“It is very important for all EU countries to cooperate and support each other through understanding but small countries must cooperate more,” Estonian Prime Minister Andrus Ansip told Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi in Stenbock House at Talinn’s old city centre yesterday.

Mr Ansip promised Estonia’s support for Malta in the migration issue as he understood the challenges. It supports the strengthening of FRONTEX and the creation of an asylum agency in Malta.

It was Estonia’s duty to see a strengthened FRONTEX agency and that the EU fulfils its duties of better coordination and relocation of people, Mr Ansip said. Besides giving its political support, Estonia was ready to send some people to help in the FRONTEX mission.

Dr Gonzi explained in detail the enormous burden of immigration that Malta was facing while speaking of the need to set off the recently announced EU pilot project based on solidarity and shared responsibility which was specifically designed for Malta.

Meanwhile Dr Gonzi promised support as Estonia plans to join the eurozone in 2011.





He confirmed that the introduction of the euro in Malta meant a stable currency for investors, that business people could eliminate their previous exchange costs and that the country was much more attractive to investors. The euro also served as a very good cushion for Malta in the financial crisis and all in all it helped create more and better jobs.

“Your fresh experience is very valuable,” Mr Ansip said while explaining Estonia’s wish to fulfil the Maasticht criteria before eurozone accession.

Like many other countries, Estonia was making “painful expenditure cuts” to maintain its credibility in financial systems.

Malta was interested in further expansion of the eurozone and Dr Gonzi told Mr Ansip that his government’s efforts were truly worthwhile. This was important, he believed as if countries such as Latvia, Hungary, Sweden and Estonia went wrong in their financial systems, this would have an effect on the rest of the member states including Malta.

While Estonia is keeping its deficit below the three per cent EU threshold, it had particular challenges in controlling the high inflation, Dr Gonzi noted.

The two Prime Ministers also discussed business relations although these are very modest and based on the shipping industry and the purchase of goods by Maltese registered ships. On the other hand, Malta was described as an important tourist destination for Estonians as Mr Ansip spoke about his liking of “Baroque Valletta” and the Caravaggio painting at St John’s co-Cathedral.

Dr Gonzi invited Mr Ansip to visit Malta again as City Gate and the old opera house will be regenerated.

This was the first visit by a Maltese Prime Minister in Estonia. Dr Gonzi also visited the Estonian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and was led for a walk around the old city centre.

Dr Gonzi’s visit to the Baltics; Lithuania, Sweden and Estonia drew to an end yesterday following Mr Ansip’s warm welcome.

In Sweden, the Maltese delegation discussed the EU Swedish presidency which will come into effect on Wednesday in a bid to strengthen Malta in the current climate.