On Wednesday, July 25, during his meeting with Petr Nečas, Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, Valdis Dombrovskis, Prime Minister of the Republic of Latvia, expressed his hope that the Czech Republic would support the request of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia to ensure in the next Financial Perspective of the European Union (EU) sufficient cohesion funding for regional development and to provide fair allocation of direct agricultural payments. “The next EU budget should serve as a strong development impetus to whole Europe,” emphasised the Prime Minister of Latvia.
Valdis Dombrovskis also confirmed Latvia’s intention to join the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). “Latvia, with support of the Czech Republic and other OECD partner countries, is ready to engage in the official negotiations for accession to the OECD in the nearest future. Latvia’s experience in overcoming the recent severe crisis and its commitment to sustainable growth of the national economy and living standards would be a valuable contribution to the aims of the OECD and would develop economic cooperation of Latvia with the other Member States,” noted Prime Minister Dombrovskis.
Both heads of government also discussed bilateral economic cooperation and valuable cooperation of Latvia and the Czech Republic; Valdis Dombrovskis expressed his acknowledgement to the Czech Republic for its contribution to the Baltic air space security. According to the schedule in September this year the Czech Republic will take over patrolling of the air space of the Baltic States.
On Tuesday, July 24, in Prague, at the Charles University, Valdis Dombrovskis delivered a lecture on the importance of fiscal discipline for stability and development in Europe at the 2012 commencement ceremony of the American Institute on Political and Economic Systems (AIPES).
By addressing AIPES graduates of 2012, the Prime Minister stressed that it is important to undertake sound further measures aimed at resolving the problems faced by some eurozone countries; however long-term stability and improvement of welfare in Europe can only be ensured through improved competitiveness to be addressed both at the EU institutional level and at the level of its Member States. “A high level of welfare cannot be attained without advanced competitiveness. The EU has developed a number of documents for strengthening competitiveness while we have already failed in attaining one of the aims under the Lisbon Strategy, namely, making Europe the most competitive global economy by 2010. Instead, in 2010 the eurozone experienced a flash of debt crisis which once again highlighted the necessity to restore and enhance competitiveness,” said Prime Minister Dombrovskis.
In order to strengthen Europe’s competitiveness all the EU Member States should commit themselves to fiscal disciple, to more efficient use of the unexploited potential of the EU internal market and to sound development of the common labour market. “Financial assistance programmes can resolve short-term problems of the countries in question but they themselves should undertake full responsibility for balanced financial policies. Next six month will bring several challenges for the eurozone. It seems that the financial markets and voters expect from politicians some completely different things,” the Prime Minister noted in his address.
At the end of the lecture the Fund for American Studies, which established the AIPES, presented to Valdis Dombrovskis the Vašek and Anna Maria Polák visiting lecturer’s award – 3,000 U.S. dollars which will be donated to charity in Latvia. The AIPES award was established in 1995 in order to honour the leaders of Central and Eastern Europe for their contribution to region’s democracy and economic reforms. In 2000 it was warded to Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga, former State President of Latvia. Valdis Dombrovskis has been awarded for his achievement as the Head of the Latvian Government in overcoming the financial crisis.
Photos of the meeting of Valdis Dombrovskis and the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic: http://www.flickr.com/photos/valstskanceleja/sets/72157630742976618/
Photos of the lecture of Prime Minister Dombrovskis at the AIPES commencement ceremony:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/valstskanceleja/sets/72157630730719678/
For additional information:
Mārtiņš Panke
Press Secretary of the Prime Minister
Ph.: +371 67082865, +371 26556965
E-mail: Martins.Panke@mk.gov.lv
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