“We are pleased with the decision of NATO Summit in Warsaw to strengthen the Allied presence in the Baltic States and Poland providing for deployment of multinational battalion under the leadership of Canada in Latvia,” said Raimonds Vējonis.
The President of Latvia expressed his gratitude for Italy’s contribution to security of Latvia by participating in NATO’s Baltic Air-Policing mission and operation of the NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence established in Riga. Raimonds Vējonis also expressed his hope that Italy would be able to contribute with its forces to the formation of NATO multinational battalion under the leadership of Canada.
The President of Latvia also confirmed his invitation to the President of Italy to visit Latvia in 2018 in honour of the centenary celebrations of the country.
“Latvia and Italy share an active dialogue at political and expert level, but we are interested in exploring this dialogue up to the highest level,” said President of Latvia Raimonds Vējonis.
The President of Latvia pointed out that this year was of special importance for Latvian and Italian bilateral relations, because 25 years passed since restoration of the bilateral diplomatic relations and 95 years passed since Italy recognised independence of Latvia de jure.
Raimonds Vējonis met with the President of Italy during the Arraiolos group meeting in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
Arraiolos group is an informal convention of Presidents of the EU Member States. Presidents of parliamentary republics participate in meetings traditionally, who are not bound to the executive functions. The first meeting of the group was held in a Portuguese town of Arraiolos upon the incentive of Jorge Sampaio, then the President of Portugal, in 2003. President of Bulgaria, Germany, Poland, Hungary, Slovenia, Latvia, Portugal, Finland, Italy, and Malta participate in the meeting this year.