Linking projects to enhance Scandinavian-Baltic relations

VILNIUS- At the recent Baltic Development Forum Summit (BDF) in Stockholm, Lithuania's Minister of Foreign Affairs Vygaudas Usackas announced that the Baltic Sea Region would become a competitive region in the world, if mutual links of the countries were enhanced.

"Creating transport links, integrating energy networks, using renewable energy sources, liberalising visa regime for all countries in the region 's these are just a few specific tasks, after completing which the Baltic Sea Region would become also more competitive and unified," Usckas said at the Baltic Development Forum Summit in Stockholm.

Usackas explained that it is possible to achieve this if the countries will look for linking projects. In the meantime, such projects as construction of the North European gas pipeline on the bottom of the Baltic Sea, as well as protectionism in trade, only discriminate among the countries in the region. 

The Minister also spoke up for a more active cooperation between the Baltic Sea Region countries and the Eastern Neighborhood countries, including Belarus, because it would open up new possibilities for investment, trade and tourism.

Usackas invited members of the forum to come to Vilnius next year in June, where for the first time in Lithuania, the 12th Baltic Development Forum Summit will be organized together with the meeting of Prime Ministers of the Baltic Sea States. 

The BDF Summit, or "The Baltic Davos", was founded in 1999. It is an independent non-profit organisation with members from large companies, major cities, institutional investors and business associations in the Baltic Sea Region. Baltic Development Forum cooperates with various partners, including businesses, governments, regional organizations, research and media representatives. The BDF mission is to achieve that the Baltic Sea Region would become an integrated, prosperous and internationally competitive region.