Press releases
On Thursday, 15 November, the Saeima adopted in the final reading the Law on Medium-Term Budget Framework for 2013–2015, the Law on the State Budget for 2013, as well as amendments to 25 budget-related laws. This is the first time in the history of the Saeima that it adopts a law multi-annual budget.
On Tuesday, 13 November, the Defence, Internal Affairs and Corruption Prevention Committee of the Saeima supported in principle amendments to several laws which aim to decrease alcohol consumption among children and youths; amendments also state that individuals purchasing alcohol for youths, as well as sellers of illegal alcohol, will be held accountable. The Committee supported forwarding the amendments to the Handling of Alcoholic Beverages Law, the Law on Police, and the Latvian Administrative Violations Code for consideration by the Saeima in the first reading.
“Coordinated action and mutual support are needed not only on the Barricades or during the Singing Revolution. Our cooperation is necessary and meaningful in doing our everyday work, defending joint positions in the European Union or implementing yet another project that is beneficial for inhabitants of our border regions,” said Solvita Āboltiņa, Speaker of the Saeima, on Friday, 9 November, when addressing the parliamentarians of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia at the 31st Session of the Baltic Assembly held in Vilnius, Lithuania, from 8 to 9 November.
The Baltic Assembly calls on the parliaments and governments of the Baltic States, as well as the Baltic Council of Ministers, to devise cooperation mechanisms for the Baltic financial markets, to combat tax fraud and the spread of drugs, as well as to pursue joint energy projects and cooperation in the sphere of research. These areas of focus are included in the Resolution of the Baltic Assembly adopted on 9 November at the 31st Session of the Baltic Assembly held in Vilnius.
In the Final Document adopted at the 31st Session of the Baltic Assembly held in Vilnius, Latvian, Lithuanian and Estonian parliamentarians agreed that the priorities of the Baltic Assembly for 2013 will be stimulation of competitive and innovative development of the economies of the Baltic States, coordination of approach to development cooperation when using EU resources, as well as energy and transport.
The fate of the Republic of Latvia established on 18 November 1918 as a free and democratic state was determined In Riga on 11 November 1919.
On Thursday, 8 November, the Saeima adopted in the final reading the Law on Extrajudicial Recovery of Debt, which aims to protect natural persons from aggressive practices of debt recovery, to facilitate voluntary repayment, as well as to give potential lenders a chance to assess a person’s ability to fulfil his or her commitments. Related amendments to the Law on Taxes and Fees that provide for the licencing of debt recovery companies were also adopted in the final reading.
On Thursday, 8 November, Solvita Āboltiņa, Speaker of the Saeima, opened the students’ photography exhibition “Feeling Secure in Latvia”. In her address the Speaker emphasised the value of independence and the importance of preserving it. She also emphasised the responsibility for our nation’s security that we all share. The exhibition offers a view of Latvia as seen by Latvian students and reveals their perception of security in family, among friends, in school and throughout the country.
On 7 November, to mark the 90th anniversary of the enactment of the Constitution and the convening of the 1st Saeima , Solvita Āboltiņa, Speaker of the Saeima, invited to the Saeima all of the former speakers of the Latvian parliament since the restoration of independence – Anatolijs Gorbunovs, Speaker of the Supreme Council and the 5th Saeima; Ilga Kreituse and Alfreds Čepānis, speakers of the 6th Saeima; Jānis Straume, Speaker of the 7th Saeima; Ingrīda Latimira (formerly Ūdre), Speaker of the 8th Saeima, as well as Indulis Emsis and Gundars Daudze, speakers of the 9th Saeima.
On Wednesday, 7 November, Solvita Āboltiņa, Speaker of the Saeima, opened the conference on “Parliamentarism in Latvia: Lessons from History and Future prospects” by stating that the Constitution of Latvia is an important and integral part of our legal culture; it has provided a stable legal foundation for a democratic parliamentary republic, and it still is the cornerstone of successful functioning of our state.
