OREANDA-NEWS. May 28, 2008. Prime Minister Andrus Ansip participated in the meeting that was held in the framework of the European Nuclear Energy Forum in Prague, which was attended by the heads of governments of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania and eight Central European countries. At the meeting, energy and the topics related to the enforcement of the Lisbon Treaty were primarily discussed, reported the Official website www.valitsus.ee.

At the meeting, Prime Minister Ansip stated that Estonia supports the goals of the European Union that are related to climate change, but in order to ensure energy security, the local electricity production capacities that cover domestic consumption must be preserved. In relation to this, Estonia wishes to preserve oil shale energy in the longer perspective, although its proportion will certainly decrease due to the wish to reduce emissions.

“Nuclear energy is definitely a serious carbon dioxide emission free alternative to fossil fuels,” said Ansip. According to him, it is one of the ways that will help diversify energy sources to ensure energy security. It will also help accomplish the goals established in the EU Climate Package.

At the meeting, it was noted that nuclear energy is a global trend, but every Member State of the European Union will have the right to choose its own energy sources. However, it is important to increase energy security through a well operating domestic energy market, which can be established after creating sufficient links between Member States.

Before the European Council to be held in June, another topic of the meeting was the enforcement of the Lisbon Treaty in 2009.

President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso expressed hope at the meeting that the Lisbon Treaty will be ratified in all Member States and the European Union can proceed with necessary reforms. According to him, in order to achieve success, the Union needs stronger institutions to increase efficiency and decrease administrative load.

At the meeting, the priorities of the Czech Republic and the discussion topics of the soon-to-be-held Council were introduced, among other things. At the meeting, the Prime Ministers stressed the importance of handling the effects related to the price increase of foodstuffs more thoroughly in the future.

Tomorrow, Prime Minister Ansip will head on to Stockholm, where he will meet with his Swedish colleagues.