Analytics, Direct Speech, EU – Baltic States, Forum, Latvia, Society

According to the Prime Minister, the present-day "dynamics of international, social and political environment of Europe are driven by a number of aspects, ranging from local political pressures to dynamics of macroeconomic environment. Europe itself has to able to adopt and respond".

Speaking of the changing international environment, L.Straujuma mentioned the following threats: the events in Ukraine or Libya, the terrorist attacks in Paris, clashes in Syria and Iraq, the volatility of the market and commodity goods, increasing migratory pressure from North Africa and the Balkans. She also drew attention to the new opportunities provided by the development of transport and technologies, the wider availability of education and health, as well as the spread of innovation.

Emphasizing the issues of European social environment, L.Straujuma recalled that the European citizens expect new jobs, increased welfare and safety from the entire EU and from the national governments. Meanwhile, the country's capacity to implement these expectations is limited by two economic realities: lower growth, which affects spending, and the global nature of the world economy that requires rapid reaction by national states to international developments," said L.Straujuma.

The Prime Minister stressed that she believes in the pragmatic approach towards development of Europe, and the people need to see that administrative authorities set rational objectives in economy, security and in the social area.

When addressing the work of Latvia's Presidency of the Council of the European Union, L.Straujuma said that the Presidency's agenda has been designed based on a conviction that "the right policies are at our disposal to create a better Europe". She also informed about the Presidency's accomplishments in the first two months: by implementing the so-called "Rīga Process", the idea of the Energy Union has been progressed; there is an agreement on new anti-terrorism measures, and the revision of the European Security Strategy has been proposed; the preparatory work is done for the Eastern Partnership Summit to be held in May.

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