Margareta Cederfelt addresses the Baltic Assembly, 28 October 2022RIGA, 28 October 2022 – OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Margareta Cederfelt (Sweden) is in Riga for the 41st session Baltic Assembly, which has brought together parliamentarians today from Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania to discuss co-operation and the readiness of the Baltic States to deal with regional challenges, including energy supplies. Addressing the parliamentarians this afternoon, President Cederfelt emphasized the importance of recognizing the Baltic perspective on international affairs, and thanked the Baltic States for their contributions to the OSCE.

The active engagement of parliamentarians from Baltic countries in the OSCE PA has provided an essential voice in defense the Helsinki principles in the face of brazen violations, the President stressed. “We must continue doing so to ensure the respect of OSCE commitments in all dimensions of security,” Cederfelt said. “We need to exploit all available tools to mobilize international solidarity. We need to reinforce our partnerships to protect our multilateral system and our mutual security.”

Also today, the President held a working lunch with the leadership of parliaments from Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Montenegro, Poland, and Ukraine. Discussions focused on the Russian Federation’s war in Ukraine and the general security situation in the Baltic region. Cederfelt briefed her colleagues on the work of the OSCE PA in the context of the war in Ukraine and presented PA tools such as the work of the Special Representatives and regular online meetings.