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PHOTO: Moldovan Parliament Speaker Zinaida Greceanii’s Facebook page. Moldovan Parliament Speaker Zinaida Greceanii (1st left) shakes hands with Russian Ambassador to Chisinau Oleg Vasnetsov (2nd left).   Moldovan Parliament Speaker Zinaida Greceanii has called for boosting strategic cooperation with Moscow at a meeting with Russian Ambassador in the Republic of Moldova Oleg Vasnetsov on August 20, 2019.   During the discussion, the two sides exchanged views on the strengthening of Moldovan-Russian collaboration, as well as on the deepening of cooperation on the parliamentary connection.   "We have exchanged views on ways to boost cooperation between Moldova and Russia, as well as ties between the two countries’ parliaments. I reaffirmed the Moldovan parliament’s position about the need to strengthen strategic partnership with Russia," Speaker Greceanii said.   Presently, Moldova is discussing an option of gas supplies over the TurkStream gas pipeline with the Russian gas holding Gazprom, Moldova’s Minister of Economy and Infrastructure Vadim Brynzan said at a briefing on Tuesday.   "We are holding talks with partners from Russia, specifically from Gazprom, regarding the opportunity of gas supplies to the Republic of Moldova over the southern route, the so-called TurkStream," the Minister said.   In May 2017, Gazprom began construction of the offshore section of the TurkStream near the Russian Black Sea coast. The project envisaged the construction of the gas pipeline through the Black Sea to the European part of Turkey and further to the border with Greece. The length of the sea part of the pipeline will measure around 930 km, the overland part on the Turkish territory will be around 180 km.   https://tass.com/world/1074197 https://www.facebook.com/greceanii/posts/2428221597263519   BY MSEAP Cyber Secretariat (mseap@assembly.go.kr)

  PHOTO: Parliament of Austria. Austria’s President of the National Council Wolfgang Sobotka (left) meets Slovenian Speaker of Parliament Dejan Zidan (right) on the sidelines of the Salzburg Festival on August 18, 2019.   Slovenian Parliament Speaker Dejan Zidan paid a two-day official visit to Salzburg, Austria on August 18-19, 2019. He held working meetings with his Austrian counterpart Wolfgang Sobotka on August 18.   The two Speakers discussed the Western Balkans, the future of the EU, climate change and a possible joint project with historians from both countries examining the nations’ shared history.   Speaker Sobotka said that parliamentary relations between the two countries were boosted in 2019, with the two politicians meeting for the fourth time already this year. "In 2019, we have given new impetus to the parliamentary relations between Austria and Slovenia," said National Council President Sobotka. "This is a clear sign of the more intensive neighborhood dialogue that we have agreed for this year and next."   Speaker Sobotka also concerned with “using the dialogue also for a new look at the common history". According to Sobotka, the two countries should agree on chapters of their common past - chapters that connect the two countries and those that separate them. Under the patronage of the parliaments of both countries, a new attempt will be made to explore history together. For this purpose, historians from both countries will be invited. The two Speakers agreed to hold talks with the respective academies of science to promote the initiative. A first symposium is planned for next year.   "With Slovenia we are united by the support for the approach of the Western Balkans to the EU," said Wolfgang Sobotka. He also underscored that reform progress in the Western Balkan countries would have to be recognized: "this is a question of credibility; Austria would therefore continue its strong commitment to opening accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania by October.”   On the second day of their visit, Sobotka and Zidan visited the garden of the eco-pioneer Karl Ploberger in Seewalchen am Attersee, to use this example to explore possible cooperation between Austria and Slovenia in terms of climate protection at the grassroots level.   https://english.sta.si/2667990/speaker-wraps-up-visit-to-austria https://science.apa.at/rubrik/kultur_und_gesellschaft/Oesterreich_und_Slowenien_starten_Dialog_ueber_gemeinsame_Geschichte/SCI_20190819_SCI39351351650104424 https://www.total-slovenia-news.com/news/4338-morning-headlines-for-slovenia   BY MSEAP Cyber Secretariat (mseap@assembly.go.kr)

  PHOTO: Azertac. 5th Global Conference for Young Parliamentarians took place in Baku, Azerbaijan from December 14-15, 2019.   The 6th Global Conference for Young Parliamentarians will be held from 9 to 10 September 2019 in Asuncion, Paraguay. This year’s theme is ‘Achieving the SDGs and empowering youth through well-being”.   The Conference will be based primarily on the sharing of policies and creative practices that promote well-being and happiness with a focus on how such policies and practices contribute to youth empowerment. Young parliamentarians, as political leaders closest to the youngest generations, can play a critical role in amplifying the voices of young people and translating their interests into concrete action.   The sessions of the Conference will focus on well-being and happiness as core elements of the SDGs, policymaking for well-being and its effect on youth empowerment (by examining case studies from around the world to be presented by young parliamentarians), and quantifying well-being and exercising oversight of policy implementation.   The Conference will also include sessions devoted to mentorship as well as training in leadership and communications skills for young MPs. Young MPs will explore possibilities to carry out peer-to-peer mentorship, share lessons learned from mentorship experiences and draw relevant recommendations to inform the crafting of mentorship programmes for young MPs.   The Conference is open to young men and women members of national parliaments as well as IPU observers and selected youth organizations, networks and associations.   https://azertag.az/en/xeber/5th_IPU_Global_Conference_of_Young_Parliamentarians_kicks_off_in_Baku-1224320 https://www.ipu.org/event/sixth-global-conference-young-parliamentarians   BY MSEAP Cyber Secretariat (mseap@assembly.go.kr)

  PHOTO: Poland’s new Speaker Elzbieta Witek (center) after being election results are announced on August 9, 2019.   On August 9, 2019, Poland’s Sejm (lower house of Parliament) elected Interior Minister Elzbieta Witek as Speaker, replacing former Speaker Marek Kuchcinski who submitted his resignation earlier that day.   Both Speaker Elzbieta Witek and former Speaker Marek Kuchcinski are members of the ruling Law and Justice (Prawo i Sprawiedliwosc, PiS) party. With the PiS commanding a majority in parliament, new Speaker Witek won with the backing of 245 of 419 members present in the 460-seat lower house.   "We have little time before the end of this term of the parliament. I think no one can deny my patriotism or moral qualifications," Witek addressed the Sejm after the election results were announced, adding that she would treat each member of the parliament equally and that she did not feel superior to any of her colleagues.   Speaker Elzbieta Witek served as a schoolteacher for 25 years before becoming a Member of Parliament for the PiS in 2005. She had served as Interior Minister since May 2019 in a government reshuffle following the departure of some PiS ministers to serve in the European Parliament.   She had submitted her resignation as Interior Miniter just hours before elected as Speaker of the Parliament, and Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki later appointed Secret Service Chief Mariusz Kaminski as the new Interior Minister.   Parliamentary elections will be held in October. The Speaker of the Sejm (officially known as Marshal) is constitutionally the second most important role in Poland. Should the President die in office or be otherwise unable to fulfill his duties, the Speaker takes his place. This last happened in April 2010 when Bronislaw Komorowski served as acting president following the death of President Lech Kaczynski.   http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2019-08/10/c_138299303.htm https://emerging-europe.com/news/elzbieta-witek-made-speaker-of-polish-parliament/ https://www.france24.com/en/20190809-polish-parliament-elects-new-speaker-after-expenses-scandal https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/aug/9/polish-parliament-picks-new-speaker-seeking-to-end/     BY MSEAP Cyber Secretariat (mseap@assembly.go.kr)