On 8 October 2020, on the occasion of the German Presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU), the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia, Edgars Rinkēvičs, participated in the working lunch of the Ambassadors of the EU Member States and candidate countries organized by the German Embassy in Latvia.
The Foreign Minister expressed Latvia’s support for the work of the German EU Presidency, emphasizing the importance of EU-wide coordination on issues related to COVID-19 and the need to agree with the European Parliament on the EU’s multi-annual budget and the European Union Recovery Instrument with a view to helping EU economies with EU funding as soon as possible. Latvia supports raising the EU’s ambitions to achieve climate goals and welcomes the Rule of Law Report produced by the Commission. The EU is a union of values, and we want a candid discussion on the rule of law, the Foreign Minister emphasised.
Edgars Rinkēvičs underlined the need for the EU to step up its efforts in response to developments in Belarus. In solidarity with Lithuania and Poland, Latvia has recalled its Ambassador to Belarus for consultations in Riga.
The Minister answered questions about various EU and international events of current importance, as well as about the EU’s relations with third countries including Russia, China, and the United States of America.
Background information
The Presidency of the EU Council in the second half of 2020 is held by Germany. Portugal and Slovenia will follow in 2021.