On Thursday, 27 March, the Saeima supported in principle amendments that will establish a new approach to combating psychoactive herbal mixtures and synthetic narcotic substances, thus putting an end to the principle that anything that is not explicitly forbidden is allowed.

On Thursday, 27 March, the Saeima supported, in substance, amendments to the Constitution of the Republic of Latvia which would add an introduction, or preamble, to the text. In the first reading, the Draft Law was supported by 67 MPs, while 27 MPs voted against it.

On Wednesday, 26 March, Solvita Āboltiņa, Speaker of the Saeima, met with King Carl XVI Gustaf of the Kingdom of Sweden, who paid a call to the main building of the Saeima during his state visit to the Republic of Latvia. “Our histories have been linked for centuries – the ones of our countries and the ones of our people. It is a history of cooperation, support, respect and friendship. The Swedish presence in Latvia can be felt at every step when we walk on the cobblestones to the Swedish Gate, which is just one hundred meters from here. We are also delighted that since last autumn, young audiences in Latvia have been able to live through all sorts of famous and exciting adventures of Karlsson-on-the-Roof in the ballet performance staged at the Latvian National Opera,” pointed out the Speaker.

On Monday, 24 March, Jānis Vucāns, Chairman of the Latvian delegation to the Baltic Assembly, met with Karin Åström, President of the Nordic Council, and Hans Wallmark, Vice President of the Nordic Council. In discussing the situation in Ukraine, Jānis Vucāns noted that since the Eastern Partnership is one of Latvia’s foreign policy priorities, it is logical for our state to be ready to continue sharing its experience with Ukraine in implementing reforms and strengthening democracy, as well as supporting Ukraine in these efforts. This commitment is essential particularly now, when Ukraine needs support in maintaining its sovereignty and territorial integrity, strengthening national unity and stabilising the overall situation in the state.

Solvita Āboltiņa, Speaker of the Saeima, sent a congratulatory letter to Eiki Nestor on his election to the position of President of the Riigikogu of the Republic of Estonia.

On Thursday, 20 March, the Saeima adopted in the final reading the amendments to the Electricity Market Law according to which households will be able to purchase electricity in a free market as of 1 January 2015 instead of 1 April 2014 as previously planned.

“With great concern we observe the critical situation in Ukraine, where an act of aggression has been committed against a European country by the military forces of the Russian Federation. Today, the international community is confronted by the most serious challenge to global security since the end of the Cold War”; so declares the Statement adopted by the speakers of the parliaments of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania regarding the situation in Ukraine.

On Friday, 14 March, in Rome, Solvita Āboltiņa, Speaker of the Saeima, addressed the participants of an international conference What Europe Stands For – Growth, Jobs and Rights: Will the European Union Rise to the Occasion? In her address, Speaker Āboltiņa emphasised that under conditions of global competition, it is difficult to imagine a competitive Europe with many small currencies and with just as many competitive strategies. In order to remain competitive, small countries like ours have to integrate their economies, and by virtue of being a member of the euro area, we are far less vulnerable to outside economic pressures.

The amendments to the Energy Law which the Saeima adopted in the third and final reading on Thursday, 13 March, envisage that the consumer gas market in Latvia will not be opened before April 2017.