On 16 March 2023, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia, Edgars Rinkēvičs, will welcome the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Marija Pejčinović Burić, on a working visit to Latvia ahead of Latvia’s six-month chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe coming up as from 17 May 2023.
The officials intend to discuss the priorities and tasks of the Latvian chairmanship, challenges faced by the organisation, support from the Council of Europe to Ukraine in relation Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, and other current international developments.
As part of his visit, Marija Pejčinović Burić will have meetings with the President of Latvia, Egils Levits, and the Minister of Justice, Inese Lībiņa-Egnere, and the Speaker of the Saeima, Eduards Smiltēns. The CoE Secretary General will also deliver a guest lecture, “Europe at a crossroads: Council of Europe and key challenges to democracy, human rights and rule of law” at Riga Graduate School of Law.
Events for the media
Photo and video opportunities
14.00 – the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Edgars Rinkēvičs, welcomes the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Marija Pejčinović Burić (Ministry of Foreign Affairs, K. Valdemāra 3, lobby on the 1st floor)
15.10–15.30 – a joint press conference of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the CoE Secretary General (Press Conference Hall, the 1st floor)
Members of the media are requested to register their participation not later than at 15.00 on 15 March by contacting the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at e-mail: media@mfa.gov.lv.
Please plan your arrival not later than 20 minutes before the event.
The press conference will be held as an in-person event, to be followed on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its Twitter, Facebook and YouTube accounts.