Baltic States – CIS, Belarus, EU – Baltic States, Latvia, Legislation

When asked to comment on Latvia's resolve to achieve progress in the relations between the EU and Belarus, Mora indicated that the EU's relations with Belarus were normalizing, but not improving. "Improvements will only be possible when we return to normal contacts and remove the last obstacles in our relations. Belarus has taken a few steps, but these have been very little steps," she said.

Commenting on the current obstacles to improvements in relations between the EU and Russia, Mora said that no one should be hurried, and that radical and abrupt changes in the post-soviet area that has been left outside the EU should not be expected.

"Some political prisoners have been released, some have served their sentences. Belarus is also cooperating more closely with the Council of Europe regarding the abolishment of capital punishment. We have not yet got any further than discussions so far, but this is nevertheless a step in the right direction," said Mora.

Political prisoners is the main obstacle at the moment, she added. "This is something that we really cannot accept," she emphasized.