Europe must strengthen its defense capabilities at all levels, while safeguarding existing levels of prosperity - Mierina

RIGA - Europe needs to arm and strengthen its defense capabilities at all levels so that no potential aggressor would even think of attacking in the future, but at the same time be able to provide Europeans with the same level of welfare and social protection as before, Saeima Speaker Daiga Mierina (Greens/Farmers) said at the high-level international conference "The EU Conversations 2026: Protecting the Future" on Friday at the Saeima (Saeima).

She highlighted two of Latvia's main challenges - long-term security and competitiveness.

"In the mid-1990s, when we clearly set the goal of Latvia's integration into the European Union (EU), we saw physical and economic security as the main drive for returning to a united Europe and a family of democratic values," Mierina said.

According to her, Latvia's time in the EU has been a time of rapid economic growth, adaptation to a common space of European values and norms, and at the same time engagement in overcoming common European challenges and crises. For example, the 2009 international financial crisis, the Covid-19 pandemic and the UK's exit from the EU.

At the same time, the war launched by Russia in Ukraine has created unprecedented challenges for the EU, the Saeima speaker said. Since its foundation, the EU has been based on values, norms and peace, but this is no longer enough - it must also become a space of strength and resilience, Mierina stressed

"We must not only defend our arguments and values with words and references to legal documents, but also be prepared to defend ourselves physically," the Saeima speaker said.

She pointed out that, especially on the EU's eastern flank, borders and air defenses need to be strengthened and fortified, rather than borders being opened up as they have been.

"This is a very rapid and sudden change of mindset. We have had to act quickly and decisively", she said, stressing that there is not enough time to wait for Russia to collapse or for the war to end.

The paradigm shift is also happening slowly but not fast enough in the area of cutting red tape, Mierina said. However, decision-making in the EU remains cumbersome and difficult to understand, according to the Saeima speaker.

She gave the example of military mobility, where much needs to be done to ensure that strategically important goods can be transported across EU borders without unnecessary procedures, thus strengthening the military industry.

In her speech, Mierina quoted the Latvian-born chess grandmaster Mikhail Tal. "Time we do not have is more precious than the pieces we do have," she said.

"And today's European challenge is just like that game - a strategic challenge where every decision is crucial and must be taken as quickly as possible," Mierina said, stressing that the decisions taken in the coming years will be decisive for the future of a united Europe.

For decades, a united Europe has been a model for the world in the areas of health, social protection, equality, solidarity and the rule of law, she said.

On EU enlargement, Mierina stressed that countries that fulfil all the necessary criteria deserve to become part of the common and democratic European family, as this will also contribute to the common security and resilience of Europe as a whole.

As reported, "The EU Conversations 2026: Protecting the Future" conference is taking place today for the 11th time, bringing together European policy-makers and experts to discuss key EU development issues.