On Friday 24 March, Prime Minister Māris Kučinskis will pay a visit to Rome - the capital city of Italy, to participate in events held in honour of the 60th anniversary of foundation of the European Union.
Events will begin on 24 March when the EU Heads of State and institutions have been invited to the audience with Pope Francis. On 25 March, the Heads of State or Government will gather in the Capitol. It is planned that during the audience in the Vatican, Pope Francis will address the participants.
On 25 March, the Heads of State or Government will gather in the Capitol where in March 1957 the so-called Treaty of Rome was signed, which was the basis for establishing the European Atomic Energy Community and the European Economic Community, initially by six countries.
It is expected that the EU Heads of State or Government will take stock of the progress made in the history of the EU, and assess the challenges that will be topical for Europe in the foreseeable future in economic, security and social spheres.
It is also planned to adopt a political declaration, which will re-confirm the significance of the European Integration Project and outline the development for the coming years. M. Kučinskis notes that the Rome Declaration should be a document that speaks to all Europeans, not just the EU founding countries. "As regards the section on the EU’s achievements in the Rome Declaration, it would be beneficial to reflect not only the dream of peace, which materialized 60 years ago, but also the dream of freedom, which came true for a part of Europe after the fall of the Berlin Wall," says M.Kučinskis.
According to the invitation of the Italian side and the Vatican, the EU Heads of State or Government will visit Rome together with spouses. Prime Minister M. Kučinskis will attend the events of the 60th anniversary of the Treaties of Rome together with spouse Laine Kučinska.
Andrejs Vaivars
Press Secretary to the Prime Minister
Mob.: 29228678
E-mail: Andrejs.Vaivars@mk.gov.lv