On 27 and 28 October, MPs from Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania will convene in Riga for the 35th Session of the Baltic Assembly (BA) in order to discuss such issues as migration and protection of the external border of the European Union, the demographic situation in the Baltic States, as well as the development of regional transport infrastructure, with a special emphasis on the Rail Baltica project. 

On Thursday, 6 October, Ināra Mūrniece, Speaker of the Saeima, welcomed Darko Pajovic, President of the Parliament of Montenegro, to the parliament of Latvia. Speaker Mūrniece praised Montenegro’s progress in its NATO accession efforts and expressed support to the country’s EU integration aspirations.

On Thursday, 6 October, the Saeima adopted in the final reading the draft law “On the Protocol to the North Atlantic Treaty on the Accession of Montenegro”, thus supporting ratification of the Protocol on Montenegro joining NATO. 

On Wednesday, 5 October, Ināra Mūrniece, Speaker of the Saeima, welcomed Jürgen Ligi, the newly-appointed Minister for Foreign Affairs of Estonia, to the parliament of Latvia. The Speaker of the Saeima congratulated the neighbouring country with its forthcoming presidency of the Council of the EU and encouraged Estonia to continue the initiatives launched during the Latvian presidency, especially the strengthening of the Eastern Partnership.

On Tuesday, 27 September, having convened in the Saeima to evaluate the nominees for the Baltic Assembly (BA) prizes, the international jury decided to award this year’s Prize for Science to Maija Dambrova for her scientific work on energy metabolism, as well as her contribution to research of the mechanism of action of the metabolic agent Mildronate.

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.