The situation in the European Union and in the region of Central and Eastern Europe as well as Polish-Latvian bilateral relations were among the topics discussed during today's meeting of Speaker of the Sejm Marek Kuchciński with the Speaker of the Saeima of the Republic of Latvia Ināra Mūrniece.
The politicians discussed the bilateral relations between the Polish Sejm and the Latvian Parliament. They agreed that today's meeting is a good starting point for their intensification. Speaker Marek Kuchcinski stressed that the priority is to establish the Polish-Latvian Parliamentary Group in the Sejm without delay. - In light of the events beyond our eastern borders and within the European Union, our cooperation should be close. (...) We should determine the areas which the group will deal with first. We should encourage the participation of MEPs dealing with infrastructure and communication issues. This is important from the point of view of Via Baltica and Via Carpatia. - said the Speaker of the Sejm. The Polish-Latvian bilateral cooperation group functioned during the 7th term of the Sejm. Meanwhile, the Latvian-Polish Parliamentary Group has been operating in the Latvian Parliament since 19 November 2014.
During the meeting, the Speaker of the Sejm emphasized the need to strengthen the Eastern Partnership and his willingness to learn, within the framework of bilateral cooperation, about the solutions adopted in this regard by Latvia. He also declared his support for the EU enlargement to Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova. - I am in favor of these changes - he pointed out. Chairwoman Ināra Mūrniece stressed the importance of accelerating work on association agreements with the mentioned countries. - We support bringing these countries closer to the EU and supporting their reforms - she declared.
The politicians also discussed the situation of Belarus in the international arena. - We are in favor of strengthening economic cooperation with Belarus. (...). We are also attentive to human and civil rights in this country - said the Speaker of the Latvian Parliament.
Speaker Kuchcinski and Chairwoman Mūrniece also touched on current European issues, including the still unresolved migration crisis. - In our view, this goes back to talking about mandatory quotas. We do not support such a solution - said the chairwoman of the Latvian Saeima about the proposal to impose financial sanctions on countries that do not accept an adequate number of immigrants. The politicians were also negative about possible attempts to federalize the European Union. - A strong European Union should be based on sovereign, independent states. This is how we see its future - said the Speaker of the Sejm.
During the meeting the convergence of Polish and Latvian interests in the European Union and NATO was repeatedly pointed out, especially in the context of the NATO summit planned for July this year in Warsaw.
- I am very pleased with the visit of the President of the Latvian Saeima in Poland. Thank you for bringing us a wonderful gift - an exhibition entitled "25 moments - Latvia". "It presents the moments when the Latvian nation started its struggle for sovereignty, when it led it and when it welcomed the victory - said Speaker of the Sejm Marek Kuchciński while opening an exhibition commemorating the 25th anniversary of Latvian independence together with the Speaker of Saeima Ināra Mūrniece.
The Speaker of the Sejm emphasized the historical ties linking our countries - The joy of existence of sovereign Hunt and its successes is shared by Poles. Centuries-old historical ties, common fate, the difficult struggle for independence and national identity have united us even more strongly - he said. Speaker Marek Kuchcinski also recalled the upcoming 100th anniversary of Latvia's independence, coinciding with the 100th anniversary of Poland's independence.
The chairwoman of the Latvian Saeima Ināra Mūrniece, while encouraging to see the exhibition, stressed the importance for Latvia of these important moments captured in the photographs.For 25 years after gaining independence, we experienced various moments in the history of modern Latvia. These were moments of joy, moments of pride in our country, but also moments that gave impulse to think in which actions we need to put more effort. Sometimes you can say a lot through words, but these pictures show moments in the history of our country, which left an imprint in our souls - she added. Chairwoman Mūrniece also emphasized the fact that Poland understands Latvia's history well, as both of our nations fought to regain independence, and the achievements of Solidarity in Poland strengthened Latvia's quest for freedom.
text: Chancellery of the Sejm
