Prime Minister Daniel Risch, Deputy Prime Minister Sabine Monauni and former Liechtenstein Ambassadors attended a celebration in Brussels on the evening of 20 February to mark the 30th anniversary of Liechtenstein's diplomatic representation in Brussels.
The Liechtenstein representation in Brussels was opened in 1994, two years after the referendum on EEA accession and one year before the country joined the Single European market. The representation also serves as an Embassy to Belgium and as a Mission to the then European Community and today's EU. Over the past 30 years, Liechtenstein's presence has thus been used to steadily expand both bilateral relations with Belgium and those with the EU.
This 30-year joint history was honoured with an event in the historic Gothic Hall of Brussels City Hall in a beautiful setting. In addition to Prime Minister Daniel Risch and Ambassador Pascal Schafhauser, all of Liechtenstein's previous Ambassadors in Brussels were also present: Princess Maria-Pia Kothbauer (1994-1996, currently Ambassador in Vienna), Prince Nikolaus von und zu Liechtenstein (1996-2010), Kurt Jäger (2010-2016, currently Ambassador in Geneva) and the current Deputy Prime Minister Sabine Monauni (2016-2020).
The event was also attended by representatives of several Liechtenstein companies that are active in Belgium either directly or through distribution partners. The Belgian association "Friends of Liechtenstein in Wallonia", which has been in existence for over 45 years, also had its own stand. The celebration was accompanied by music from Liechtenstein musician Hieronymus Schädler, who performed a piece by Josef Gabriel Rheinberger, among others. The numerous international guests who attended were thus able to familiarise themselves with many different aspects of Liechtenstein.
The trip to Brussels was also used for a personal exchange between Prime Minister Risch and Deputy Prime Minister Sabine Monauni with the Vice-President of the EU Commission, Maroš Šefčovič. The detailed discussion on the development of the EEA over the last 30 years revealed the positive view of both sides on Liechtenstein's close partnership with the EU and its member states.
