On 12 December 2024, an Honorary Consulate of Latvia was opened in Kiel, in the state of Schleswig-Holstein. Prof. Dr. Mirko Schönfeldt has been appointed as Honorary Consul. He is a businessman and a lawyer, head of the Institute of Northern-European Economic Research and a professor of economic law at the Northern Business School in Hamburg.
The opening of the Honorary Consulate was attended by the Ambassador of Latvia to Germany, Alda Vanaga, His Highness Prince Alexander of Schleswig-Holstein, the Minister of European Affairs of Schleswig-Holstein, Werner Schwarz, a Member of the European Parliament, Niclas Herbst, the Chair of the Committee for European Affairs of the Landtag of Schleswig-Holstein, Malte Krüger, representatives of the Schleswig-Holstein consular corps and the business sector, as well as the Latvian diaspora. An insight into Latvia's musical diversity was provided by the Hamburg Baltic Choir “Balticoro”.
Addressing the audience, Ambassador Vanaga emphasised that Latvia and Schleswig-Holstein are partners united by the Baltic Sea and the historical ties from the times of the Hanseatic League.
“In the current geopolitical conditions, it is particularly important to promote cooperation among the democratic Baltic Sea coast countries. Along with the excellent cooperation that has been established between the municipalities of Latvia and Schleswig-Holstein and the regular ferry traffic between the ports of Liepāja and Travemünde, we see a high potential for closer cooperation in the fields of smart governance and entrepreneurship. It is also important to strengthen parliamentary cooperation, in which the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference plays an important role. We have no doubt that the Presidency of Schleswig-Holstein in 2025-2026 will contribute to strengthening parliamentary ties and solving common challenges," said the Ambassador.
The visit to Kiel was combined with the Ambassador’s regional visit to Schleswig-Holstein. During the visit, Ambassador Vanaga met with the President of the Landtag of Schleswig-Holstein, Kristina Herbst, delegates to the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference from the Landtag of Schleswig-Holstein, Mayors of Kiel and Lübeck, and also visited the port of Lübeck. The focus of the talks was on strengthening interregional cooperation. German colleagues were particularly interested in Latvia’s digital solutions in public administration, and also emphasised the willingness to strengthen economic cooperation, including in the transport and logistics sectors, where there already is a good foundation. Attention was also drawn to Latvia’s experience in the fight against disinformation and our readiness to share knowledge in order to strengthen Germany’s resilience against hybrid threats.
With the opening of the Honorary Consulate in Kiel, Latvia’s interests in Germany are currently represented by seven Honorary Consuls: in Bavaria (Munich), Baden-Württemberg (Leonberg), Hesse (Frankfurt am Main), Rhineland-Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia (Cologne), Lower Saxony and Bremen (Bremen), and Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein (Kiel).
