Estonian parliament to discuss foreign policy as matter of significant national importance

  • 2019-02-12
  • BNS/TBT Staff

TALLINN - The Estonian parliament will discuss at a sitting on Tuesday foreign policy as a matter of significant national importance, at the debate reports will be delivered by Minister of Foreign Affairs Sven Mikser and Chairman of the foreign affairs committee of the Riigikogu Marko Mihkelson, spokespeople for the parliament said.

Mikser's speech focuses on promotion of rule-based cooperation that respects the sovereignty of states and covers both security and foreign trade relations. The minister will speak about Estonia's candidacy for non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council, and transatlantic relations. He will also give an overview of Estonia's role in the fight against international terrorism, the challenges faced by the European Union, the foreign economic policy, and the digital dimension in Estonia's foreign relations.

The chairman of the foreign affairs committee will touch upon the global foreign policy developments and the activities of the foreign affairs committee. He will also give an overview of the reports on strengthening the Estonian foreign service and on foreign influence activities, and highlight the most important recommendations of the reports. In Mihkelson's opinion, the foreign affairs committee has been doing its best to ensure that the Estonian foreign policy would proceed from liberal values, and be democratic and consensus-based.

The speeches will be followed by questions to the speakers and comments from factions.   

The debate on foreign policy will be the second item on the agenda of the sitting. It will be streamed online in Estonian on the web site of the Riigikogu.