Our visit to Zagreb was timely, given Croatia’s imminent entry into the European Union as its 28th member. Our party’s interests ranged widely in the educational, cultural, community and civil stability fields. Trade, tourism, economic matters featured strongly with a natural UK bent. The sub-set of Scottish (and Yorkshire!) interests played well against complementary Croatian regional concerns.
Fabian Hamilton hosted a visit of Icelandic Parliamentarians in Westminster to discuss Iceland’s economic future. The opportunity helped to bring Icelandic and British MPs even closer together.
At the beginning of 2012, after only a few months in post, the new Danish Ambassador, H.E Anne Steffensen had the responsibility of promoting the six months of the Danish Presidency of the Council of the EU in this country. In difficult circumstances for the EU, much was achieved.
The Delegation of 5 Parliamentarians led by the Speaker of the Assembly of Kosovo visited Westminster 29 October – 2 November. The delegation met with Mr Speaker, the Lord Speaker, Minister for Europe, David Lidington MP and a number of UK Parliamentarians to discuss the strong support the UK has given to Kosovo with regards to international recognition, the route towards European integration and possibilities to enhance further the UK-Kosovo bilateral relationship.
The British-Latvian All-Parliamentary Group aims to strengthen relations between the United Kingdom and Latvia. The group was formed in 2011 and has hosted a number of events in the United Kingdom as part of that goal. From 23-26 September 2012, a crossparty delegation of four members visited Latvia’s capital, Riga, for the first time and met with members of the Latvian Government, Members of the Latvian Saeima (Parliament), visited local business and learned more about Latvian culture and heritage.
The BGIPU and the Secretariat will from time to time organise fundraising events for charities and projects visited in their work. On 12 September the team organised a “Pub Quiz” to raise funds for two childrens charities in Uganda.
The British Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (BGIPU) hosted a parliamentary delegation from Bosnia-Herzegovina (BiH) from 26-29 June 2012. Overall, the key message of the delegation was that there was broad agreement among the various political groups in BiH, including across all ethnic constituencies, but that they must quickly and cooperatively address sensitive issues around identity and ethnic differences by pursuing effective constitutional reform.
Kosovo is a fascinating country. It feels both ancient and brand new. Its people are warm and friendly, and for the most part young and full of life. Enthusiasm and optimism for the future is the dominant characteristic of a people who, despite everything, believe that education, enterprise and hard work will deliver prosperity and success.
Twelve years after surviving one of the bloodiest conflicts in the Balkans, Kosovo is pushing slowly through the political and economic barriers to the independence it declared in February 2008. But in the battle for recognition it still confronts not only Serbia, its ancient rival, but five European Union countries.
The delegation’s visit to Kosovo was a very interesting one and allowed the UK Parliamentarians to visit several ministries and explore some of the issues pertinent to the country’s development since the Declaration of Independence in 2008. Independent Kosovo is recognised by 85 states but these do not include five members of the European Union or Serbia.
