One hundred years ago, Polish and Latvian soldiers fought the Red Army side by side to free the Latgale region and defend the newly established Latvian state. Today we are close allies and strategic partners, standing guard over the values that laid the foundation of our countries, noted Edvards Smiltēns, Speaker of the Saeima, in Warsaw, during a meeting with Elżbieta Witek, Marshal of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland. A delegation led by the Speaker of the Saeima is currently on an official visit to Poland.

In an extraordinary sitting on Thursday, 14 December, the Saeima gave a vote of confidence to the Cabinet of Ministers formed by Krišjānis Kariņš. Fifty-four MPs voted in favour of the new government, while thirty-seven voted against.

According to the amendments to the Law on Assistance to Ukrainian Civilians adopted in the second and final reading by the Saeima on Thursday, 8 December, support for Ukrainian people fleeing the war will be extended to 30 June 2023.

On Thursday, 8 December, the Saeima adopted a statement On Russia’s international crimes in Ukraine and the prosecution of those responsible. The Statement strongly supports the investigation launched by the International Criminal Court with a view to identifying and prosecuting those who have committed war crimes and crimes against humanity on Ukrainian territory.

On Tuesday, 6 December, the NATO Parliamentary Assembly’s annual Transatlantic Forum was held in Washington, D.C., commemorating Ojārs Ēriks Kalniņš (1949-2021), Member of the Saeima, a long-standing diplomat and politician. O.Ē.Kalniņš chaired the Saeima delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly for many years.

On Friday, 2 December, Edvards Smiltēns, Speaker of the Saeima, met with Elnur Sultanov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the Republic of Latvia, and suggested seeking new opportunities for cooperation and expanding dialogue in areas of high added value.

On Thursday, 1 December, the Saeima adopted urgent amendments to the Cabinet Structure Law in the second and final reading in order to introduce the Ministry and Minister of Climate and Energy.

On Thursday, 1 December, the Saeima adopted in the second and final reading urgent amendments to the State Administration Structure Law, establishing the position of a deputy minister.

“This is a difficult time, but it is also a time of opportunity. Latvia and Lithuania must find new avenues for cooperation and speed up ongoing projects of strategic importance,” highlighted Speaker Smiltēns during his meeting with Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen, Speaker of the Parliament of Lithuania, in Vilnius, capital of Lithuania, on Tuesday, 29 November.