According to the press release of the Estonian Riigikogu from Sep. 14, 2022, a parliamentary group named Intermarium Support Group was created in the Estonian Parliament. Its purpose is to promote cooperation between Eastern European countries as a counterweight to Russia’s imperial ambitions.
The chairman of the Intermarium Support Group, MP Anti Poolamets (EKRE), noted that the group was launched on the example of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. September 30, 2020, MP Sviatoslav Yurash (Sluga Narodu) established the biggest in the Ukrainian Parliament Intermarium Caucus. This parliamentary group, in turn, summarized the efforts of NGO Intermarium Support Group, which was founded by National Corps and is coordinated by Olena Semenyaka, assistant of MP Sviatoslav Yurash.
Earlier this August, Anti Poolamets and another MP from EKRE, Ruuben Kaalep, an ardent promoter of Intermarium initiatives in the region and a regular participant of the Ukrainian Intermarium Support Group’s events, visited Ukraine to show solidarity with Azov soldiers, those undergoing rehabilitation and held in the russian captivity in particular, as well as donated a drone: Estonian MPs in Kyiv call to declare russia a state sponsor of terrorism
“Ukraine needs a wider and faster inclusion in international cooperation formats. The Intermarium, or the union of countries between the seas, has a deep, centuries-long background of cooperation in the territories of Lithuania, Ukraine, Poland and Belarus. It is a powerful regional group of countries that share a common historical experience of long-term loss or limitation of sovereignty under communist regimes. That is why the Intermarium countries can value freedom highly. The population, economic weight and military power of these countries would make it possible to create a strong counterweight to russia’s imperial ambitions in cooperation,” the chairman explained.
Also, Anti Poolamets stressed that it was crucial to modernize transport corridors, above all, gas connections, so that these countries could avoid russian blackmail in the future. “Looking into the future, Intermarium cooperation model should also include Belarus, which assumes the country’s independence from Russian control and the restoration of democracy,” he added.
The chairman of the Intermarium Support Group is Anti Poolamets, and the caucus includes Jaak Valge, Urmas Reitelmann, Tarmo Kruusimäe, Ruuben Kaalep, Leo Kunnas and Paul Puustusmaa.
“Parliamentary groups formed in the Riigikogu help members of the Riigikogu communicate with the parliaments of other countries, implement foreign policy and introduce Estonia to the rest of the world. Through support groups, Riigikogu members and factions can draw attention to a specific topic and promote and protect the interests of a narrower area of life. The XIV Riigikogu has formed a total of 67 parliamentary groups and 96 support groups,” press release states.
Read more at: https://www.riigikogu.ee/fraktsioonide-teated/uhenduste-teated/riigikogu-liikmed-moodustasid-intermariumi-toetusruhma/
