Press releases
“Today’s ceremony is more than merely an act of renaming a street in Riga. It is a moving and symbolic act that acknowledges the important role of the strategic partnership between Latvia and the United States, and it honours the people and values who helped us to regain independence, withdraw the Soviet army, achieve strategic goals, join the European Union and NATO, as well as to maintain a strategic partnership with the United States,” said Solvita Āboltiņa, Speaker of the Saeima, in her address to the participants of the ceremonial renaming of the street after Sumner Welles.
On Thursday, 21 June, the Saeima in the third and final reading adopted amendments to the Law on Taxes and Fees, thus improving the legal framework aimed at limiting illegal cash flows by improving the prevention of tax evasion and streamlining tax control and administration.
On Thursday, 21 June, the Saeima in the third and final reading adopted amendments to the Law on National Referendums and Initiation of Legislation, thus changing the procedure for initiating legislation or amendments to the Constitution by the electorate. The new wording of the Law supported by the Legal Affairs Committee of the Saeima sets forth that the new procedure will come into effect on 1 January 2015.
On Thursday, 21 June, the Saeima in the third and final reading adopted amendments to the Public Procurement Law that will increase the accessibility to public procurement for SMEs and reduce the administrative burden on entrepreneurs.
On Thursday, 14 June, the Saeima in the third and final reading adopted the Draft Law on the Amendments to the Law on State Pensions, stipulating a gradual increase of the retirement age.
On Thursday, 14 June, the Saeima elected Inese Lībiņa-Egnere (Zatlers’ Reform Party) to the position of Deputy Speaker of the Saeima.
The Constitution (Satversme) reflects the fundamental values and objectives of our state and society, as well as the idea and meaning behind the founding and existence of the state of Latvia, which is the existence through centuries of the Latvian nation, language and culture. Over the years the Constitution has truly become a symbol of our nation’s pursuit of independence and its desire to live in a free, democratic and lawful state. It has been a strong guarantee not to lose ourselves in the tides of time and history. This was emphasised by Solvita Āboltiņa, Speaker of the Saeima, on Wednesday, 13 June, at the opening of the 90th anniversary edition of the Constitution of the Republic of Latvia. This edition contains the text of the Constitution in several languages, as well as historical information and important publications pertaining to the fundamental law of the state.
“The small and medium European Union (EU) member states have to cooperate more actively to succeed in representing their interests in the EU decision-making process,” said Solvita Āboltiņa, Speaker of the Saeima on Monday, 11 June, during her meeting with Barbara Prammer, President of the Austrian National Council, upon whose invitation from 10 to 12 June Solvita Āboltiņa is officially visiting Vienna, Austria.
From 10 to 12 June Solvita Āboltiņa, Speaker of the Saeima, is visiting Vienna, Austria, following an invitation extended by Barbara Prammer, President of the Austrian National Council.
On Saturday, 9 June, Solvita Āboltiņa, Speaker of the Saeima, sent letters to Jean-Pierre Bel, President of the Senate of France, and Bernard Accoyer, President of the National Assembly of France, offering her condolences in regard to the death of four French soldiers serving in the NATO-led peace-keeping mission in Afghanistan.
