The meeting focused on Estonia’s most important issues of the near future, including transition to the euro and establishing of the IT agency in Estonia.

 

Chairman of the EU Policies Committee of the Senate Rossana Boldi acknowledged Estonia’s preparations for transition to the euro as Estonia is fulfilling the criteria of the single currency, according to the existing data. Marko Mihkelson asserted that Estonia has been conservative in its monetary policy and that the indicators fulfilled today are sustainable. In his words, it is not merely a one-time effort for transition to the euro.

 

Chairman of the EU Affairs Committee of the Chamber of Deputies Mario Pescante found that, despite the geographical distance of Estonia and Italy, situated in opposite corners of Europe, our understanding of the future of Europe is similar and joint activity adds significant weight to our countries on the world scale.

 

At the meeting in the office of the Minister of European Affairs, Estonia’s proposals concerning the IT-agency received great interest. Estonia’s economic and monetary indicators were also acknowledged, considering that despite the global economic crisis Estonia has succeeded in keeping its monetary policy on a reasonable course.

 

In Marko Mihkelson’s opinion, this visit was necessary because, in recent years, at parliamentary level, no Riigikogu Committee has been on a bilateral visit from Estonia to Italy.
 

“Despite the distance, it is good to reach an understanding in the course of the conversation that Italy and Estonia have a number of common positions and we can stimulate the development of our countries by mutual exchange of ideas. Whether it be the Baltic Sea Strategy which is important for Estonia or the Mediterranean activity strongly supported by Italy. For development of bilateral economic relations, besides the communication of Governments, participation of the parliament is also necessary whereby it is possible to exchange the information concerning economic opportunities and introduce them in our countries,” said Mihkelson.

 

The delegation of the EU Affairs Committee of the Riigikogu will return to Estonia on 16 April.