On Friday, 29 November, at the conclusion of the 38th Session of the Baltic Assembly (BA) hosted in Riga, parliamentarians from Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania defined cooperation priorities for 2020. Baltic partnership in defence and security was highlighted as the first priority, followed by the development of energy and transport connections, and regional research and education networks.

“At the time of the Baltic Way 30 years ago, the unity of our countries was emotional, whereas today it is much more practical. Today it means the ability to combine efforts in the name of important objectives, find solutions where there is a risk of conflict and diversity of opinion, and to act in concert in order to implement joint initiatives and projects,” said Jānis Vucāns, President of the Baltic Assembly (BA) on Friday, 29 November, urging Latvian, Estonian, and Lithuanian MPs to search for solutions to future challenges together.

“The Baltic States can take pride in the accomplishments they have achieved during the years of independence. Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania are well organised, ecologically clean and innovative North European countries with a great potential for development. Democracy and security are the foundations of our growth,” said Ināra Mūrniece, Speaker of the Saeima, in her opening address at the 38th Session of the Baltic Assembly (BA), on Friday, 29 November. 

On Thursday, 28 November, conductor Normunds Šnē received the Baltic Assembly (BA) Prize for the Arts. In the award ceremony at the Small Guild in Riga, the Latvian conductor was awarded the prize for his performance at the concert in honour of the centenary of the Baltic States with the Chamber Orchestra “Sinfonietta Rīga” and Tallinn Chamber orchestra — event that took place at the Baltic Sea Festival in Stockholm last year.

According to the amendments to the Law on the Bank of Latvia adopted in the final reading on Thursday, 21 November, the term of office of the Governor of the Bank of Latvia henceforth will be reduced from six to five years.

“It is statehood that will uphold Latvia. Our nation can only thrive if our state thrives,” said Ināra Mūrniece, Speaker of the Saeima, on Monday, 18 November, at the ceremonial sitting of the Saeima in honour of the 101st anniversary of the proclamation of the Republic of Latvia.

On Thursday, 14 November, the Saeima in the final reading adopted the Law on the State Budget for 2020, the Law on Medium-Term Budget Framework for 2020, 2021 and 2022, as well as amendments to 26 other budget-related laws

On Thursday, 14 November, the Saeima decided to freeze MP salaries at the amount set for 2019, which means that the MPs’ remuneration will not increase next year. The Saeima adopted the amendments to the Law on Remuneration of Officials and Employees of State and Local Government Authorities in its extraordinary sitting dedicated to the package of draft laws accompanying the budget for 2020.