed theparliamentarians with an appeal to consider how to include cul-ture into actions in support of peaceful development. He appealedfor overcoming barriers and differences with knowledge-basedtools and dialogue, and expressed hope that thanks to references toMr Piotr BaućSession three 47Mr André Briecultural heritage and inclusion of culture, proper solutions can befound and military conflicts suppressed.Mr André Brie, member of the Parliament of Mecklenburg-Vor-pommern, expressed his conviction that culture is an opportuni-ty for the entire region owing to the rich shared cultural heritage.This heritage is a very powerful resource for the region whosewealth is also associated with variety. Furthermore, he an-nounced that Mecklenburg-Vorpommern has proposed thestrengthening of cooperation between the region’s states in thearea of culture at the Southern Baltic Sea Parliamentary Forum.The speaker went on to provide information on the virtual Mu-seum 2.0 Plus project developed by the European Union. Itsmain objective is to combine the region’s main oceanographicmuseums into a network. It is a good example of good transbor-der cooperation that serves all of its participants. Mecklen-burg-Vorpommern intends to further the intensification of cul-tural cooperation and dialogue in the Baltic Sea Region.Mr Franz Thönnes, member of the Parliament of the Federal Re-public of Germany, thanked the speakers for their presentationsportraying a great variety of the history we share, and cultural andhistorical heritage. He expressed the hope that knowledge of theconflicts from the past will make it possible to resolve today’s con-flicts through parliamentary means. He also appealed for joint re-sponsibility to be taken towards contemporary challenges.48 Session threeMr Franz ThönnesHaving emphasised the importance of the involvement of youngpeople, he asked for support for the Baltic Sea Youth Secretariat.In addition he addressed the significance of the protection of themaritime heritage, including the traditional forms of maritimetransport, which should be seriously considered in today’s busi-ness. He further appealed for the facilitation of the operation oftraditional vessels at sea, and considered that it is important topreserve cultural heritage by maintaining living cultural tradi-tions. Closing the session, the speaker pointed to the importantrole of culture in ensuring cohesion between nations.Mr Vatanyar Yagya, Adviser to the Parliament of the City of SaintPetersburg, emphasised that culture can assure a good and fruit-ful partnership. He explained that culture plays a role as themost effective ambassador of the country. He appealed for the re-tention of the political culture that evolved in the BSPC overmore than the last two decades, emphasising that the BSPC hasworked out unique values of parliamentary cooperation betweennational and regional assemblies.In addition he reported that Saint Petersburg has concluded ap-proximately 80 memoranda on cultural cooperation with otherbodies, and that the Russian Federation has developed scientificand cultural centres in approximately 80 countries. Moreover, hesuggested that there is a need to take the question of science andeducation to the BSPC forum.Session three 49Mr Vatanyar YagyaMs Daria Akhutina of the NGO Network provided information onthe latest initiative, set up in Novgorod, concerning the development ofa cultural tourism related project in the Baltic Sea Region. The purposeof the project, supported by the CBSS and assuming cooperationaimed at the development of a regional promotion strategy, is to usecultural heritage as a driving force. It is believed that through the devel-opment of a platform for cooperation between institutions, the poten-tial of cultural heritage could be used for the development of tourismand the promotion of products and services in third-party countries.Ms Daria Akhutina50 Opening of the ConferenceSession three Opening of the Conference 5152 Opening of the Conference Session fourSession four 53Session fourThe Baltic Sea Region in searchof a harmonious and sustainablefutureDr Leszek Mellibruda, in his presentation on public confidencein the new sense of freedom and challenge of interpersonal re-lationships, referred to the contemporary revolution in notionsof trust, authority, and freedom. What is being observed is acrisis of social trust. The notion of trust is linked to the supportof the state or institution(s), safety and security, satisfaction,and pride that gives sense to one’s actions. The academic ex-pressed the opinion that politicians cannot frequently influencethe way they are presented in the media, and yet it is in the me-dia that their image is built. That is why the development ofpublic trust is currently made extremely difficult. Social trustrefers to the notion of authority. There is a need for a new ap-proach to authority in which co-participation plays a signifi-cant role. World events visibly influence the significance of thenotion of personal freedom. New meanings of freedom refer toan array of new attitudes that are conditioned by the genera-tion one belongs to.Dr Leszek Mellibruda54 Session fourMs Kinga DudzińskaMs Kinga Dudzińska of the Polish Institute of International Affairs(PISM) presented a report entitled Cross-Border Movement be-tween Gdańsk, Olsztyn, and Kaliningrad expressing the view thatthe introduction of the agreement on local border traffic betweenthe Republic of Poland and the Russian Federation has proved a suc-cess in the social, economic, and cultural dimensions. This makes itpossible for the residents of the Kaliningrad Oblast, and some coun-ties in the Pomorskie and Warmia and Mazury regions to cross theborder on the basis of permits has initiated more frequent contacts.The speaker quoted statistical data proving a significant increase incommerce in the areas lying on both sides of the border covered bythe agreement, with the tourist sector also drawing benefits. Thanksto the agreement on local border traffic, scientific collaboration,youth exchange, and mutual contacts between NGOs have alsobeen developing. What has not proved justified on the other handwas the anxiety about the intensification of ordinary criminal activi-ty in border regions. In the current political context, the functioningof the agreement illustrates the challenges faced by both states, forexample, in the development of border infrastructure and the inten-sification of cooperation between local authorities.Mr Mikalai Katsetski, project manager at RUMCE, the Dne-pro-Bug Waterway Republican Unitary Maintenance and Con-struction Enterprise, from Belarus spoke about the ‘Revitalisationof the Water Trail E40, Baltic Sea – Black Sea Plans and Actionsfor a Sustainable Future’ project, giving information about the in-tention to revive the trail and the works already conducted on theSession four 55Mr Mikalai KatsetskiBelarusian section of the waterway. The route E40 has a long his-tory dating back to the 18th century. In the past, it used to con-nect the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea. Its total length is 2000 km, ofwhich 626 km lie on the territory of Belarus. A stretch of 250 kmacross that country is cascaded through locks and sluices. Mul-ti-stage reconstruction works, including the construction of hydro-power plants, have taken place on the Belarussian section. Thisroute needs connection to other waterways to exploit fully its po-tential and currently there is no connection to Western Europe.The project, conducted with Polish and Ukrainian partners, as-sumes that the waterway will actually be recreated. Currently, it isat the stage of analysis and a feasibility study is underway.The speaker emphasised the role of waterways in their capacity as aconnector between states, and underlined the economic potentialof the project in question.Ms Olaug Bollestad, Chairwoman of the BSPC WG on Innovationin Social and Health Care, presented the Midway Report from theBSPC Working Group on Innovation in Social and Health Care.The group was set up after the 22nd Baltic Sea Parliamentary Con-ference in 2013.So far, three meetings of the group have taken place, and the finalreport of its work will be presented in 2015 together with the po-litical recommendations it has developed. Fourteen representativesof eight states have participated in the work of the Group.56 Session fourSession four 57Ms Olaug BollestadThe speaker mentioned the main healthcare problems that thegroup has been investigating, namely, the ageing of the popula-tion, inequalities in health care, diseases that result from lifestyle,and financial pressure. Innovation was highlighted as a tool tomeet these challenges in a cost-efficient manner and to simultane-ously be able to offer qualitatively sound health services. Amongthe preliminary recommendations of the Working Group are strat-egies and action plans for the promotion of innovation in socialand healthcare, organisational and structural reforms, fiscal incen-tives to help SMEs, favourable financing conditions for the healtheconomy, the foundation of competence centres for the commer-cialisation of scientific insights, competence enhancements in edu-cation and training, equtably avaialable healthcare and social wel-fare services, a greater awareness of the needs of elderly people, theexchange of best practice, as well as the continued support of thework of the Northern Dimension Partnership in Public Healthand Social Well-being.58 Session fourMs Annette Holmberg-JanssonCommentsMs Annette Holmberg-Jansson, member of the Parliament of Ålandand member of the BSPC WG on Innovation in Social andHealth Care, commented on the unfavourable demographicchanges as a huge challenge that the communities of the Baltic SeaRegion are facing. She referred to the issue of senile dementia re-Session four 59Mr Piotr Baućsulting from this phenomenon, which is turning into an increasingproblem, both at community and financial levels. She appealed fora quick reaction to the subject and the investigation of strategiesand solutions for coping with this problem.Mr Piotr Bauć, member of the Polish Parliament, emphasised thesignificance of the E40 waterway revival project. He remarked that60 Session fourMs Silke Gajekthe waterway, crossing the territory of both EU and non-EUstates, provides an opportunity to develop commercial and touristcontacts as well as ties between communities. Furthermore he in-formed members of the Conference about the planned presenta-tion of the project in the headquarters of the European Parlia-ment, and also mentioned plans to develop a network of water-ways in Poland.The speaker expressed satisfaction and underlined the success inthe operation of the Agreement between the Government of theRepublic of Poland and the Government of the Russian Federa-tion on the Rules of Local Border Traffic.Ms Silke Gajek, member of the Parliament of Mecklen-burg-Vorpommern, referred to the dark side of commodifica-tion in health care. She emphasised the importance of dignityin ageing and recognition of the significance of mobility for theolder generation. She commented on the social changes anddisappearance of multi-generation families which is becoming aproblem for the less wealthy. Moreover, she pointed out theproblem of accessibility of certain services and the importanceof voluntary work. Mecklenburg-Vorpommern has launched aStudy Commission to deal with questions of ageing in Meck-lenburg-Vorpommern.Session four 61Ms Valentina PivnenkoMs Valentina Pivnenko, member of the Duma of the Federal As-sembly of the Russian Federation, underlined importance of thework carried out by the BSPC WG on Innovation in Social andHealth Care, and expressed her belief that the interest of the BSPCin the area of healthcare would also continue in the years whichfollow once the Working Group has finished its operations.62 Closure of the 23rd BSPCClosure of the 23rd BSPC 63Closure of the 23rd BSPCClosing the conference, Mr Ryszard Górecki, stepping down fromthe position of Chairman of the BSPC, expressed his satisfactionthat he had gained from the opportunity to meet parliamentariansat a time of a profound political crisis in the immediate vicinity ofthe Baltic Sea Region, and hoped that the BSPC would remain animportant instrument for building trust in the region. He said thatthe sessions proved how many challenges the countries of the Bal-tic region are facing. ‘What should be done so that economic de-velopment takes place without harming the environment? Howcan we best harmonise the activities of numerous organisations sothat the investment of our time and means is most effective indays of crisis? What should we do so that political tensions do notmar good interpersonal relations which have been cherished withsuch a great effort?’, and he added that these are but a handful ofquestions that will absorb the attention of conference participantsin the very near future.Mr Ryszard Górecki also thanked Jan Widberg for his long servicein the post of BSPC Secretary General. He wished Mr Widbergevery success in his new post, and expressed hope for future coop-eration.64 Closure of the 23rd BSPCMr Jan Widberg thanked those present for creating the warm at-mosphere for pursuing compromises in the BSPC. He remarkedthat working on his new post in Riga, he will remain within theorbit of the Baltic Sea.Closure of the 23rd BSPC 65Mr Ryszard Górecki informed those present that the Presidency ofthe BSPC for 2014/2015 is now being taken over by the Parlia-ment of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and the symbol of Presidencyhas passed to Ms Sylvia Bretschneider, president of the Parliamentof Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.66 Closure of the 23rd BSPCMs Silvia Bretchsneider, Chairwoman of the BSPC in 2014–2015,thanked Mr Ryszard Górecki and then the Polish hosts for the or-ganisation of the conference. She also thanked Jan Widberg for hislong-term intensive work at the post of the General Secretary ofthe BSPC.The new Chairwoman invited the members of the Conferencegathered in Olsztyn to the 24th Baltic Sea Parliamentary Confer-ence, which will be held in Rostock-Warnemunde from 30 Augustto 1 September 2015, and explained that it is not going to be thefirst gathering of the BSPC organised by the Parliament of Meck-lenburg-Vorpommern, as the previous one was held in 2001.The speaker emphasised that the BSPC is more than just a con-ference, as it is an event that gathers together people livingaround the Baltic Sea, and remarked that delegates representvarious people who differ in experience, skills, emotions, feel-ings. Further, she emphasised the will and eagerness to live inpeace and good neighbourhood, reassuring that a meeting ofparliamentarians aims at development of mutual understandingand friendship in the spirit of respect for various opinions andlifestyles. She highlighted the value of meetings and discussionsalso in the face of difficulties and problems, as this can contrib-ute to the construction of the Baltic Sea Region promising agood life in future.Annex 1 69Annex 1Conference ResolutionAdopted by the 23rd Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference (BSPC)The participants, elected legislators from the Baltic Sea RegionStates*, assembling in Olsztyn, Poland, 24-26 August 2014,a. discussing Co-operation in the Baltic Sea Region, Environ-mental Legacy, Baltic Sea Cultural Heritage, A Sustainable Fu-ture for the Baltic Sea Region, and Innovation in Social andHealth Care,b. asserting that the parliamentary dimension constitutes an inte-gral part of cooperation in the Baltic Sea Region, which canboth reinforce the democratic legitimacy of cooperation andprovide it with concrete political contributions and support,c. reiterating their support to the CBSS, welcoming the newlong-term priorities of the CBSS, as well as the efforts by theFinnish CBSS Presidency to improve coherence in Baltic Searegional cooperation, and acknowledging the progress andachievements of CBSS in fields such as sustainable develop-ment, clean shipping, labour market mobility, cultural herit-age, trafficking in human beings, and civil security,d. deeply concerned over the crisis in Ukraine, and welcoming allsteps that can contribute to a peaceful solution of the crisis;call on the governments in the Baltic Sea Region, the CBSS andthe EU,*Parliaments ofDenmark, Estonia, Finland, Federal Republic of Germany, Free and Hanseatic Cityof Hamburg, Iceland, Kaliningrad, Latvia, Lithuania, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern,Norway, Poland, Council of Federation of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federa-tion, State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, City of St. Pe-tersburg, Schleswig-Holstein, Sweden, Åland Islands, Baltic Assembly, NordicCouncil.70 Annex 1Regarding Co-operation in the Region, to1. stress the importance of continuing and developing coopera-tion in the Baltic Sea Region, including Northern Dimension,and of perpetuating the open, broad and trust-building dia-logue within existing networks and institutions;2. make concerted efforts to strengthen the coherence betweenthe overarching strategies for the Baltic Sea Region, such as theEU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region and the Russian Strategyfor Social and Economic Development of the North-WestFederal District (NW2020);3. make full use of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region andother regional initiatives to deliver on a sustainable Bluegrowth agenda in the Baltic leading to growth and jobs fromthe maritime economy;4. take concrete steps to enhance synergy, efficiency, coherenceand the combined output of Baltic Sea Region cooperation, byimproving information exchange, division of labor and actualcoordination of activities, i.a. through the further developmentof a structured dialogue between relevant organizations andformats; by encouraging e.g. the launching of inter-organiza-tional Task Forces to target issues of common interest; and byworking towards a visa-free future of the Baltic Sea Region,providing as many possibilities for people-to-people-contactsand for cross-border-cooperation of the civil society, cultural,economic and scientific sector as possible;5. consider supporting a “Baltic Sea Think Tank” comprising allmember states of the BSPC, aiming at creating a broad basisfor research on the common history and future of the Region;6. pursue concrete measures to facilitate unhampered peo-ple-to-people- contacts and cross-border cooperation of thecivil society and the cultural, scientific and business sectorsthroughout the entire Baltic Sea Region, e.g. by reducing orremoving visa restrictions and by facilitating NGO contacts aswell as their possibilities to make their views known;7. support the Baltic Sea Youth Secretariat in Kiel and its effortsto launch a Baltic Youth Forum in order to establish andmaintain a permanent institution for exchange among youthin the Baltic Sea Region;Annex 1 71Regarding Environmental Legacy, to8. fully honour all commitments made under the HELCOMBaltic Sea Action Plan in order to restore good ecological sta-tus of the Baltic marine environment by 2021, without any ex-ception or postponement of agreed decisions, as well as the re-vised country-wise nutrient reduction requirements adopted atthe HELCOM 2013 Copenhagen Ministerial Meeting;9. make efforts to mobilize resources for the implementation of theBaltic Sea Action Plan and the 2013 HELCOM CopenhagenMinisterial Declaration and reflect or prioritize the Action Plan’stargets in the country specific and co-operation programmes;10. support undertakings that create synergy between strategiesand programmes for the Baltic Sea Region and their equiva-lents for other regions;11. pursue intensified and continuous joint efforts to identify andremove sources of pollution and eutrophication, such as thenewly discovered gypsum waste dumps resulting from the pro-duction of fertilizers;12. support efficient enforcement of environmental requirementsfor ships recognizing that this is a vital precondition for thepromotion of environmental sustainability;13. proceed with strong efforts and dedicated resources for thecontinued improvement and modernization of the waste watertreatment capacity throughout the entire Baltic Sea Region, incompliance with the stricter threshold values agreed by HEL-COM, and to ensure continuous work to upgrade receptionfacilities for sewage in passenger ports in line with the SpecialArea Status of the Baltic Sea under MARPOL Annex IV of theInternational Maritime Organization;14. develop environmentally-friendly cultivation methods andbest agricultural practices, e.g. by more precise fertilizationpractices, closed-circuit manure handling, and recycling of nu-trients;15. Support the joint HELCOM-VASAB Regional Baltic Mari-time Spatial Planning Roadmap 2013-2020 and make everyeffort to draw up and apply maritime spatial plans throughoutthe Baltic Sea Region by 2020 which are coherent across bor-ders and apply the ecosystem approach;72 Annex 1Regarding Baltic Sea Cultural Heritage, to16. strengthen the role of cultural heritage as an enabler and pro-moter of sustainable development of society, economy and envi-ronment, thereby enhancing connections between cultural her-itage policy and regional development policy at regional as wellas national level; by e.g. promoting sustainable cultural and eco-logical tourism throughout the region17. develop regional cooperation, including teaching, academic re-search, scientific cooperation and support to joint activities suchas the Monitoring Group on Cultural Heritage, Northern Di-mension Partnership on Culture, EUSBSR Priority Area Cul-ture and Ars Baltica, on the safeguarding and promotion of thecultural diversity as a regional assert and a basis for an inclusivesociety and regional development, underlining the significanceof art and culture for the economic, social and sustainable devel-opment;18. acknowledge the cultural variety of the Baltic Sea Region and ofits national minorities as an added value and as an identity fea-ture of this region and to maintain and promote this asset, tostrengthen minorities, to preserve regional languages, and tosupport cultural exchange in the region;19. promote and support the preservation, documentation and dis-semination of maritime cultural heritage in museums and byother heritage actors and initiatives; when crafting new regula-tions and requirements it is important to mind the preservationof traditional shipping, including a close dialogue between theorganizations of the owners of traditional shipping as well assupport for transboundary cooperation between their organiza-tions;20. support projects which capture and provide traditional knowl-edge and skills, to promote education and its application as wellas to develop educational programs for the future preservationof traditional boat building;21. support projects and activities aimed at protecting architecturalmonuments, including those which increase energy efficiency inhistoric buildings without destroying their heritage values;22. encourage dialogue and cooperation in the fields of contempo-rary culture and creative industries and support cultural opera-tors in innovation and cross-sectoral cooperation;Annex 1 73Regarding Innovation in Social and Health Care, to23. develop and implement strategies and action plans to promoteinnovation and entrepreneurship in social and health care,based on a preventive philosophy and closely involving thehealth economy, and to consider the social welfare and healthcare dimension also in the innovative health economy whendeveloping growth strategies;24. strengthen and systematize cooperation within the Baltic SeaRegion on social welfare and health care, including e.g. the ex-ploration of the possibilities of elaborating and implementingjoint strategies for social welfare and health care, transferablemodels for the provision of social welfare and health care, pub-lic procurement models and quality standards, and joint re-search and development endeavours;25. further strengthen measures to ensure equitably availablehealth care services, e.g. between urban and rural areas and be-tween socio-economic groups; the development and applica-tion of modern communication technologies such as telemedi-cine is especially relevant in this regard;26. provide continued support to the Northern Dimension Part-nership in Public Health and Social Well-being;Furthermore the Conference Decides to27. welcome with gratitude the kind offer of the Parliament ofMecklenburg-Vorpommern to host the 24th Baltic Sea Parlia-mentary Conference in Rostock-Warnemünde on 30 August –1 September 2015.74 Annex 2Annex 2The 23rd Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference24-26 August 2014, Olsztyn, POLAND„Baltic Sea: Quest for Harmony”Venue: University of Warmia and Mazury in OlsztynUniversity Library, Oczapowskiego 12B str., OlsztynPROGRAMMESunday, 24th August8:00 – 9:00 Registration of participants(in the hotels)8:30 D eparture from Warmiński Hotel & ConferenceExcursion I – Warmia and Mazury(back at the hotel around 16:00)9:00 D eparture from Hotel Marina Golf ClubExcursion I – Warmia and Mazury(back at the hotel around 16:30)12:30 D eparture from Hotel Marina Golf ClubExcursion II – Olsztyn Old Town(back at the hotel around 15:30)13:00 D eparture from Warmiński Hotel & ConferenceExcursion II – Olsztyn Old Town(back at the hotel around 15:30)17:40 D eparture from Hotel Marina Golf Club andfrom Warmiński Hotel & Conference (only parti-cipants of the BSPC Standing Committee)Annex 2 7518:00 – 20:00 M eeting of the BSPC Standing Committee(University Library, room 116, 1st floor)20:10 D eparture from Hotel Marina Golf Club andfrom Warmiński Hotel & Conference20:30 – 22:30 R eception hosted by Mr Ryszard Górecki –Chair of the BSPCRestaurant “Przystań”, OlsztynDeparture to hotelsMonday, 25th August8:00 – 9:30 Registration of participants(University Library)8:00 Departure from Hotel Marina Golf Club and fromWarmiński Hotel & Conference (only participantsof the BSPC Drafting Committee)8:40 Departure from Hotel Marina Golf Club and fromWarmiński Hotel & Conference8:30 – 9:20 Meeting of the BSPC Drafting Committee(University Library, room 116, 1st floor)9:30 OpeningChair: Mr Ryszard Górecki,MP, Poland, Chair of the BSPCVice-Chair: Mrs Sylvia Bretschneider,MP, Vice Chair of the BSPCWelcome by:• Mr Ryszard Górecki,MP, Poland, Chair of the BSPC• Mr Bogdan Borusewicz,President of the Senate of the Republic of Poland• Mr Jacek Protas,Marshal of the Province of Warmia and MazuryMusical prelude -„Forget-me-not” Dulcimer Ensemble76 Annex 210:00 FIRST SESSIONCooperation in the Baltic Sea RegionChair – Mr. Jānis Vucāns, MP, LatviaVice Chair – Mr Per Rune Henriksen, MP, Norwayspeaking time: • Report from the BSPC Chair10 min. Mr Ryszard GóreckiR eports from the Council of the Baltic SeaStates (CBSS):• Ms Satu Mattila, Finland, outgoing ChairmanCBSS Committee of Senior Officials• Mr Raul Mälk, Estonia, incoming ChairmanCBSS Committee of Senior Officials• R eport from the European Commission (EUBaltic Sea Strategy and Northern Dimension),PhD. Lina Marcinkutė, European Commission,Directorate General for Regional and UrbanPolicy• Mr Harry Liiv, Chair of the HELCOM, “Re-port on the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan”• Ms Valentina Pivnenko, MP, Russia - ”Strategyof socio-economic development of the North-West Federal District”• Ms Päivi Kärnä / Ms Daria Akhutina, NGO Fo-rum, “Report from the NGO Forum of theBaltic Sea”• Mr Rumen Gechev, MP, SEECP ParliamentaryAssembly, Statement from the SEECP• Ms Alexandra Ehlers, President of the RegionalYouth Council of Schleswig-Holstein, "Reporton the situation of the Baltic Sea Youth Secre-tariat".Debate12:00 C offee breakAnnex 2 7712:30 S ECOND SESSIONEnvironmental legacy - environmental challengesChair – Mr Ryszard Górecki, MP, PolandVice Chair – Mr Benny Engelbrecht, MP, DenmarkIntroduction - movie “Shipwrecked” (9 min.)speaking time: • Mr Andrzej Jagusiewicz, Chief Inspector of10 min. E nvironmental Protection, Poland - “Polish en-vironmental protection strategy for the BalticSea – selected actions”• Ms Christina Gestrin, MP, Finland – “Progressreport on Eutrophization in the Baltic Sea Re-gion”• Dr Jacek Bełdowski, Institute of Oceanology ofthe Polish Academy of Sciences, ”ChemicalMunitions in the Baltic – from Search to Moni-toring”• P rof. Dr Urmas Lips, Leader Researcher, Headof Department of Marine Physics, Chair ofOceanography, Institute of Marine Systems,Tallinn University of Technology - “Operation-al information on the state of the Baltic Seabased on novel approaches and regional co-op-eration”Debate14:00 L unch78 Annex 215:00 – 17:00 THIRD SESSIONBaltic Sea Cultural Heritage –Providing orientation for a good partnershipChair – Mr Franz Thšnnes, MP, GermanyVice Chair – Mrs Giedre Purvaneckienė, MP, Lith-uaniaspeaking time: • Mr Piotr Żuchowski, Secretary of State,10 min. M inistry of Culture and National Heritage, Po-land - "Culture as a driving force for enhancedBaltic Sea Cooperation".• Ms Anke Spoorendonk, Minister of Justice, Cul-tural and European Affairs Schleswig-Holstein– “New Priority Culture within EU Baltic SeaStrategy”• Prof. Henryk Samsonowicz – “The Baltic Sea – afrontier or a meeting point”• Prof. Jšrg Hackmann, University of Szczecin –“Baltic Sea History Project”• Mr Mikko Härö, Director of the Department ofCultural Environment Protection of the Na-tional Board of Antiquities of Finland) – “Her-itage and sustainability; trends and challenges”• Dr Hanna Hagmark-Cooper, Director of theland Maritime Museum, land Island - ”Mari-time cultural heritage”• PhD. Anita Vaivade, Assistant Professor at theLatvian Academy of Culture, Expert of the Lat-vian National Commission for UNESCO –"Prospects for Regional Cooperation on Intan-gible Cultural Heritage"DebateReturn to hotels17:00 – 18:00 M eeting of the BSPC Drafting Committee (ifnecessary)(University Library, room 116, 1st floor)Annex 2 7918.05 T ransfer to hotels for Drafting Committee mem-bers18:50 D eparture by buses from Hotel Marina Golf Clubto the Warmia and Mazury Philharmonic Hall inOlsztyn19:05 D eparture on foot from Warmiński Hotel &Conference to the Warmia and Mazury Philhar-monic Hall19:30 C oncert “Film music by Wojciech Kilar”Warmia and Mazury Philharmonic Hall in OlsztynDeparture on foot from Philharmonic Hall(3 min.)20:30 D inner hosted by:Mr Bogdan Borusewicz, President of the Senateof the Republic of PolandWarmiński Hotel & Conference, Banquet HallReturn to hotelsTuesday, 26th August08:00 D eparture from Hotel Marina Golf Club andfrom Warmiński Hotel & Conference (only par-ticipants of the BSPC Drafting Committee)08:30 M eeting of the BSPC Drafting Committee (ifnecessary)(University Library, room 116, 1st floor)08:50 D eparture from Hotel Marina Golf Club andfrom Warmiński Hotel & Conference80 Annex 209:30 FOURTH SESSIONThe Baltic Sea Region in search of harmonious andsustainable futureChair – (tbc)Vice Chair – Ms Valentina Pivnenko, MP, Russiaspeaking time: • Dr Leszek Mellibruda - "Public confidence in10 min. t he new sense of freedom and challenge of in-terpersonal relationships"• Ms Kinga Iwona Dudzińska, The Polish Insti-tute of International Affairs, PISM - “Crossbor-der movement between Gdańsk and Olsztynand Kaliningrad”• Mr Mikalai Katsetski, Project Manager, Repub-lican unitary maintenance and construction en-terprise "Dnepro-Bug Waterway", Belarus, "Re-vitalization of the water trail E 40, Baltic Sea -Black Sea. Plans and actions for a sustainablefuture."• Ms Olaug Bollestad, Chair of the BSPC WG onInnovation in Social and Health Care, Midwayreport from the BSPC Working Group on In-novation in Social and Health CareDebate12:00 C LOSING OF THE 23rd BSPCChair: Mr Ryszard Górecki, Poland,Chair of the BSPCVice Chair: Mrs Sylvia Bretschneider,Vice Chair of the BSPC- Administrative matters- Adoption of The Conference Resolution- Address by the incoming Chair of the BSPC2014-2015- Presentation of Next Year’s Host Country13:00 L unchDeparture of participantsAnnex 3 81Annex 3List of participantsMember parliaments and parliamentary organizations:Baltic AssemblyGiedrė Purvaneckienė – MP, Vice PresidentJānis Vucāns – MP, Vice PresidentKārlis Eņģelis – MPAtis Lejiņš – MPRytas Kupčinskas – MPRaimundas Paliukas- MPJānis Reirs – MPValerijus Simulik – MPJuris Viļums – MPMarika Laizāne-Jurkāne – Secretary GeneralFederal Assembly of the Russian FederationVladimir Nikitin – MPOleg Nilov – MPValentina Pivnenko – MPYulia Guskova – AdviserNordic CouncilKarin Åström – MP, President of the Nordic CouncilOlaug Bollestad – MPBenny Engelbrecht – MPChristina Gestrin – MPPer Rune Henriksen – MPElin Hirst – MPHelgi Hjörvar – MPAnders Karlsson – MPJohan Linander – MPJörgen Pettersson – MPKimmo Sasi – MPJohanna Maria Sigmundsdottir – MPMaria Stenberg – MPHrannar Arnarsson –Secretary General of the SocialdemocraticGroupBeate Christine Wang – Senior AdviserTorkil Sørensen – International Adviser82 Annex 3Parliament of ÅlandDanne Sundman – MPKarl-Johan Fogelström – MPAnnette Holmberg-Jansson – MPJörgen Pettersson – MPNiclas Slotte – Secretary of the DelegationParliament of DenmarkBenny Engelbrecht – MPKamilla Kjelgaard – Head of SectionParliament of EstoniaEne Rõngelep – Foreign Relations AdviserParliament of FinlandChristina Gestrin – MPRiitta Myller – MPKimmo Sasi – MPHanna Tainio – MPKimmo Tiilikainen – MPMika Laaksonen – Secretary of the DelegationMarja Huttunen – Assistant Secretary of the DelegationParliament of the Federal Republic of GermanyHerbert Behrens – MPSonja Steffen – MPPeter Stein – MPThomas Stritzl – MPFranz Thönnes – MPThomas Grimm – Secretary of the DelegationAndrea Bou-Said – Executive Officer, Secretariat of the GermanDelegation to the BSPCParliament of Free and Hanse City of HamburgCarola Veit – President of ParliamentKurt Duwe – MPRoland Heintze – MPSabine Steppat – MPJohannes Düwel – Director of ParliamentParliament of IcelandElin Hirst – MPHelgi Hjörvar – MPJohanna Maria Sigmundsdottir – MPAnnex 3 83Parliament of Kaliningrad RegionPavel Fedorov – MPMarina Prozorova – Head of Department of International andInterregional RelationsAlesya Korshunova – Assistant of Standing Committee onInternational and Interregional relations, Security and PublicOrderParliament of LatviaKārlis Eņģelis – MPAtis Lejiņš – MPJānis Reirs – MPJuris Viļums – MPJānis Vucāns – MPIngrīda Sticenko – Senior Adviser of the SaeimaInterparliamentary Relations BureauParliament of LithuaniaRytas Kupčinskas – MPRaimundas Paliukas- MPGiedrė Purvaneckienė – MPValerijus Simulik – MPRasa Matusevičiūtė – Adviser of the Committee on EnvironmentProtectionSkirmantas Strimaitis – StaffParliament of Mecklenburg-VorpommernSylvia Bretschneider – PresidentAndré Brie – MPDietmar Eifler – MPSilke Gajek – MPDetlef Müller – MPJochen Schulte – MPBodo Bahr – Vice Director of ParliamentDirk Zapfe – Leader, President’s OfficeStefan Janssen – Unit Leader, ProtocolGeorg Strätker – Unit Leader, EU and Legal Affairs CommitteeFlorian Lipowski – Adviser, EU and Legal Affairs CommitteeParliament of NorwayOlaug Bollestad – MPEva Kristin Hansen – MPPer Rune Henriksen – MPBjørn Andreassen – Senior AdviserJulie H. Brevik – AdviserMarianne Seip – Political Adviser84 Annex 3Parliament of PolandBogdan Borusewicz – President of the Senate of the Republic ofPolandRyszard Górecki – MP, BSPC ChairPiotr Bauć – MPJerzy Borowczak – MPStanisław Wziątek – MPArtur Kozłowski – Head of Cabinet of the President of the SenateLeszek Kieniewicz – Director of the Office for International andEuropean Union AffairsPiotr Koperski – Secretary of the BSPC DelegationParliament of the City of St. PetersburgMaxim Reznik – MPTatiana Zakharenkova – MPNargis Akhadova – Chief of the External Relations DepartmentVatanyar Yagya – International AdviserParliament of Schleswig-HolsteinBernd Heinemann – Vice President, Head of DelegationAngelika Beer – MPAstrid Damerow – MPEkkehard Klug – MPBernd Voss – MPJette Waldinger-Thiering – MPJutta Schmidt Holländer – MPParliament of SwedenKarin Åström – MPAnders Karlsson – MPJohan Linander – MPCecilia Magnusson – MPMaria Stenberg – MPBengt Ohlsson – Secretary of the DelegationAnn-Louise Månsson – International DepartmentAnnex 3 85Other participantsBaltic Sea Parliamentary Conference SecretariatJan Widberg – Secretary GeneralBaltic Sea Region University NetworkKari Hypponen – PresidentSigitas Stanys – Vice RectorBaltic Sea States Subregional CooperationOssi Savolainen – ChairmanJari Sainio – Vice President of The BoardJanne Taminen – Executive SecretaryJaakko Mikkola – Director of International AffairsCouncil of the Baltic Sea StatesRaul Mälk – Ambassador-at-Large, Chairman of the Committeeof Senior OfficialsSatu Mattila – Ambassador, outgoing Chairman of the Committeeof Senior OfficialsJan Lundin – Director GeneralIris Kempe – Senior AdviserEuropean CommissionLina Marcinkute – Programme Manager, Competence Centre forMacroregions and European Territorial CooperationEuroregion BalticSebastian Magier – Head of International Permanent SecretariatHelsinki Commission – HELCOMHarry Liiv – ChairmanMinistry of Culture and National Heritage, PolandPiotr Żuchowski – Secretary of StateAnna Ceynowa – Senior ExpertMinistry of Foreign Affairs, PolandEwa Dębska – Deputy Director, European Policy DepartamentKatarzyna Barcikowska – II SecretaryMinistry of Foreign Affairs, Russian FederationSergey Petrovich – Deputy Director, Department of EuropeanPartnership86 Annex 3Ministry of Justice, Cultural and European Affairs, Schleswig-HolsteinAnke Spoorendonk – MinisterSven Freitag – Junior ExpertNordic Council of MinistersMichael Funch – Senior Advisor - CommunicationNorthern Dimension Partnership in Public Health and Social Well-beingMarek Maciejowski – DirectorThomas Ifland – Representative of the Chair CountryOffice of the Marshal of the Warmia and Mazury RegionJacek Protas – MarshalParliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic CooperationKyrylo Tretiak – Secretary GeneralRegional Youth Council of Schleswig-HolsteinAlexandra Ehlers – PresidentMaike Janneck – Project CoordinatorSkåne Regional CouncilAnna-Lena Hogerud – MemberSouth-East Europe Parliamentary CooperationRumen Gechev – MPUnion of Baltic CitiesMikko Lohikoski – DirectorAnnex 3 87SpeakersDaria Akhutina – General Director, Baltic Sea NGO Forum andNetworkJacek Bełdowski – Expert, Institute of Oceanology of the PolishAcademy of SciencesOlaug Bollestad – MP, NorwayKinga Dudzińska, Analyst, Polish Institute of International AffairsAlexandra Ehlers – President, Regional Youth Council ofSchleswig-HolsteinRumen Gechev – MP, Bulgaria, South-East Europe ParliamentaryCooperationChristina Gestrin – MP, FinlandRyszard Górecki – MP, BSPC ChairJörg Hackman – Professor, University of SzczecinHanna Hagmark-Cooper – Director, Åland Maritime MuseumMikko Härö – Director of Department, National Board ofAntiquities of FinlandAndrzej Jagusiewicz – Chief Inspector of EnvironmentalProtection, PolandMikalai Katsetski – General Director, RUMCE “Dnepro-BugWaterway”Päivi Kärnä – Project Coordinator, Baltic Sea NGO Network,Finland-Russia SocietyHarry Liiv – Chairman of the HELCOMUrmas Lips – Head of Department of Marine Physics, Chair ofOceonography Institute of Marine Systems, Tallinn University ofTechnologySatu Mattila – Ambassador, outgoing Chairman of the Committeeof Senior Officials88 Annex 3Raul Mälk – Ambassador-at-Large, Chairman of the Committeeof Senior OfficialsLina Marcinkute – Programme Manager, Competence Centre forMacroregions and European Territorial Cooperation, EuropeanCommissionLeszek Melibruda – Academic, Journalist and IndependentConsultantValentina Pivnenko – MP, State Duma, RussiaHenryk Samsonowicz – Professor, former Rector of the Universityof Warsaw and Minister for National EducationAnke Spoorendonk – Minister of Justice, Cultural and EuropeanAffairs, Schleswig-HolsteinAnita Vaivade – Assistant Professor, Latvian Academy of CulturePiotr Żuchowski – Secretary of State, Ministry of Culture andNational Heritage, Poland23Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference Secretariatwww.bspc.netBSPC Secretariatc/o Lennéstraße 119053 SchwerinGermanyPhone (+49) 385 525 2777