Estonian Ambassador to Belgium Presents Credentials

Nr 231 – E

Ambassador of the Republic of Estonia to the Kingdom of Belgium Mariin Ratnik presented her credentials to King of the Belgians Albert II today, 14 July.

In the discussion that followed the presentation of credentials, King Albert II fondly recalled the visit the royal couple made to Estonia in 2008, confirming that he has all the best memories from that trip.

The king expressed great interest in how much the global financial crisis has influenced Estonia and what Estonia’s primary steps have been for restoring the economy. Future plans for enlivening the economy were also discussed. Ambassador Ratnik gave an overview of Estonia’s conservative budgetary policy, emphasising that taking into consideration Estonia’s upcoming accession to the euro zone, the strict budgetary policy has been completely justified.

Other topics discussed at the meeting were Estonia’s energy policy in the context of the European Union as well as in co-operation with its neighbours and the future of nuclear energy.

King Albert II and Ambassador Ratnik also talked about the further development of Estonia-Belgium bilateral relations, focusing primarily on opportunities for co-operation in the economic sector.

Ambassador Mariin Ratnik was born on 29 February 1976 in Tartu. She graduated from the economics department of Tartu University and has furthered her studies at the Estonian School of Diplomacy and in the international relations department at Humboldt University in Berlin. Ratnik has worked for the Estonian foreign service since 2000. She has been an advisor on relations with the European Parliament at the Estonian representation to the European Union, an economic advisor at the Embassy of the Republic of Estonia in Berlin, a division director in the Foreign Ministry’s European Union department, and the director of EU affairs at the State Chancellery.

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