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Parliamentarians highlight role of Barents Cooperation

Valentina Pivnenko

The Barents Cooperation helps create trust and is useful for both the national and regional levels of power, Russian State Duma representative Valentina Pivnenko highlighted in this week’s Barents Parliamentary Conference.

Location

The Barents Parliamentarian Conference was held for the fourth time, this year in the Northwest Russian city of Syktyvkar (Komi Republic). It included parliament representatives from all the four Barents countries, Russia, Norway, Finland and Sweden. Also a number of representatives from regional parliaments attended the event.

“We have highlighted the need for improved health and social wellbeing, the rights and traditional livelihoods of the indigenous peoples, environmental protection and strengthened cooperation in the region within culture, education and the economically related issues”, said Mrs. Valentina Pivnenko, said in her presentation, the International Barents Secretariat reports in a press release.

Ms. Pivnenko, a State Duma deputy from the Republic of Karelia, also underlined that visa-free travel between the Barents countries should be introduced, Komiinform.ru reports.

In his opening speech at the conference, Governor of the Komi Republic Vladimir Torlopov highlighted that only a consolidation of efforts can bring real results and lift the Barents Region to a new development level, the Komi republican website informs.

The development of the Barents Cooperation is positive. Still, many joint challenges remain to be solved. Among them is the need for improved infrastructure and customs procedures in the region, and continued cooperation on indigenous peoples’ issues, the conference participants agreed.

The fifth Barents Parliamentarian Conference will be hosted by Sweden and is scheduled to take place in 2011.

 

You can read more about the parliamentary conferences at Beac.st