On June 16-18, 2025, Inese Suija-Markova, Deputy Chair of the Vidzeme Planning Region Development Council, shared valuable insights at the international meeting “BUILDING A RESILIENT BALTIC SEA REGION – PERSPECTIVES AND POSSIBILITIES” held in Visby, Sweden. She was one of the key speakers on the panel “Navigating Challenges in Emergency Preparedness – Conflicting Goals, Priorities, and Coordination,” which discussed the inevitable goal conflicts in crisis management and the crucial role of priorities and coordination.
The meeting gathered 60 participants from nine countries – Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden, and Ukraine – continuing the work of last year’s EUSBSR (EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region) Annual Forum, which saw over 600 participants from 20 countries. Opening remarks at the event were delivered by EUSBSR National Coordinator Anna Hagströma and Gotland Governor Charlotte Petri Gornitzka. The meeting also featured a panel titled “Insights and Experiences – A Baltic Sea Region Perspective,” and work proceeded in four parallel working groups that addressed topics such as sustainable energy supply, resilient food systems, resilience of critical societal functions, and individual resilience. A session titled “Lessons Learned from Ukraine” was also held. All discussions focused on strengthening societal preparedness and resilience, considering the evolving security situation in Europe.
In her speech, Inese Suija-Markova emphasized that crisis preparedness is not merely a technical matter but a profoundly human dimension that requires courage to make complex decisions under conditions of limited information. She noted: “But anyone who has lived through a real crisis knows – it’s not just a technical issue. The human factor is also present.”
Inese Suija-Markova pointed out that “And, here’s a hard truth: sometimes, the steps we take to protect people can also disrupt their lives,” and that recent crises demonstrated “that for too long, preparedness was treated as a background task. Now we all see – it must be a national, regional, and local priority.”
Based on Vidzeme Region’s experience during the Covid-19 pandemic and the July storm, she highlighted four essential elements for effective crisis preparedness: clear leadership and coordination, strong cooperation across all governmental and sectoral levels, accurate, fast, and honest information, and courage.
The speaker particularly stressed the crucial role of culture in societal resilience: “Culture isn’t luxury. It’s the invisible hand that holds us together. It builds trust. It shapes identity. It gives people a sense of place, of purpose – especially during times of uncertainty.” Both Inese Suija-Markova and her panel colleague Filip Reinhag emphasized the importance of culture and local community engagement in building a resilient society. During the panel, Svante Aasbjerg Thygesen presented initial results from a study on “Responsibility and Coordination during Crises – Comparing Crisis Management of the COVID-19 Pandemic across Denmark, Norway, and Sweden,” underscoring that trust between central and local levels is a strategic asset.
Suija-Markova also critically assessed the lack of national crisis drills, emphasizing: “Latvia hasn’t had a national crisis drill since 2016. That’s not acceptable. We need real-life simulations, involving real people and trying to solve real problems.”
These two-day discussions and co-creative dialogues provided a valuable platform for knowledge exchange, and the meeting’s results will be used as input for the updated EUSBSR Action Plan. Inese Suija-Markova concluded her speech with a powerful message: “When that moment comes – and it will – people won’t expect perfect execution. They will ask: who can lead? Who can be trusted? Who is ready? Let’s make sure the answer is – we are.” These insights are vitally important for strengthening the capacity of the region and the entire European Union to face future challenges.
The Vidzeme Planning Region (VPR) is an active member of the Baltic Sea States Subregional Co-operation (BSSSC), serving as a member of its Board since 2019, and coordinating the Baltic Sea Region Innovation Transfer Working Group since January 2022. Such close cooperation ensures that the region’s experience and needs are considered within broader international contexts, fostering the development of common solutions to strengthen the Baltic Sea Region’s resilience and prosperity.
