Baltic Assembly


The Baltic Assembly is a regional organisation that promotes intergovernmental cooperation between Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. It attempts to find a common position in relation to many international issues, including economic, political and cultural issues. The decisions of the assembly are advisory.
The budget of the BA is funded by the three member's governments. The official languages of the Baltic Assembly are Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian. The headquarters and of the organization are located in Riga, Latvia.

History

Background

, Latvia, and Lithuania were independent states since 1918 after the fall of the Russian Empire. During the outbreak of World War II, under the Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact, they were illegally annexed by the Soviet Union in 1940. This occupation continued for fifty years.
Under Mikhail Gorbachev, the last Soviet leader, the policies of glasnost and perestroika has led to the restoration of independence between 1990 and 1991 which led the three countries to break away. The Soviet Union itself recognised the independence of the restored Baltic states on 6 September 1991 before its dissolution later that year.

Formation

The organisation was formed after a decision to establish it was made in Vilnius on 1 December 1990. It works under regulations approved on 8 November 1991 in Tallinn. On 13 June 1994 the three nations agreed to the structure and rules of the organization.

Achievements

The BA claims the following as its achievements between 1991 and 2003:
In 2017 the Baltic Assembly, the Benelux and three of the members of the Nordic Council, sought intensifying cooperation in the Digital Single Market, as well as discussing social matters, the Economic and Monetary Union of the European Union, the European migrant crisis and defense cooperation. Relations with Russia, Turkey and the United Kingdom was also on the agenda.

Structure

The BA comprises sixty members. Each of the parliaments of the three States appoints twenty of its members to the Assembly. Each of the national parliaments appoints two of the members to be head and deputy head of the national delegation. The six head delegates and deputy head delegates form the BA's Presidium. The Chairman of the Praesidium is the head of the national delegation of the country hosting the next session of the BA. The heads of the other two national delegations are Vice Chairmen of the Presidium. The Preasidium controls the BA between sessions. The Chairman acts as the coordinator of the work of the BA, is its representative with other bodies and liaises with the three members’ governments.

Members

Members of the Assembly:
Country nameArmsFlagMembershipParliamentMembership statusRepresented sinceEU relationNATO relation
EstoniafullRiigikogusovereign state1991 member member
LatviafullSaeimasovereign state1991 member member
LithuaniafullSeimassovereign state1991 member member

Sessions

There are ordinary and extraordinary Sessions. The ordinary Session is convened once a year, as a concluding forum of a country's presidency, which proceeds according to a yearly rotation principle in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Before 2003 there were two Sessions a year – in spring and autumn, and countries - participants had half a year presidency.
Any national delegation may propose that an extraordinary session is held. On 8–9 February 1998 in Helsinki, Finland, following to the 2nd Joint Meeting of the Nordic Council and the Baltic Assembly, the first Extraordinary Session of the Baltic Assembly took place. The second Extraordinary Session of the Baltic Assembly was held on 27–29 April 2005 in Pärnu, Estonia, following to the 5th Joint Meeting of the Baltic Assembly and the Nordic Council.

Committees

The following are the standing committees:
Each member of the BA participates in at least one committee.

Political groupings

The 20 members of the BA from each country are chosen so that their political make-up reflects the proportions within their home parliament. The members may then form cross-national party groupings of at least five members from at least two nations.

Baltic Assembly Prize for Literature, the Arts, and Science

Since 1993, the Baltic Assembly gives out an award annually for achievements in literature, the arts, and science.