Mūrniece speech at 25 BSPC

Remarks by the Speaker of Parliament of the Republic of Latvia Ināra MūrnieceBaltic Sea Parliamentary Conference“High Quality Education and Labour – The Future of the Baltic Sea Region”29 August 2016, Riga, LatviaPresident Mr Vējonis,President of the BSPC Dr Vucāns,Vice-President of the European Commission Mr Dombrovskis,Excellencies,Distinguished parliamentarians,It is my great pleasure to welcome you to the 25th Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference. Congratulations on the Silver Jubilee!We are particularly delighted to have you here at the new building of the University of Latvia – the Academic Centre of Natural Sciences. Convening here is symbolic – because universities and quality education are crucial for competitiveness, growth and prosperity in our region.Why do we meet in this format – the eleven countries sharing the Baltic Sea? A group like this must have a clear purpose. The answer is simple. We are stronger when we – the open economies – work together as one region. We are stronger when we are unified in our dedication to cooperation and peace.Uffe Ellemann-Jensen, the prominent Danish politician and one of the founders of Baltic Sea States cooperation, has said that back then, 25 years ago, that the main wish was a “peaceful return to freedom and prosperity around the Baltic Sea”.Now, on our Silver Jubilee, we can take stock of our wishes, promises, and achievements.Our achievements are outstanding. We join our efforts in boosting competitiveness, improving ecological state and maritime safety of the Baltic Sea, and fighting human trafficking. We can serve as an example for macro-regional cooperation for others – the Black Sea, Danube and Mediterranean regions. We are doing well.Dear colleagues,The founding fathers of the Baltic Sea regional cooperation also had a vision of peace. Today, when our world is shattered by crises and conflicts, their vision inspires us more than ever to build bridges and tear down walls.The founding vision of the Baltic Sea cooperation was the democracy ideal. Today more than ever we need to promote democracy across the region – because it makes wars and conflicts less likely.There is a great need for the countries around the Baltic Sea to have a dialogue on how to uphold democratic values. As many as 11 national parliaments, 11 regional parliaments, and 5 parliamentary organisations are gathered here! Among us, we have the oldest parliament in the world – Iceland’s Aalthingi with its strong democratic tradition. We have a lot to learn from each other.We have inspiring examples. Today Estonia, according to the Freedom House indicators, ranks first in democratic development among the 29 post-communist nations, followed by Latvia and Lithuania. Our success shows that we can achieve a great deal when we work as free nations.I would like to express my special thanks to our Icelandic friends for putting democracy as the key priority for their Presidency in the Council of the Baltic Sea States.We – the parliaments – have the central role in fostering democracy. Parliamentary activity covers the entire spectrum of political, civil, economic, and social rights. As the main institution of democracy, we should respond to the needs of our people.Parliaments are increasingly active in international politics; we contribute to peace and stability. Now, during this time of increasing instability, we need to join efforts in defence of our common values of democracy, human rights and rule of law, including international rules-based order.We are united in our goals. A year ago, the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference was committed to making “every effort to ensure that the Baltic Sea region will continue to be a region of good, peaceful neighborliness.”Let us stay dedicated to these goals. Let us work together to keep our promise in further building a peaceful, free, and prosperous Baltic Sea region.I wish everyone here in Latvia a successful conference with productive discussions.And I hope to see you in Riga again.