29.11.2019. LAS EPRI organizes presentation of the monography “Latvia’s European Way: 15 < 30 < 100”

29.11.2019. LAS EPRI organizes presentation of the monography “Latvia’s European Way: 15 < 30 < 100”

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia, Riga, K.Valdemara street 3, LV-1395
29 Nov 2019

The monograph opening event took place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia on 29 November 2019. The staff of the European Policy Research Institute (EPPR) of the Latvian Academy of Science took active part in the drafting of the monograph.

A reviewed monograph “Latvia’s European Way: 15<30<100” presents a profound study of political and economic development of Latvia since independence with particular focus on the impact of Latvia’s membership in the EU.

On 18 November 2018 Latvia has celebrated its centenary. Next year (23 August 2019) marked three decades since an extraordinary event, when about two million people from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania joined hands and made a 600-kilometre human chain. The event known as the Baltic Way paved the way to the restoration of independence of the Baltic states and determined the Baltic choice of the European Way. Two magic numbers – 100 and 30 – should be supplemented by the third: 15. 15 out of 100 years of its statehood Latvia is a member of the European Union. For 15 years, the people of Latvia have been actively making use of benefits offered by Latvia’s EU membership. They appreciate opportunities to travel and study, EU investments and gradual convergence of living standards.  But even as Latvia’s economic development has gathered pace and unemployment is rather low, many Latvians like many other Europeans remain frustrated and do not believe in the benefits of the EU membership.

The team of authors (Prof. Inna Šteinbuka, Prof. Žaneta Ozoliņa, Prof. Daunis Auers, and researcher Aldis Austers) has conducted comprehensive evidence-based research of different aspects of political changes, economic trends and dynamic of peoples’ perceptions since the EU accession. This research has been presented at the high-level international conference in May 2019 “15 out of 100. The 15 years of Latvia’s membership in the European Union”. In addition to this research, the monograph includes a paper of the Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkēvičs on the role of the Baltic Way, a profound analysis of Vice President of the EC Valdis Dombrovskis on economic aspects of Latvia’s membership in the EU, a contribution of Parliamentary Secretary of MFA Dr. Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica on current EU and Latvia’s challenges, and a paper of MEP, Dr. Ivars Ijabs on the European dimension of research and innovation.

The opening event has been organized in a conference format.

In the first part of the conference, three distinguished speakers addressed the audience: Minister Edgars Rinkēvičs, EC VP Valdis Dombrovskis and MEP Ivars Ijabs.

Key note speeches were followed by two panel discussions.

Prof. Žaneta Ozoliņa has moderated the panel discussion on “Political way to Europe”. Participants: Prof. Daunis Auers, Dr. Ivars Ijabs and Dr. Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica.

Prof. Inna Šteinbuka has moderated the discussion on “Economic way to Europe”. Participants: Aldis Austers, Valdis Dombrovskis and Dr. Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica.