On Thursday, 22 September, the Saeima adopted in the first reading amendments to the National Security Law and Criminal Law. The amendments that prohibit citizens and non-citizens of Latvia from serving in foreign armies, police services, and security agencies are aimed at addressing the potential risks associated with Latvian nationals joining the aforementioned foreign forces. The proposed amendments introduce criminal liability and imprisonment for a term of up to four years in case on noncompliance.

“Public announcements about the failure of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations between the European Union and the United States of America are groundless. Member states of the EU have not mandated the negotiations to be suspended, and therefore Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom continues to lead the process,” said Lolita Čigāne, Chairperson of the European Affairs Committee of the Saeima. 

On Monday, 19 September, the Chairpersons of the Committees on European Affairs of the parliaments of the Baltic States and Poland issued a joint statement supporting the Rail Baltica project and urging the responsible parties to follow closely the project deadlines significant for ensuring availability of EU financing for the Rail Baltica project.

At a discussion about the role and responsibilities of parliaments in the migration and refugee crisis in Europe in the framework of the European Summit of Presidents and Speakers of Parliament in Strasbourg, Gundars Daudze, Deputy Speaker of the Saeima, said: “European parliaments have to re-think their current approach to the migration crisis. It is the task of the national parliaments to find the middle ground, where the interests of their citizens are protected, whilst also providing as much help as possible to people fleeing actual warfare. It is important that parliaments adopt well-considered legislation precluding potential and unwanted risks; assistance should only be provided to those who truly need it, but not to people who are trying to take advantage of the situation.”

On Thursday, 15 September, the Saeima adopted in the first reading the draft law “On the Protocol to the North Atlantic Treaty on the Accession of Montenegro”, thus conceptually supporting ratification of the Protocol on Montenegro joining NATO.

On Thursday, 15 September, the Saeima adopted in the final reading amendments to the Law “On the Change of a Given Name, Surname and Nationality Record”, which aim to simplify the procedure for foreigners of Latvian origin registering their nationality.

On Friday, 9 September, during his working visit to Moldova, Gundars Daudze, Deputy Speaker of the Saeima, met with Andrian Candu, Speaker of the parliament of Moldova. “Latvia and Moldova are engaged in an active political dialogue and constructive parliamentary cooperation. The Eastern Partnership continues to be Latvia’s strategic priority,” the Deputy Speaker of the Saeima confirmed to Andrian Candu.

On Friday, 9 September, the chairpersons of the European Affairs Committees of the parliaments of the Baltic States and Poland met in Tallinn, Estonia, where they adopted a joint statement in support of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership between the European Union (EU) and the United States of America (USA).

“Latvia strongly believes in international law. This belief is rooted in our experience of being able, under international law, to reinstate our statehood after 50 years of occupation,” stressed Inese Lībiņa-Egnere, Deputy Speaker of the Saeima, on Thursday, 8 September, when opening the 12th Annual Conference of the European Society of International Law (ESIL) at the Latvian National Library. This year the prominent legal forum focused on how international law works in times of crisis. 

On 8–10 September Gundars Daudze, Deputy Speaker of the Saeima, is on a working visit in Moldova, where, upon the invitation of the parliament of Moldova, he is taking part in the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the independence of Moldova.