Estonian and French ministers of the interior discuss matters related to IT Agency

 

“Estonia sees the IT Agency primarily as a centre for development and competence. I think that thanks to our advanced information technological infrastructure and professional experts the proposal to establish the IT Agency in Estonia is by all means a reasonable decision,” said Pomerants.

 

At the same time, France is concerned about the investments made into the existing Schengen databases in Strasbourg over the years. The Estonian side understands this, but considers it important for defence purposes to have different systems placed in different geographic locations in the future. Both ministers believe that the objective of establishing the IT Agency is to offer security to taxpayers at lower costs.

 

Among other issues, the ministers discussed possible points of cooperation in the area of internal security. According to Pomerants, cooperation between the two countries has been very close and productive in recent years. “This has been achieved largely thanks to the work of French communications officers, under whose leadership many internal security training courses and seminars for Estonian experts have been held in both countries over the years,” he explained.

 

In the course of discussion, the ministers found various areas where future cooperation prospects look promising. Pomerants invited his French colleague to Estonia in order to more closely introduce the local internal security and IT capabilities.

 

During the visit Pomerants also attended the global internal security tradeshow Milipol 2009. 

 

The Minister of the Interior Marko Pomerants was accompanied during the visit by Councillor of the Ministry of the Interior Piret Lilleväli, the Councillor in Internal Affairs Kristo Põllu, the Ambassador of the Republic of Estonia to France Margus Rava and Consul Celia Kuningas.

 

 

Kristina Kareva

Press Officer