Latvia satisfied with presidency of Council of EU

Prime Minister Laimdota Strajuma and Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics at a press conference on Monday voiced satisfaction with the results of the Latvian presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU), which ends this week.

"After six highly intensive months of the presidency it is fair to say that we have done a fairly big job," Strajuma said, adding that Latvia has accomplished even more than expected. "We have received praise for our ability to hear all opinions and take decisions."

"We have demonstrated the ability to respond to emergencies," such as the Ukraine conflict, Greece's financial troubles, the migrant crisis in the Mediterranean and terror threats in Europe's south.

Both Straujuma and Rinkevics noted several declarations, statements and programs initiated or adopted during the Latvian presidency.

Strajuma mentioned an agreement on the launch of the European Fund of Strategic Investments (EFSI), or European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker's investment plan, an agreement on study grants for young people, as well as other decisions.

"Negotiations on personal data protection on the Internet had been going on for three years. During our presidency we agreed on the principles. An agreement was reached on the right to be forgotten on the Internet," Strajuma said.

Rinkevics underlined the significance of the European Energy Union, on which work was started in Riga.

"We tried to be a balanced presidency," Rinkevics said, explaining that although events that had the most significant implications for Latvia unfolded in the EU's eastern neighborhood, the Latvian presidency did not forget about problems in the south either.

Rinkevics noted several benefits from the presidency, particularly Latvian civil servants and diplomats' improved professionalism, as well as new contacts in the EU and outside the bloc.

"The main benefit for Latvia is that it now has much more experienced, better informed and developed corps of civil servants and diplomats. The contacts and ties that have been built by ministers, lawmakers and civil servants remain. One of the tasks now is to capitalize on these contacts and to develop the political ties," Rinkevics said.

Latvia took over the rotating EU presidency at the beginning of this year. This Wednesday, July 1, Latvia will turn the presidency over to Luxembourg.