On 27 April, President of Latvia Egils Levits opened the Latvian–German Ports Days in Lübeck, Germany. Latvia is represented by the Ministry of Transport, representatives of Latvian ports, the Latvian Embassy in Germany, and the Honorary Consulate in Hamburg.
In his address, E. Levits emphasised the century-long ties between Latvia and Germany, which have made an impact in various fields.
German companies entering the Latvian market or setting up a subsidiary there soon find it easy to do business in Latvia, especially because of the similar work ethic and culture, said E. Levits.
The President of Latvia noted that the Hanseatic League, which shaped the economy and politics in Northern Europe, was one of the first to realise the importance of deep economic integration as the backbone of lasting peace in Europe: "The concept of economic integration, which creates a mutually beneficial network of relations, was rediscovered after the painful experience of the Second World War. Today, Latvia and Germany, as members of the European Union and NATO, are actively promoting peace and stability in Europe".
However, with Russia's aggression against Ukraine, the world is witnessing that for revisionist totalitarian regimes, deep economic ties are not enough. The unity and decisiveness of the European Union member states came as a surprise to Moscow's aggressive dictatorship, said President Levits.
"We must continue to support Ukraine with all possible means in its struggle for freedom, we must learn from the past to be able to defend our fundamental values and democracy," stressed E. Levits.
The President emphasised that "we see NATO as the cornerstone of our physical security and the European Union as the backbone of our economic cooperation".
Russia's war in Ukraine and Covid-19 have not changed the basic principles of the global economy, but they have underlined the need for a more vigilant approach in choosing our trading partners, E. Levits said.
"Long supply chains of strategic goods involving autocratic regimes proved to be a trap. This must not happen again," said the President of Latvia.
A smarter investment and trade policy based on much closer cooperation between countries sharing similar values is clearly needed to prevent such situations from recurring in the future, noted E. Levits.
The President of Latvia expressed his satisfaction that the Port Days were held at a time when the volume of trade between Latvia and Germany was growing.
The President of Latvia also pointed to the opportunities of the European Green Deal, saying that it was important to transform our economy towards sustainable and green energy at a time of climate change. "Latvia is already one of the European leaders, producing almost half of its energy from renewable sources," said E. Levits.
The President of Latvia pointed to the importance of Latvia's ports in ensuring the green transition.
