Official visit to Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania: April 23 - 26, 2018


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CP Haakon and CP Mette-Marit will travel on an official visit to the three Baltic countries Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania from April 23-26, 2018. The visit is a part of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania celebrating the 100th anniversary of its independence declarations in 2018.
Kronprinsparet på offisielt besøk til Estland, Latvia og Litauen - kongehuset.no
Google Translation

The CP Couple will visit Latvia from April 23-24, Lithuania from April 24-25, and the visit ends in Estonia April 25-26.
 
In Estonia they will meet with President Kaljulaid and hold a joint press conference with President.
CP Haakon will meet with President of the Riigikogu Eiki Nestor and lay a wreath at the foot of the War of Independence Victory Column.
On Thursday,they will open an Norwegian-Estonian business Forum. They will also visit Telliskivi Creative City and Tallinn's medieval Old Town.

https://news.err.ee/824122/norway-s-crown-prince-princess-to-visit-estonia-next-week
 
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What is Mette-Marit signing into?
 
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Thanks to all those who have posted photos and articles about this visit! :flowers:

I for one is a bit more interested in the politics and purpose of this visit than the pictures (yes, boring to some I know, but that's just me).

So, here are some English articles and speeches from The Royal House and Royal Central:

Latvia:

The Crown Prince and Crown Princess in Latvia - The Royal House of Norway
Today His Excellency President Raimonds Vējonis and First Lady Iveta Vējone welcomed Their Royal Highnesses The Crown Prince and Crown Princess to Latvia with a formal ceremony at the Residence of the President of the Republic of Latvia – Riga Castle.

The President and First Lady and the Crown Prince and Crown Princess paid their respects to the two countries’ flags as they listened to both national anthems, and Crown Prince Haakon inspected the Guard of Honour together with President Vējonis.

After the ceremony the two couples had the chance to conduct a conversation tête-à-tête, followed by bilateral meetings between the Norwegian and Latvian delegations.

Norwegian Crown Prince Couple visits Latvia – Royal Central
During the lunch, His Royal Highness said: “The Crown Princess and I have been very much looking forward to our first official visit to Latvia. Our countries share a long history of strong bilateral relations and the cooperation today is as extensive and comprehensive as ever. In business, research, culture, defence and the justice sector – just to mention a few.”

The royal visit has attracted great attention in Latvian media and all the major newspapers and TV channels have covered the events. Also, Norwegian and diverse foreign-language media have had broad coverage of the visit, which is said to link the Baltic states even closer to Norway. “This meeting symbolises Latvia’s and Norway’s intimate friendships and good relationships, and is regarded as a special deemed an honour of our country”, said President Vējonis on the arrival of the Norwegian royals.

Speeches:

Speech given by His Royal Highness The Crown Prince at the luncheon of the Norwegian-Latvian Business Forum, Riga 23 April 2018.

Speech given by Her Royal Highness the Crown Princess at the National Library in Riga, Latvia, 23 April 2018.

Speech given by His Royal Highness The Crown Prince at the official dinner in Riga Castle 23 April 2018.

Lithuania:

Official visit to Lithuania - The Royal House of Norway
Her Excellency President Dalia Grybauskaitė welcomed the Crown Prince and Crown Princess at the Presidential Palace. The President and the Crown Prince and Crown Princess had a brief meeting together before observing the signing of two Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) between Norway and Lithuania.

After talks between the two countries’ delegations, the President and the Crown Prince met the press together.

Norwegian Crown Prince Couple visits Lithuania – Royal Central
Later in the day, the President and the royal couple climbed up to the Bell Tower of the St. Johns’ Church, viewed the Act of Independence of February 16 in the House of the Signatories, met with students of Scandinavian studies and members of the local Norwegian community.

“It is a great pleasure for the Crown Princess and me to congratulate you on the 100th anniversary of the restoration of Lithuanian statehood. We have great admiration for all that you have achieved in regaining independence – both in 1918 and in 1990. This is truly impressive”, said His Royal Highness during his visit.

Speeches:

Speech given by His Royal Highness The Crown Prince at the official dinner at the Presidential Palace in Vilnius 24 April 2018.

Speech given by Her Royal Highness The Crown Princess at the opening of a business seminar in Vilnius, Lithuania, 25 April 2018.

Estonia:

Official visit to the Baltic states continues - The Royal House of Norway
Norway cooperates closely with Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania within NATO, and the Norwegian defence industry provides materiel to all three Baltic states. This was the topic for Crown Prince Haakon this morning when he met representatives of the defence industry and Norwegian and Lithuanian authorities around the breakfast table.

Defence cooperation was also the final item on the programme in Lithuania. Norwegian soldiers are stationed in Lithuania as part of NATO cooperation, and the Crown Prince, accompanied by Norwegian Minister of Defence Frank Bakke-Jensen, had the opportunity to meet with some of them today.

Upon their arrival in the Estonian capital of Tallinn, the Crown Prince and Crown Princess were greeted by Her Excellency President Kersti Kaljulaid in a formal welcoming ceremony at the Office of the President in the historic Kadriorg district. Both countries’ national anthems were played, after which Crown Prince Haakon and President Kaljulaid inspected the Estonian Guard of Honour.

After the ceremony the President and the Crown Prince and Crown Princess had a meeting together, followed by bilateral meetings between the delegations from Norway and Estonia. President Kaljulaid and Crown Prince Haakon held a joint press conference before the visit was concluded in Kadriorg Park.

Official visit concluded in Tallinn - The Royal House of Norway
The Crown Prince and Crown Princess concluded their official visit to the Baltic states today in Estonia. The day’s activities ranged from digitalisation and modern urban development to cultural heritage in Tallinn, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Estonia and Norway both have highly digitalised public and business sectors, and have many interests in common. This was the basis for the seminar that was the first item on today’s agenda for Her Excellency President Kersti Kaljulaid and Their Royal Highnesses The Crown Prince and Crown Princess.

Norwegian Crown Prince Couple visits Estonia – Royal Central
After a meeting with the political representatives, the Crown Prince and Crown Princess planted an oak tree in Kadrioru Park. Following the tree planting, the royals participated in a meeting with the Estonian parliamentary president, Eiki Nestor. Crown Prince Haakon then laid down flowers at the National Memorial. The first day of the visit to Estonia was concluded with an official dinner in the Kadriorg Art Museum.

During the dinner, Crown Prince Haakon gave a speech where he shed light on freedom and the two nations’ shared experience of living under occupation. Crown Prince Haakon said: “Norwegians of my generation have heard the stories of the occupation in our country from our parents and grandparents. But you know first-hand, from your own experience, what it means to not be free. And because of that, you know the true value of freedom.”

Norway’s Crown Prince Couple concludes their Baltic tour – Royal Central
Crown Prince Haakon had this to say when he met the press: “The digitalisation in Estonia is impressive. Here they have taken this with technology in administration and government administration to a different division than most other countries”.

The entire Baltic tour ended when Their Royal Highnesses said goodbye in Tallinn’s Old Town Hall. The Tallinn Town Hall is the oldest town hall in the whole of the Baltic region and Scandinavia that has been there since 1404. The height of the tower is 64 metres.

Speeches:

Speech given by His Royal Highness The Crown Prince at the official dinner at Kadriorg Art Museum in Tallinn 25 April 2018.

Speech given by His Royal Highness The Crown Prince at the opening of a business seminar in Tallinn, Estonia, 26 April 2018.

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From me: The visit seems to have been a success, but has come in the shadow of the Marius stuff, a so-called scandal in the Royal Court, and the fact that the King is on sick leave due to pain and strain in his foot (yes, I know, the Norwegian Royal Soap Opera continues).
 
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Not at all boring! ?

I'm going to read about the political significance a little later.
After all they didn't go to Estonia just to admire the scenery.
 
:previous: No, not for us royal/historical or political geeks, but most of the readers in the Scandinavian forums seems to be most interested in posting (or looking at photos). - And there is nothing wrong with that of course.

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BTW, I have updated the above post with another Royal Central article, which was written today.
 
There are fortunately quite a few of us geeks around. :D

Yes, this visit, as well as that with Daniel and Victoria can basically be boiled down to a show of solidarity with the Baltic countries. You are not and will not be forgotten - or left to fend for yourselves...
Estonia and to a considerable extent Latvia as well fall under the Nordic sphere of "political solidarity", for historic and cultural reasons. While Lithuania in particular falls under the Polish Czech sphere of "political solidarity".
Frequent visits by high and higher ranking representatives of these countries are "plausible natural activity between neighboring countries", while frequent visits from countries like say Germany, Britain, France, USA might be considered a little provocative... Keep in mind that the Baltic countries have considerable minorities to consider.

The Baltic countries and the Turkish-Russian border are the two areas where an armed skirmish (i.e. shots fired, including warning shots) between NATO and Russia are most likely to happen at present.

Syria does not count unless there is a deliberate strike on either a Russian base there, or a base with western special forces. And both parts, in particular Russia (who has won that war) have no interest in doing that. Even though some vocal hardliners (especially in the US Senate) would like to see a confrontation happen there. A show of force so to speak.
That some "advisors" are killed by Russian or Western bombs is quietly swept under the carpet. Just as in the good old days, during the Cold War.

So muuuuch better to send the Nordic politicians and royals visiting en mass... They'll eventually wear the red carpets thin...
 
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