Estonian PM expects more united, balanced Europe after presidency

TALLINN, Dec. 5 (Xinhua) -- Estonian Prime Minister Juri Ratas on Tuesday expressed his confidence that Europe was more balanced and more united after the six-month term of the Estonian Presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU).

Speaking to the Estonian parliament, Ratas said that "hopefully, Europe will be a slightly better, more hopeful, more united, and more balanced place after our presidency".

He noted that the Estonian Presidency had demonstrated the strength of the common decisions of the EU: "the euro area is stable, the migration crisis is under control and the European Union has demonstrated that it is ready for the difficult Brexit negotiations. The concerns of European citizens regarding security, migration and economic uncertainty will of course remain the focus of the work of European Union institutions in the future."

The prime minister said reaching the agreements required for implementing the Paris Agreement, approving the European Pillar of Social Rights, and developments in EU defense cooperation were "some of the most important milestones for Europe".

Ratas highlighted the digital priority of the Estonia presidency, noting that "in addition to telecommunications infrastructure, the market, and cyber security, the idea that our future together shall be digital also underpinned legal cooperation, transport, energy, internal security, defense cooperation, agriculture, education and many other areas."

Bulgaria will succeed Estonia to hold the presidency of the Council of the EU in the first half of next year. Enditem