Minister for European Affairs Thomas Byrne visits Latvia
News
07 September 2021
The Minister for European Affairs, Thomas Byrne TD visited Riga from 6-7 September 2021. The programme for the visit included a wide range of engagements, the first of which was a meeting on 6 September with the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Latvia, Mr Edgars Rinkēvičs. During this meeting, the Ministers discussed bilateral relations, current developments in the Baltic region, and a broad array of EU and International issues.
The Minister also met with the Latvian Interior Minister Ms Marija Golubeva, and with the Parliamentary Secretary, Ms Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica. Amongst the topics discussed were the current migration challenges at the border between Latvia and Belarus and the Conference on the Future of Europe. On the afternoon of Monday 6 September, the Minister delivered a speech at the prestigious Riga Graduate School of Law on the subject of “Our Future in Europe: 30 Years of Diplomatic Relations between Ireland and the Republic of Latvia.”
On Tuesday 7 September the Minister met with the Chair of the European Affairs Committee, Ms Vita Anda Tērauda, and the Deputy Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee and Chair of the Group for promoting cooperation with the Parliament of Ireland, Mr Ojārs Ēriks Kalniņš, at the Saeima, along with representatives of both Committees. Following this the Minister paid a visit to Riga’s LGBT House (which has a strong connection with the LGBT community in Ireland) and the Museum of the 1991 Barricades, which commemorates the events leading up to Latvia’s independence from the Soviet Union.
The Minister’s visit to Riga was part of a three-day working visit to Latvia and Estonia, his first visit to these EU Member States since he became Minister in July 2020. The visit also marks the thirtieth anniversary of diplomatic relations between Ireland and the Baltic States following the reestablishment of their independence in 1991.