On Thursday, 16 April, the Saeima held an extraordinary sitting and approved the decisions taken by the Cabinet of Ministers in relation to the state of emergency aimed at limiting the spread of COVID-19.
Press releases
Saeima adopts law on emergency-situation rights and obligations of public institutions and private entities (03.04.2020.)
On Friday, 3 April, the Saeima passed in the final reading an urgent law on the activities of public institutions during the coronavirus-related state of emergency. The Law introduces basic operation principles of public institutions and certain rights and obligations of public institutions and private entities, aiming to prevent and overcome threats to national security and their consequences.
At an extraordinary sitting on Friday, 3 April, the Saeima adopted amendments to the Law on Measures to Prevent and Overcome the Threat to National Security and Its Consequences Due to the Spread of COVID-19, thus introducing additional measures. Support will be provided in various areas, including compliance with obligations, tax compliance, and civil litigation.
On Friday, 3 April, the Saeima held an extraordinary sitting and adopted the decision by the Cabinet of Ministers to extend the precautionary measures taken during the emergency situation to limit the spread of COVID-19.
On Thursday, 3 April, the Saeima adopted in the final reading urgent amendments to the Latvian Administrative Violations Code. The amendments provide for an increase in fines for violating epidemiological safety requirements as well as restrictions and bans introduced during the state of emergency. In addition, the amendments establish administrative liability for failing to comply with conditions for receiving downtime allowance.
On Thursday, 3 April, at an extraordinary sitting, the Saeima accepted in the final reading the urgent amendment to the Maternity and Sickness Insurance Law submitted by a group of MPs, introducing the conditions for granting parental benefit during the coronavirus-related state of emergency.
On Thursday, 2 April, the Saeima held an extraordinary sitting and adopted the decision by the Cabinet of Ministers to extend the precautionary measures taken during the emergency situation to limit the spread of COVID-19.
Saeima gears up for remote plenary sittings (02.04.2020.)
Necessary preparations have been made in the parliament for the planned Saeima sitting of 2 April to take place as a video conference, with MPs staying in different premises of the parliament building. This will be a temporary solution in order to ensure that plenary sittings are held in line with the procedures laid down in the Rules of Procedure of the Saeima.
In an extraordinary sitting on Friday, 20 March, the Saeima adopted a special law on measures to prevent and cope with the national threat and its consequences due to the spread of the COVID-19.
On Friday, 20 March, during an extraordinary plenary sitting, the Saeima in the second and final reading adopted as urgent amendments to several laws in order to provide support to employers in covering sick-leave certificates, set out the conditions for granting social assistance benefits to needy and low-income persons, as well as to extend the social security rights of persons with disabilities who would otherwise lose them during this period.