Berzins heads to Estonia for first state visit

  • 2011-07-13
  • TBT Staff

Ilves welcomed Berzins in Tallinn for the new president's first state visit. (photo: president.ee)

TALLINN -- Freshly inaugurated Latvian President Andris Berzins has gone to Estonia for his first official state visit, meeting with Estonian President Toomas Hendrick Ilves.

“Estonia and Latvia of the 21st century are two good friends, who have never let each other down and have shared support and encouragement to each other,” said President Toomas Hendrik Ilves.

“The special nature of our relations is demonstrated by the fact that your first foreign visit as Latvian Head of State brought you to Tallinn and that Estonia is Latvia’s largest foreign investor.”

Berzins, meanwhile, said the visit had been a good learning opportunity.

"I have never been shy to learn, and why shouldn't I do that now as well? I really gained a lot from this meeting with the President of Estonia," the newly incumbent president said.

Discussions between the two leaders focussed on regional trasportation projects, particularly the proposed "Rail Baltica" project that has stalled in recent months.