Government - Minister for Europe: Baltic Sea moves into geostrategic focus
Schleswig-Holstein's Minister for European Affairs, Werner Schwarz, wants to strengthen Baltic Sea cooperation. "The Baltic Sea has gained enormous geostrategic importance due to the political situation in Europe," the CDU politician told the German Press Agency. In the past, the region was often referred to as a periphery. However, this is changing. Schwarz has chaired the Conference of European Affairs Ministers since July. Its next meeting is scheduled for December 6 and 7 in Brussels.
In view of the war in Ukraine, the Baltic states are still in a crisis mood because concerns about Russia are currently overshadowing everything there, said Schwarz. "We should be aware of this as European Affairs Ministers. It is therefore important to me to focus on closer cooperation between the countries bordering the Baltic Sea and the states and regions in the Danube region." He wants to use his presidency to focus more on this topic. The aim is to make even better use of political potential in the future and to strengthen synergies between various networks, platforms and organizations in the Baltic Sea region. "We need to take an even closer look at this region."
Baltic Sea cooperation with the other EU countries bordering the Baltic Sea is not only in the regional interest of Schleswig-Holstein or Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, but is important for the whole of Germany, said Schwarz. "It is important for future cooperation to bring these international regions along the Baltic Sea coast together." The easiest way to do this is through the areas of culture and youth. There is a lot of potential in the implementation of the European Green Deal, the expansion of renewable energies and transnational networks as well as digitalization. Strengthening Baltic Sea cooperation is a priority for the black-green state government.
With the planned munitions recovery in the Baltic Sea, the northernmost federal state wants to develop a model character together with Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and other neighboring states, Schwarz continued. "In the Kiel Declaration adopted in the summer of 2022, we agreed to press ahead with this issue within the framework of Baltic Sea cooperation and fully expect the member states of the Baltic Sea Council to follow suit."
A large proportion of the munitions remnants suspected in the Baltic Sea are located off our coast, said Schwarz. "This clearly shows the importance of a coordinated and transnational approach to issues affecting the Baltic Sea region. It will only be possible to remove the explosive devices as quickly as possible through joint efforts." At state level, however, the Ministry of the Environment is generally responsible for the issue.
Next year, Schleswig-Holstein is planning to host a conference of European ministers on 13 and 14 March in Lübeck and another is expected to take place in Berlin in the summer.
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Source: www.stern.de
