Press releases
Ojārs Kalniņš, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Saeima, applauds the decision of Daniels Pavļuts, Minister for Economics, to suspend consideration of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) in the Saeima. The Chairman emphasised that comprehensive discussions have to be conducted before ACTA is ratified.
The European Union’s (EU) fiscal discipline treaty is a crucial step on the road to ensuring economic development in the EU and its global competitiveness. This was a key-point stressed by Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica, Chairperson of the European Affairs Committee of the Saeima, during the debate on the Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union: Content and Significance, which took place on Friday, 10 February.
On Wednesday, 8 February, the Legal Affairs Committee of the Saeima conceptually supported amendments to the Law on National Referendums and Initiation of Legislation which will enable the general public to participate in the European Union (EU) policy-making.
On Monday, 6 February, the Presidium of the Saeima approved the Steering Committee for planning the parliamentary dimension of the Latvian Presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU). The Committee, which includes representatives of all the parliamentary groups and the group of unaffiliated MPs, will draft a programme of parliamentary events for Latvia’s EU Presidency.
On Monday, 30 January, in her meeting with the ministers of agriculture from the Baltic States, Solvita Āboltiņa, Speaker of the Saeima, stressed that the three countries should join their efforts and use all available resources to ensure that the next Multiannual Financial Framework of the European Union (EU) is more favourable for the Baltic States.
On Thursday, 26 January, the Saeima held a plenary sitting devoted to Latvia’s foreign policy and European Union (EU) issues.
On Friday, 20 January, Solvita Āboltiņa, Speaker of the Saeima, when meeting with the journalists who covered the events of the Barricades of 1991, pointed out: “The first independent Republic of Latvia that was established in 1918 existed for almost 22 years. This symbolic age is approaching once again. The times have definitely changed, and a military invasion of our country is almost impossible. In the 21st century there are other ways of undermining a free state and depriving people of it. Currently, certain politicians are stirring up people who have co-existed peacefully in Latvia for centuries.”
On Thursday, 19 January, the Saeima adopted in the final reading amendments to the Rules of Procedure of the Saeima which repeal election of public officials by a secret ballot, envisage the right of at least 10,000 citizens to submit collective submissions and amend the list of committees of the Saeima.
In order to continue the tradition of the Saeima to take part in cooperation projects with art schools, this year aspiring artists will again be given a chance to sketch the proceedings of a plenary sitting of the Saeima and draw portraits of MPs.
On Friday, 13 January, the European Affairs Committee of the Saeima supported the national position On the International Treaty on a Reinforced Economic Union, which explains Latvia’s views on drafting the new Treaty of the European Union (EU).
