“We need a policy on foreign affairs, security and defence!”

Phia Andersson, a member of the Nordic Council Presidium, took to the podium at the 7th Barents Parliamentary Conference in Helsinki on Wednesday.

Her speech included a summary of the changes to the work done by the Nordic Council.

“The Nordic Council used to focus primarily on co-operation in the Nordic Region, which ruled out topics like foreign affairs, defence and security policy. But nowadays talking about these issues is, quite simply, a necessity,” she said.

“Unfortunately, the security situation in Europe and in our own part of the continent has deteriorated since the last conference in Norway two years ago.”

Dialogue with Russia

Problems related to co-operation with Russia were also broght up at the Barents conference.

“The trend is moving in the wrong direction. The Nordic Council has postponed or cancelled meetings and activities involving Russian parliamentarians,” Andersson pointed out.

“It is a difficult situation and some joint events have been cancelled but the Nordic Council would like to stress that it has not turned its back on dialogue with politicians from Russia.”

Kai Alajoki, the President of the Nordic Youth Council, and Giedre Purvaneckiene, the President of the Baltic Assembly also addressed the conference.