On May 9, the President of the Nordic Council, Heléne Björklund, participated in the annual international conference of the Baltic Assembly and the Baltic Council of Ministers (BCM) titled “Borders of Diplomacy and Diplomacy Across Borders.”
Members of parliament from Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia, along with representatives from the Nordic countries and other partner nations, gathered to discuss the role of Baltic parliamentary diplomacy in addressing regional challenges and strengthening cooperation with international partners.
The conference was opened by Speaker of the Saeima Daiga Mieriņa and President of Latvia H.E. Edgars Rinkēvičs. The first of two sessions focused on implementing a unified Baltic foreign policy to tackle regional challenges. It was moderated by Ambassador-at-Large Mr. Andrejs Pildegovičs, Head of Latvia’s UN Security Council campaign secretariat. The panel discussion featured President of the Baltic Assembly Jānis Vucāns, Vice Presidents Timo Suslov (Estonia) and Giedrius Drukteinis (Lithuania), as well as Ambassadors Eerik Marmei (Estonia), Valdas Lastauskas (Lithuania), and Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia Artjoms Uršuļskis.
The second session focused on cooperation between the Baltic Assembly and international partners. Speeches were delivered by Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, leader of the Belarusian democratic movement and Head of the United Transitional Cabinet, and Professor Zlatko Šabič of the University of Ljubljana. The panel discussion featured President of the Nordic Council Ms. Heléne Björklund, President of the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference Alfons Röblom, and Vice President of the Benelux Parliament Pim van Ballekom.
Conference discussions addressed a wide range of issues, including international cooperation, the contribution of Baltic parliamentary diplomacy to resolving global conflicts, and enhancing coordinated political responses to strengthen regional security and diplomatic influence. Participants also reflected on past Baltic Assembly partnerships within and beyond Europe, exploring ways to deepen cooperation in political, economic, and security matters to meet regional challenges.
During the conference break, at 12:30 PM, a symbolic photo event titled “Handshake for Europe” took place in front of the Saeima building in honor of Europe Day. The action aimed to demonstrate mutual respect, cooperation, and equality among member states, while expressing solidarity with democratic Belarus and reaffirming support for Ukraine. Participants included Baltic Assembly delegates, Members of the Saeima, youth from across Latvia, President of the Nordic Council Heléne Björklund, and Director of the Nordic Council of Ministers Office in Latvia Mr. Stefan Eriksson. Originating in Ireland, this tradition symbolizes a strong and united Europe.
About the Baltic Assembly and the Baltic Council of Ministers
The Baltic Assembly is a cooperation platform among the parliaments of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia, established on November 8, 1991. Each national parliament is represented by 12–16 members. The Assembly functions as a coordinating and consultative institution.
The Baltic Council of Ministers (BCM), created on June 13, 1994, facilitates cooperation among the governments of the Baltic states. In Latvia, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs acts as the BCM Secretariat and ensures its operations.
For over 20 years, the Baltic Assembly and BCM have jointly organized international conferences dedicated to various regional and international issues. In 2025, Latvia holds the presidency of both the Baltic Assembly and the Baltic Council of Ministers.
Photo: Saeima, Parliament of the Republic of Latvia.
