Sham marriages discussed

RIGA - Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics on Nov. 16 met with the Irish Ambassador to Latvia Aidan Kirwan, who arrived on an introductory visit, reports LETA. During the meeting the parties discussed further bilateral cooperation and current matters on the EU agenda.

It was emphasized in the conversation that Latvia and Ireland have close relations and successfully cooperate within international organizations. The two sides agreed that the exchange of visits should be enhanced as part of bilateral relations. Rinkevics and Kirwam also reviewed plans for bilateral visits and invited the Foreign Minister of Ireland Eimon Gilmore and the Minister of State for European Affairs Lucinda Kreighton to make a visit to Latvia.

During the meeting, Rinkevics drew the Irish ambassador’s attention to the problem of sham marriages in Ireland. The minister indicated that Latvia is actively working on streamlining its national legislation so that the organizers of sham marriages could be convicted. Ambassador Kirwan recognized the importance of the issue for both countries and notified that the competent institutions in Ireland were working on amendments to legislation to deal with those problems.

While discussing current EU-related matters, Foreign Minister Rinkevics emphasized Latvia’s priorities in the debate on the formation of the EU multi-annual budget, as well as support for the competitiveness and growth efforts both in the eurozone and within the EU as a whole.