Foreign Minister Mikser: the EU must improve connections with Eastern Partnership countries

Foreign Minister Sven Mikser affirmed at the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Eastern Partnership and Visegrád countries in Warsaw today, that the EU must improve connections with the Eastern Partnership countries. Better connections, which were also the focus of the discussions, are an important part of the Eastern Partnership policy, which is also one of the priorities of the Estonian presidency of the EU Council.

“A stable, safe and prosperous neighbourhood is in the interests of the EU,” the Foreign Minister emphasised. “In order to ensure this, we must develop connections between the EU and the Eastern Partnership countries, especially transport, energy and digital connections. Better connections will enhance economic cooperation, trade, and contacts between people, and will bring the Eastern Partnership countries closer to us,” Mikser said. According to the Foreign Minister, attention must be paid to possible financing for infrastructure projects.

Talking about improving the digital connectivity, Mikser emphasised that developing an e-governance infrastructure will improve trade optimisation and public services, making countries more transparent at the same time.

According to the Foreign Minister, Estonia has an opportunity to highlight the Eastern Partnership policy during the presidency. Among other things, by organising high-level events. “In the framework of the Estonian presidency, we will work towards ambitious results of the Eastern Partnership summit that would motivate all participants to continue developing the Partnership. It is important that the summit would give a clear message of our commitment and that it would demonstrate how cooperation will benefit our people,” Mikser said. According to Mikser it is important to keep the Eastern partners motivated to reform their countries and societies.