Press releases

Members of the Saeima take part in conference Religion against Terrorism held in Astana
While on a working visit to Kazakhstan, Members of the Saeima attended a conference hosted by the parliament of Kazakhstan focusing on one of today’s challenges – Religion against Terrorism.
Inese Lībiņa-Egnere, Deputy Speaker of the Saeima, and Andrejs Klementjevs, Secretary of the Saeima, are on a visit to Astana, Kazakhstan, where they met with Rapil Zhoshibaev, Commissioner of Expo Astana 2017. The Saeima representatives confirmed Latvia’s readiness to participate in the international exhibition to be held next year in Kazakhstan.
During their visit to Astana, Inese Lībiņa-Egnere, Deputy Speaker of the Saeima, and Andrejs Klementjevs, Secretary of the Saeima, met with the highest officials of Kazakhstan and stressed that Kazakhstan is an important partner for Latvia in the Central Asia region. It is evidenced by the fact that cooperation with Central Asia was among the priorities of the Latvian presidency of the EU and continues to be high on Latvia’s foreign policy agenda also after the conclusion of our presidency. The representatives of the Presidium of the Saeima met with Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Chairman of the Senate of the Parliament of Kazakhstan, and Roman Vasilenko, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan and the co-chair of the Kazakh – Latvian Intergovernmental Commission.
Saeima: non-ethnic Latvian citizens can now register as Latvians
On Thursday, 26 May, the Saeima approved in the second reading the amendments to the Law on the Change of a Given Name, Surname and Nationality Record. According to these amendments, citizens of Latvia who are not ethnically Latvian but have permanently lived in the country for at least 15 years, have learned the official language, and affiliate themselves with Latvian culture, will be granted a right to change their nationality to Latvian.
Speaker Mūrniece: Latvia supports prompt introduction of visa-free regime with Georgia
On Wednesday, 25 May, within the framework of a working visit to Georgia, Ināra Mūrniece, Speaker of the Saeima, met with the highest officials of the state. Speaker Mūrniece said that “Latvia will continue to support Georgia and will urge for prompt introduction of a visa-free regime with the European Union. Georgia has diligently completed its homework and implemented various reforms so that its citizens may enjoy the advantages provided by a visa-free regime.”
On 24-27 May Ināra Mūrniece, Speaker of the Saeima, will be on a working visit to Tbilisi, Georgia, to participate in the ceremonial events in honour of the 25th anniversary of Georgia’s independence, as well as to meet with high-level officials.
On Monday, 23 May, Ināra Mūrniece, Speaker of the Saeima, addressed the Conference of the Speakers of the Parliaments of the European Union in Luxembourg. At the session devoted to strengthening the EU, Speaker Mūrniece stated that the challenges arising from migration, growing social inequality and the financial and economic situation can only be overcome by a joint effort, and that the European Union is founded on cooperation and solidarity among sovereign states.
Ināra Mūrniece: strong media and close cooperation must be the response to hybrid threats
“Strong media and close transnational cooperation are key elements of dealing with the current hybrid threats”, highlighted Ināra Mūrniece, Speaker of the Saeima, opening a high-level conference dedicated to the strengthening of the security in the Baltic region on Friday, 13 May.
Jānis Vucāns: active defence cooperation required to strengthen the Baltic security
On Friday, 13 May, the Saeima hosted Baltic Assembly conference ‘Security in the Baltic Region: Current Developments and the Way Ahead’. “Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania need to step up the defence cooperation to strengthen the security of all three Baltic countries; therefore the Baltic Assembly (BA) is currently working toward a common regional framework for defence procurements, joint masters programme for region’s security services, and regular tactical training,” stressed Jānis Vucāns, BA President.
On Friday, 13 May, the Saeima will host a high level conference “Security in the Baltic Region: Current Developments and the Way Ahead”. It will focus on such topics as strengthening of mass media, countering of hybrid threats, and strategic recalibration of NATO and the EU. 
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