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Prime Ministers Sipilä and Rõivas met in Tallinn

Government Communications Department
Publication date 3.11.2016 18.36 | Published in English on 4.11.2016 at 22.15
Press release 476/2016

Prime Minister Juha Sipilä and the Prime Minister of Estonia, Taavi Rõivas, met in Tallinn on Thursday 3 November. They discussed the security situation in the Baltic Sea region, regional cooperation projects and topical EU questions.

‘The close cooperation between Finland and Estonia and our geographical proximity are factors that enhance security. We must strive to resolve the tension in our neighbouring regions by collaboration and measures that strengthen security. One example of this is aviation safety. Finland takes a positive view to all initiatives that help promote aviation safety in the Baltic Sea region. This needs to be discussed extensively in the context of the International Civil Aviation Organization, observed Prime Minister Sipilä.

‘Both Finland and Estonia will shortly be celebrating centennial anniversaries. The anniversaries in 2017 and 2018 are opportune moments to further strengthen our close relations, cultural kinship and historical ties,’ said Sipilä.

Finland and Estonia have worked together effectively in fields such as energy and transport. The Balticconnector gas pipeline is a good example of a project that boosts regional energy security.

‘Digitalisation in the transport sector steps up developments and will offer internationally far more interesting procedures and solutions in the future. We are looking determinately to the future and are also examining solutions from a longer term perspective, such as the construction of a tunnel under the Gulf of Finland connecting Helsinki and Tallinn. The technical, financial elements and competitiveness aspects will be explored in a two-year project,’ said Sipilä.

In the spring of this year, the Finnish and Estonian premiers signed a joint declaration for starting online data exchange and e-services between Estonia and Finland.

‘We have been preparing the projects in a spirit of good cooperation and they are proceeding on schedule. Advances in digital solutions will help citizens and businesses to work together even more closely than they already are and will make it easier for authorities to exchange information,’ Sipilä noted.  

The Prime Ministers also discussed many topical EU issues. The next European Council in December will address questions related to security, defence, migration and the economy.  

‘We must continue to develop the EU by focusing on the essential, namely economic growth and employment, and on strengthening  internal and external security,’ said Sipilä.

Inquiries: Kare Halonen, State Secretary, EU Affairs, tel. +358 295 160 319, Jari Haapiainen, Special Adviser (EU Affairs), tel. +358 295 160 406 and Anne Sjöholm, Head of Communications for EU Affairs, tel. +358 40 537 0733, Prime Minister’s Office