Closer cooperation among the Baltic states is key to strengthening regional security - MP

RIGA - Closer cooperation among the Baltic States is the key to strengthening the region's security, Ugis Rotbergs (New Unity), co-chairman of the Security and Defense Committee of the Baltic Assembly (BA), said at the committee meeting on Friday.

The co-chairman of the BA Security and Defense Committee stressed that a coordinated approach to the development of the defense industry allows the pooling of knowledge, coordination of investment and the promotion of joint procurement and research. This, he said, strengthens the region's strategic autonomy and ability to respond in a timely manner to new security challenges.

During the meeting, parliamentarians discussed the progress made so far and the next steps toward a more integrated Baltic defense system, focusing on the main challenges and the need to synchronize the development of the defense industry in all three countries.

The BA Security and Defense Committee also addressed the growing cyber threats to critical infrastructure, including government systems and defense capabilities. As the co-chair of the committee underlined, no single country can effectively address these challenges alone. He argued that strengthening cooperation among the Baltic states through a regional cyber defense network would ensure faster information exchange, coordinated threat identification and joint response to cyber incidents.

According to the parliamentarians, pooling knowledge, technology and resources would allow the Baltic states to significantly improve their collective resilience to cyberattacks, protect critical infrastructure more effectively and strengthen the security of both military and civilian systems.

Discussions at the meeting focused on the most pressing challenges for regional cooperation in the field of cybersecurity and its strengthening, assessing the benefits of the Baltic Cyber Defense Network, potential risks and progress made so far in developing a common cyberspace and critical infrastructure protection in the Baltic Sea region. During the visit, the BA Security and Defense Committee also plans to visit the Lithuanian naval base.

At the meeting, Rotbergs was joined by BA Vice President and Head of the Latvian delegation Janis Vucans (Greens/Farmers), as well as Raimonds Bergmanis (United List), Chairman of the Saeima Defense, Internal Affairs and Prevention of Corruption Committee.

The BA is a cooperation body of the parliaments of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, established on November 8, 1991. Each country is represented in the BA by 12 to 16 MPs. The Assembly plays a coordinating and consultative role and is authorized to give its opinion to national parliaments, governments and the Baltic Council of Ministers in the form of resolutions, declarations and recommendations on regional cross-border issues.